Spin Diesel Stalling: Ignition System or Misfire Issue?

I had a similar issue with my 2016 Chevy Cruze diesel last year. Got some basic DIY experience with car maintenance, but electrical issues still make me nervous. My symptoms matched yours, rough running, unusual stalling, and jerky acceleration. After scanning, we found misfires were happening due to a loose connection between the coil pack and wiring harness. The connector had worked itself loose over time, causing intermittent electrical contact. Total repair came to 95 Euro, mainly labor costs for diagnosing and fixing the faulty wiring connection. Once properly secured, all the misfire symptoms disappeared completely. Before suggesting more specific fixes, could you share: Current mileage? Any recent maintenance done? Does the rough running happen more at specific RPMs? Any diagnostic codes pulled yet? These details would help narrow down if you're dealing with the same coil pack connection issue or something else.

Thanks for your response. Latest service was 2 months ago, mostly regular maintenance. My mileage is at 125032 KM. The engine hesitation seems worse between 1500-2500 RPM, especially when accelerating from a stop. Haven't pulled the diagnostic codes yet, but the check engine light started flashing yesterday during particularly bad misfire episodes. I'm noticing the symptoms are more pronounced when the engine is cold, improving slightly after warming up. Good to know about your coil pack experience, I'll definitely have the wiring connections checked first since it's a relatively simple fix. Planning to get the vehicle diagnostics done tomorrow to check those error codes. Did your mechanic test the fuel injectors as well when diagnosing your misfire issues?

The injector testing wasn't necessary in my case, the vehicle diagnostics pointed straight to the ignition system. But your symptoms being worse when cold and improving after warm-up actually sound more complex than my simple loose connection issue. When my coil pack problem occurred, the misfiring was pretty consistent regardless of engine temperature. Looking at your RPM range and cold-start symptoms, you might be dealing with a combination of issues. The flashing check engine light during misfires is definitely concerning, that's the ECU's way of warning about potential catalytic converter damage from unburned fuel. Had the exact same model year Spin, and these engines can be sensitive to both fuel and ignition issues. After fixing my coil pack problem, I learned these models sometimes have issues with: Carbon buildup on intake valves, Faulty fuel pressure regulators, Clogged fuel injectors Smart move getting those error codes read. The engine stalling at idle combined with cold-start issues makes me think you should have both the ignition and fuel delivery systems checked thoroughly. When the shop runs their diagnostics, ask them to specifically monitor fuel pressure during cold starts.

Thanks for the detailed feedback. Getting those diagnostics done today was eye-opening. The scan revealed multiple cylinder misfires and a faulty spark plug in cylinder 2. But what really caught my eye was the fuel pressure reading, it's dropping below spec during cold starts, just like you mentioned might happen. The mechanic found the original coil pack has some corrosion on the contacts, and two spark plugs are pretty worn. They're suggesting a full ignition system service, new coil pack, all spark plugs, and checking the wiring harness connections. Also recommended cleaning the fuel injectors while they're at it. Makes sense now why the problems were worse when cold, the combination of weak spark and low fuel pressure was really affecting cold starts. Going ahead with the full service tomorrow. The check engine light flashing definitely got my attention about potential catalytic converter damage, so better fix it all now before things get worse. Really appreciate you pointing out the fuel system angle, might have missed that if I'd just focused on the ignition coils alone. Will update once everything's fixed.