Q: car is barely picking up speed from stationary position to 3rd gear

asked by on December 31, 2016

Hi my toyota previa (diesel) is not picking up speed when i am moving off from stationary. When i press the gas pedal it feels flat as a pancake and does not pick up speed as quick as it should. When it manages to pick up speed after driving it for around 100 yards it is fine then and i can go into 4th and 5th gear without losing speed. However if i approach a steep road then the car rapidly loses speed and i have to go down a gear and if i stop it takes too long to pick up speed again. I have had the turbo replaced but the garage have had my car for over a week now and they keep saying that it is not driving as it should and they keep telling me that they are working on it.

My car has 130000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

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Hi there. Check the turbo on the engine. With the loss of power until the vehicle is driven normally after 100 meters and the lack of power going up steep hills, the turbo could have failed causing the engine to lose power. Remove the intake hose to the turbo and start the engine. Look to see if the turbo is spooling up or not. If its not spooling up, then the turbo shaft could be seized and would need replaced other wise the waste gate could be not functioning causing the turbo to stop boosting. I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you diagnose your loss of power.

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