206 2.0 HDi cutting out

[SLonsdale]

I got a call from SWMBO today, panicking that her 206 kept on cutting out.
I took it for a brief run out (it was brief) and found the following symptoms....

It started well, ticked over without any problems. Nice and smooth with no hesitation.

I reversed off our drive (no stall and behaved well) and set off up the road.

After 200 meters it stopped. No warning. No warning lights. The engine simply died and the clocks dropped to their default position.

The car started immediately with no hesitation and off I went again.

A short distance later it died inexactly the same manner and restarted immediately.

I set off again and again it stopped. This time it told me it had an immobiliser fault. The car cranked but did not fire up. I gave it a few more turns and then it started instantly and I drove home where it happily restarted on our drive.

Its a 2001 206 2.0 HDi