Holden Barina Pricing and Specs

First thoughts are that the stepper-motor (which controls the idle speed) is faulty. That would explain both the high idle at low engine temps and the stalling and stumbling as you roll to a stop. This component is really just a small electric motor and shouldn't be too expensive to replace.

But have the car scanned first to make sure there are no other obvious causes for this behaviour. A faulty engine temperature sensor or some other small component could also produce these symptoms.

The first thing to determine is whether the engine is actually getting hot. You need to find a mechanic who can tell the difference between a genuinely hot engine and one that is crying wolf. Most times, this will involve letting the engine idle until the warning light comes on and then checking the actual temperature of the coolant. This is usually done via a trusted thermometer (infra-red thermometers are great for this) checking the temperature of the coolant in the radiator's top tank.

If the engine really is hot, then you're looking for a mechanical problem. But if the temperature is within a normal range, then you need to start looking for a dud temperature sensor, faulty gauge/light or a problem with the car's wiring. This can be a lot harder to find than you might think, but driving around with a temperature warning flashing is no good either.

It won't be the sump itself disintegrating, but my guess is that somebody who has changed the oil in the past has over-tightened the drain plug when they've replaced it. That stretches the threads on what is often a relatively soft metal and, as a result, the threads have broken away from the rest of the oil pan as you've tightened the plug.

This is actually more common than you think and happens because people don't stop to think about how much force they use when they replace the plug. While it's true that you don't want the plug undoing itself while you're driving, it's also the case that all that sump plug has to do is keep the oil inside the engine. It serves no other purpose and simply doesn't need to be too tight. Sometimes, home mechanics ignore the need to replace the crush washer on this plug with the result that they then notice an oil a leak a few days later. That's when they'll reach for the big spanner and try to tighten the sump plug some more to stop the leak. And that's when the threads break away and they're in the position you now find yourself.

The solution is to get the vehicle to a workshop (you may have to tow it as it can't be driven with no oil in the engine) which should be able to drill the hole in the sump to the next over-size and fit a slightly larger, new sump plug. It's tricky though, as you don't want to allow swarf (little metal filings from the drilling process) into the engine where they'll damage those expensive internal parts.