Fault codes (1 Viewer)

[ES Cumbrian]

Just picked up a 2007 Autotrail Apache 3 litre and during a long drive home the engine light came on. Took it to a local garage by which time the light had gone off, they put it on the diagnostic and found P0104, P0638 and P0402 which they cleared. Engine is running fine no light now anyone have an idea of what may have made the light go on? Fault codes are not date stamped so do not know what order they came.

 

[MC 55 FUN]

https://www.obd-codes.com/p0104

https://www.obd-codes.com/p0638

https://www.obd-codes.com/p0402

 

[ES Cumbrian]

https://www.obd-codes.com/p0104

Thanks for the link, I have read what each code means but I did not notice any lack of engine performance in fact I did the 300 mile run with my Toyota Aygo on the back and averaged 23.5 mpg which I think is good.

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[pappajohn]

P0104....mass airflow intermittent
P0638....throttle actuator control range
P0402....exhaust gas recirculation excessive

My guess is a sticky EGR valve or dirty air flow sensor.

First check would be the mass airflow sensor in the inlet pipework.
You can buy a proper cleaning aerosol but care must be taken as they are delicate and easily broken.

If it's running OK now I would wait to see if the code reappears.
All three are related and one fault could throw all the codes, but It may just be a glitch and never come back.

 

[pappajohn]

Buy a cheap OBDII reader, then you can reset any codes at the roadside if you need to.
My car is intermittently plagued by fault codes and once reset can take many months to resurface, if at all.

 

[ES Cumbrian]

Thanks pappajohn that is exactly what my garage said so maybe its a wait and see game. I just thought maybe someone could point at one device that would through all three codes.

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[tonka]

You dont say if van has been sat about before sale. May have a bit of water in the fuel ?, good refill and a run may sort it.
As said OBD2 READER cheap on ebay and always handy to keep in van.

 

[ES Cumbrian]

You dont say if van has been sat about before sale. May have a bit of water in the fuel ?, good refill and a run may sort it.
As said OBD2 READER cheap on ebay and always handy to keep in van.

It had been stood for some time with not a lot of fuel in the tank so that is a possibility, just after the light came on I filled the tank than drove 300 miles with the light on. I filled up again straight after the trip still with the light on. The next morning I ran the engine for 10 mins still the light on. Booked it in for a diagnostic at a garage a mile away, sods law on the way the light went off.

 

[TerryL]

You can clear an intermittent fault without a code reader by turning off the ignition, wait say 10 secs then start up again. Repeat this 5 times and the fault light will (probably) go out - sounds like what you've actually done. If it doesn't, it's a repeating fault which needs investigating.

Sounds like you need the "Italian" fix - make sure all engine levels are okay then give it a good thrashing for about 10/15 mins. Higher revs in a lower gear and get some load on it e.g. hills etc. This helps to clear out any gunge - but your 300 mile trip might already have done the trick. Been well discussed before on here - and it worked for me!

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[The Wino]

Left for a while with not much in the tank is a recipie for getting water condensed out of the air in the tank in the fuel perhaps that was it

 

[ES Cumbrian]

You can clear an intermittent fault without a code reader by turning off the ignition, wait say 10 secs then start up again. Repeat this 5 times and the fault light will (probably) go out - sounds like what you've actually done. If it doesn't, it's a repeating fault which needs investigating.

Sounds like you need the "Italian" fix - make sure all engine levels are okay then give it a good thrashing for about 10/15 mins. Higher revs in a lower gear and get some load on it e.g. hills etc. This helps to clear out any gunge - but your 300 mile trip might already have done the trick. Been well discussed before on here - and it worked for me!

I didn't know of the 5 times starting so yes maybe with stops on the trip I did reset it when starting to go to the garage. Will have to wait a bit to do the Italian Job as I will have my toad on the back for the next trip. The 300 mile trip was mostly low revs keeping to 60 as towing.

 

[ES Cumbrian]

Left for a while with not much in the tank is a recipie for getting water condensed out of the air in the tank in the fuel perhaps that was it

In a past life I was a Yachty so knew about keeping a full tank to avoid water in it as it "breaths"

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[tonyidle]

I didn't know of the 5 times starting so yes maybe with stops on the trip I did reset it when starting to go to the garage. Will have to wait a bit to do the Italian Job as I will have my toad on the back for the next trip. The 300 mile trip was mostly low revs keeping to 60 as towing.

Most engine fault codes rely on counters. An example is a misfire: the ECU will count them and if the count exceeds a critical number (set by the vehicle manufacturer) the engine fault light will come on. However the count is reset by yet another counter that counts successful 'run' events - which are engine start, a time running, then engine stop. If the first counter exceeds the threshold before being reset by the second the dashboard warning light is illuminated. If the first is reset before reaching threshold then the warning light does not come on. It's also worth knowing that limp mode (if and when it happens) is not designed to "save the engine" or " prevent damage" or "for safety reasons" - it's there to force a repair visit before your misbehaving engine can cause any more pollution.

 

[ES Cumbrian]

Most engine fault codes rely on counters. An example is a misfire: the ECU will count them and if the count exceeds a critical number (set by the vehicle manufacturer) the engine fault light will come on. However the count is reset by yet another counter that counts successful 'run' events - which are engine start, a time running, then engine stop. If the first counter exceeds the threshold before being reset by the second the dashboard warning light is illuminated. If the first is reset before reaching threshold then the warning light does not come on. It's also worth knowing that limp mode (if and when it happens) is not designed to "save the engine" or " prevent damage" or "for safety reasons" - it's there to force a repair visit before your misbehaving engine can cause any more pollution.

Very interesting Tony thank you.

 

[ES Cumbrian]

Update on my problems. I have now changed the Throttle body, bought a reader to reset codes and all has been fine until my last trip. I did a weekend away with a 300 mile drive down south and all was fine then on the way back after around 250 miles the engine light cane on. Engine was running very well with no problems at all. Read the codes this morning and it was just a P0402 "exhaust gas recirculation flow excessive detected" have now reset the light. So what to do next do I remove EGR valve and check it? its a 3.0 litre Ducato 2007 is the easy to do? any other recommendations?

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[gus-lopez]

I'd have it blanked off & removed from ecu programme ,if it is on there.

 

[jtp890]

Had similar problems found an electronic tuning booster wired in to management system was tripping when hot, removed and not had problem since.

 

[ES Cumbrian]

Had similar problems found an electronic tuning booster wired in to management system was tripping when hot, removed and not had problem since.

Not noticed any tuning booster on mine are they easy to spot?

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[jtp890]

Check if any cables are spliced in on electrical feeds to injectors, our was fixed above engine bay near wipers.