Limp mode - total loss of power
#1
Limp mode - total loss of power
Well it finally happened, I found out what limp mode is. (i think)
The car was working fine, no problems, I did about 100 miles yesterday stopping and starting, then today took the dog for a walk, got back in the car which started fine but then there was no power in forwards or reverse, no warning lights, just the engine warning light which came on on constantly. I managed to get home cos there was a bit of a downhill slope which assisted the car rolling forwards and then it gradually reluctantly picked up enough speed to get home, my driveway is a gentle slope upwards and there in no way it has enough power to get up. So its in the road until the pick up truck can come for it.
I always thought limp mode enabled you to drive at about 20 mph but there is absolutely minimal power in drive or reverse, in fact the engine almost stalls and it did a stall 4 or 5 times before it could roll down the hill. When I picked up enough speed the kick down worked and i could make it about a mile back home.
Any suggestions as to what happened ? there are no warning lights or flashing lights, just the engine light which is on constantly. In Park or neutral it revs OK.
2010 x type estate, 2.2 diesel
Feeling very glum, Harry
The car was working fine, no problems, I did about 100 miles yesterday stopping and starting, then today took the dog for a walk, got back in the car which started fine but then there was no power in forwards or reverse, no warning lights, just the engine warning light which came on on constantly. I managed to get home cos there was a bit of a downhill slope which assisted the car rolling forwards and then it gradually reluctantly picked up enough speed to get home, my driveway is a gentle slope upwards and there in no way it has enough power to get up. So its in the road until the pick up truck can come for it.
I always thought limp mode enabled you to drive at about 20 mph but there is absolutely minimal power in drive or reverse, in fact the engine almost stalls and it did a stall 4 or 5 times before it could roll down the hill. When I picked up enough speed the kick down worked and i could make it about a mile back home.
Any suggestions as to what happened ? there are no warning lights or flashing lights, just the engine light which is on constantly. In Park or neutral it revs OK.
2010 x type estate, 2.2 diesel
Feeling very glum, Harry
Last edited by harryxtype; 11-04-2017 at 11:34 AM.
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OK so my friend arrived with his computer. First thing he said was, the battery is low ! he went through all the fault codes and found nothing in particular except the air mass sensor was a little out of range. So he put in a spare battery, cleared all the faults, re booted the ECU and the car fired up.
Before the failure I had been sat in the car waiting for the girlfriend in the shop (yawn) so I had been trying to reset the clock (without success) so the ignition had been on for a while whilst I was pressing buttons. Then we drove about 1/4 mile to walk the dog, then got in and re-started and thats when the power went. So the diagnosis was that I had weakened the battery by keeping the ignition on, followed by two engine starts in a short space of time which together with a fault on the MAF had 'frozen' the ECU.
So the car is back home awaiting a new battery and a new MAF unit. I have ordered a Varta Silver Dynamic battery (which apparently is the same as Bosch with a different label).
Before the failure I had been sat in the car waiting for the girlfriend in the shop (yawn) so I had been trying to reset the clock (without success) so the ignition had been on for a while whilst I was pressing buttons. Then we drove about 1/4 mile to walk the dog, then got in and re-started and thats when the power went. So the diagnosis was that I had weakened the battery by keeping the ignition on, followed by two engine starts in a short space of time which together with a fault on the MAF had 'frozen' the ECU.
So the car is back home awaiting a new battery and a new MAF unit. I have ordered a Varta Silver Dynamic battery (which apparently is the same as Bosch with a different label).