Antipollution Fault - Faulty Emissions Ecu?

[Guest philmc]

Hi All,

 

I have a 2002 2.2hdi Exclusive, just coming up to 100k miles. the ESP/ASR & antipollution fault warning have come on and the car gone into limp mode. I had the EOLYS fluid and the particle filter changed (along with the cambelt which was due) but the fault will not discharge. The garage has also, on testing the repair, found that a turbo solenoid is now registering faulty, but most worringly, they can't reset the emissions ECU to clear the faults. The technician says there's an open circuit and possibly a faulty ECU.

 

Can anyone advise please? I think the garage (a good indy Citroen place) has come to the end of their knowledge. They reckon that changing the faulty turbo solenoid will stop it going into limp mode, but will it? Could there really be an ECU fault - and if so how on earth do I fix it?

 

Really grateful for any help!

[72dudes]

I recently sold a 2.2 HDi with the same problem.<BR><BR>You could try the solenoid switch, but it may or may not fix the problem: I changed 4 different sensors/solenoids/switches and still the problem persisted. Eventually a really good Citroen technician said it was most likely a faulty ECU.<BR><BR>He gave me details of the ECU Doctor, (google it), who will test and re-set the ECU for about £40. However, if it's not repairable they will send an exchange one for £120 -ish (a lot less than for a new part)<BR><BR>It's done by mail, so you have to be prepared to be without the car for 4 days.<BR><BR>I'd already spent over £400 trying to put mine right so I decided enough was enough.<BR><BR>But good luck with yours.<BR><BR>

[Guest philmc]

I recently sold a 2.2 HDi with the same problem.<BR><BR>You could try the solenoid switch, but it may or may not fix the problem: I changed 4 different sensors/solenoids/switches and still the problem persisted. Eventually a really good Citroen technician said it was most likely a faulty ECU.<BR><BR>He gave me details of the ECU Doctor, (google it), who will test and re-set the ECU for about £40. However, if it's not repairable they will send an exchange one for £120 -ish (a lot less than for a new part)<BR><BR>It's done by mail, so you have to be prepared to be without the car for 4 days.<BR><BR>I'd already spent over £400 trying to put mine right so I decided enough was enough.<BR><BR>But good luck with yours.<BR><BR>

 

Thanks for your advice! I've spent too much to let the car go now - so will have a go at the solenoid/ECU. In the meantime I've two trips to Cornwall with the caravan - which will be interesting....

[Guest dugzin]

Can't help you fix it but I can give you my veiws and a bit of info, though I may be teaching granny to suck eggs! But for what it's worth.

We have an 03 2.2Hdi Exclusive Break with 97K, bought at 18mths old with 33K and no faults. Probably same as yours and many others, goes into "limp home mode" if the engine is laboured around 2100 revs in fourth (ours is manual), with the Anti-pollution Fault warning.

We've lived with it like that now for 4 years, driven localy only (rural roads)with the odd fast haul to Newcastle (55mls), Edinburgh (60mls) or Glasgow (120mls), have learnt to drive "around" the problem, fifth/sixth gears useless except on a motorway and even then sixth lible to drop into "L-H-M".

Our local Citroen dealer, good guys and V helpfull, have quoted just under £1500 to put it right. They told me they can't exactly pinpoint the cause but with trial and error they can fix it, and here is the "rub". They tell me it will go wrong again, or at least they can't guarantee it won't go wrong again. Told it's both a software and mechanical problem, the problem was cured on the C5 mkII but Citroen didn't do anything about the earlier cars.

If we have a lapse in concentration while driving and it goes into "L-H-M" we pull over asap, switch off, wait approx five mins, re-start and carry on as normal. The service/fault warnings clear after about the fifth/sixth time the engine is started.

I do all the work myself unless it involves computer conection then it goes to the dealer. I haven't changed the fap yet and probably won't, I just put a litre of eolys in about 10K after the low warning came up. It sailed through emissions test recently, have been warned that if the fap clogs it will lock out one of the ecu's and it's a replace only job no unlock/reset, another £200. Consuption is around the 30-35 mark, but as I said thats on rural roads and I push it hard mostly due to it handling so well.

Other things wrong with it that we are "living" with, rear glass hatch not opening again been repaired once, rear tailgate springs weak in cold weather, carry a legth of wood!! Wears all four tyres out at same rate, shows it's well balanced but makes it expensive! Washer bottle leaks at filler neck, never used to but told there's no seal there! Can't adjust the headlamps (xenon) to my liking as they have to be done on the computer, and don't like the non-existant beam pattern!! Automatic wipers run eraticaly, no rhyme or reason to speed, screen can be opaque with rain but they don't come on or there's little water and they run fast/keep going? Rear lift switch doesn't always work! Reversing mirror (nearside door) doesn't always change position! Rear break squeel, and all discs seize in place, I had to cut the last set off with an angle grinder! Rear calipers corrode (aluminium) where mated to swingarm and bend the bolts! All in all a fortune to put right.

We were waiting to see if it locks out fully or just keeps going till it gets run into the ground; yesterday though I hit a pothole in the dark, never did think the lights were any good, took the front nearside tyre out and sheared of the nearside rear sphere and smashed it's mount, maybe more as haven't had chance to look properly yet as it's right down on the ground and we've still got 2' of snow! Big hole 5' long 3' wide 4" deep sheer face out, it went with a bang! Two other cars hit it just before me, we all changed wheels together! I limped home (3 miles) on the rear bumpstops with no power steering at 20mph, could've been worse I suppose! So it could be going to the great scrap yard in the sky sooner than we thought! Maybe I'll use it as a chicken house!!

Shame realy, it's a fantastic drive, great comfort, good consumption, very safe, looks great, but just too much technology even the dealer agrees we need to go back 15-20 years to make all cars more reliable and user (mechanic) friendly! Some days I wish we still had our old BX 17TZD! Or even the 19 turbo before that. Hope this is of use to someone, if not you all had a good read!

[PICASSOCONVERT]

I enjoyed reading your short story very much.

 

You experience is just about the same as my son and daughter-in-law who "bought" my 2001 2.2HDi estate from me at 5 years old 72,000 miles (I had had the car from new with few problems and replaced the DPF and fluid just before I handed the keys over).

 

The new owners got two problem-free year's motoring and replaced the cam belt & water pump at 7 years/98,000 miles.

 

The DPF/fluid work and the cambelt/water pump change cost about £850 at our local Citroen garage, which I didn't mind as they should be fairly infrequent items.

 

However, about six months ago at 125,000 miles the "limp mode" problems you described arrived. Like you they are living with it, using the car for local journeys and using their second car for motorways/long journeys.

 

As you say, a great car in most respects, and capable of very high mileages, but a bit of a pig to fix in some respects.

 

I now wonder how long my 2003 2.2HDi/67,000 mile car will go before it starts to become unreliable. Having not done the DPF/fluid or the cam belt/water pump yet should I quit whilst I am ahead?