Hello, here are a few observations as a new owner of a 2002 JTD 115ELX multipla. I found this site looking for an answer to an "engine control fault" warning. I had all the symptoms (except "Kagarooing) that have been mentioned in this forum, 3000rpm max engine speed & sluggish performance. Luckily when it first happened I was able to get a diagnostic at a friendly garage. It was "PO236 overboost valve circuit". Having read the entries in the forum, I fully expected to go out and find the red tube to the wastegate disconnected or worn...not so. I fiddled with the connectors in the dashboard fuse box...no dice. The fault happens when I accelerate hard especially in a higher gear, it also comes and goes. i have only had the car for a month and a half from a private sale, it has 66000 miles, FSH and is in generally excellent condition. When I was examining under the bonnet I noticed a connector from the fuel filter was disconnected, so I plugged it in and started getting "humidity in fuel filter" warnings. I noticed the filter had only been changed 3 months before, is this normal? Then I started getting the glow plug warning light staying on for a minute after starting...friendly garage....PO380 "thermostat relay plate heater". whats that all about then? First big trip from my home in Holme,Norfolk to Stansted airport, leave airport, Warning "Alternator fault go to garage". Limped home, fan belt had busted, as per forum entries, due to worn idler pulley allowing the belt to be chomped through. I bought an Italian car against my better judgement, having been accused of blind prejudice. HA!! Just to finish off with, I get 45.7mpg brim to brim, computer says 38/39, I get a real diesel rattle from the engine accelerating in 1st and 2nd for the first mile or two from cold, normal? It goes away when warm.My wife has a 1999 Renault scenic, those sliding rear seats are so convenient compared to the cumbersome multipla's "take it right out" palava. I have not got used to the width yet, as I cover quite a lot of miles down country lanes, and am forever brushing the hedgerows with the passenger side mirrors. The renault's suspension is positively sumptuous compared to the stiff bouncy fiat's ( it makes the cd player skip). Finally, the funky short style of the multipla looks great, but try getting a long load in there. There i've said it, am I just being picky? am I just unlucky? comments on a postcard please!!!!!
Rob

I'll try and answer some of your queries:
Your performance problem sounds like either the MAF sensor or the EGR valve. The MAF sensor is easy to check by disconnecting the plug going to it and see if the problem goes away. The EGR valve might just be choked up with gunge. These problems are related to all modern diesel engines.
The humidity sensor was a common failure on early Multiplas and will probably need replacing - try searching this forum for more details.
You might have a broken glow plug causing the light to appear - have you removed the glow plugs to check their condition? (a service item).
The Idler pulley failing seems to be a common fault but now its repaired you shouldn't have to do it again.
Your MPG seems perfect, ours has returned an average 46MPG over 23000 miles.
The fuel computer is reading in US gallons instead of imperial gallons which explains the strange readings - again there is a thread on here discussing that issue.
The diesel rattle when cold is normal for all JTDs, as long as it quietens down when warm there is no issue here.
You will get used to the width eventually, I don't even give it a second thought now and will the excellent mirrors and straight sides it is very easy to park and judge openings etc.
The ride is very firm but this makes for great handling which is the Italian way! We got quite a shock coming from the 'soft as a sofa' ride in our 1999 Golf. Passengers seem to like it too as they don't get travel sickness in it as much as other softer cars.
Please bear in mind that your car is now 5 years old and will require a bit of maintenance as parts wear out etc. I wouldn't accept the above on a new car but on a second hand car is not too bad especially compared to our Golf which had more faults than I have had on all my other cars put together finishing with a destroyed gearbox after just 40000 miles and a repair bill of £1300!

Hope this helps

Scott

Hi, I have a multipla very similar to yours, I find the Fuel filter problem occurs when the car has been running, stopped and re-started from warm. I have had the filter changed but it still happens. I get a control fault if we rush the startup, if you click the key till the dash lights come on, wait for the glow-plug light to go out and wait for the OK light to be displayed before starting the engine and moving all seems ok. As for fuel, display says 39, actual 46mpg not bad seeing the last tank full was 3 adults and a 2 year old with a weeks luggage to the roof on holiday.

Best of luck with your purchase, I'm sure you'll grow to love it
PJ

Hi, Thank you both for your comments. I have tried disconnecting the MAF sensor to no avail. To update you now that I have lived with it for a while.
a.) Engine control fault now comes on under hard acceleration, especially in 3rd gear. And stays on, and goes into 3000 rpm get you home mode.
b.) Stop engine, start again, warning comes on, accelerate hard in first through the 3000 rpm band, warning goes out, and engine reverts to sluggish (wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding) mode. Stays like this until next hard acceleration in 3rd.
Having looked at various other threads, I pulled the vacuum line off the other end of wastegate actuator (I think thats what it is), and sucked on the pipe, the actuator goes in and out.
I dont know where to find the EGR valve, so haven't investigated that yet.
The car is going into a local independent garage in a week and a half for further investigations.
I found this entry on another site. frightening isn't it!!!
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/multiplaowners/message/17540.
At least my wastegate seems to work!!!
Thanks again.
Rob

Rob - just found your posts from last summer. Did you get the problems resolved/ what was wrong? Thanks, Miles.

Does sound like its overboosting causing limp home mode , sure it aint been remapped badly?

Hi Rob,

have recently purchased same model, year and engine Multipla and have same problem. Had a mobile diagnostics guy out and as well as some eroneous old codes had overboost circuit fault code. He tried a vacuum pump on the wastegate actuator and it was solid (Car was in fault state at the time). As aften seemed to be the case though, a good rev in neutral then leave overnight and it was fine again, until put under heavy load. It seems therefore that there may be some intermittent sticking on the actuator (pos corosion on rod?) anyway I'm going to book the car in to a good independent garage I use and get them to look at that. I'll let you know how I get on. Grateful for any more updates from you too as sounds like we have identical fault.

Rob

Final update from me, having gone around the houses with autoelectrician, then local garage eventually had to refer to a Fiat Dealer. Diagnosed as Turbo overpressure relief valve. Also oil feeder hose had slight leak. Whilst fixing this discovered wastegate was seized (and could not be freed), and not a replaceable part, so had to go for whole Turbo. Fiat price for reconditioned unit £510, so after some phoning/browsing got one from TurboActive for £357 inc VAT and shipping. All now OK, though still cost an arm and a leg with Fiat original overpressure valve, oil pipe and Labour at £55 per hour, and apparently every sub job taking whole numbers of hours (Suspect a lot of rounding up). Still at least I'm back running now and hopefully next job will be something my local garage can deal with.