Hi Guys and Gals,
Last few weeks we have been getting the ABS and EBS turn off engine etc warnings.
These have all happened when at very low speed and generally when turning sharply i.e. roundabouts junctions. Off course this is very unnerving mainly as my wife uses the car most of the time and she is obviously worried about the car either stopping and leaving her stranded etc as am I.
After reading various posts on this forum there are mentions about a possible battery problem when under load causing this error, I fitted a new battery in january when we had another problem when it cut out at a roundabout in filthy wet dark weather.
I had the alternator checked for charging at the time and this came back ok.
The other thing that makes me think that maybe a fault with the alternator/belt/tensioners is a noisy aircon and also the cooling/heating fan fluctuates when at junctions when using the brake to hold the car and has now started to do it all the time.
Just wondered if this rings a bell as was trying to put off a timing belt change when it goes into the garae for its mot in a couple of months and didnt really want to have any other belts etc changed only to have them removed when fitting the timing belt.
Oh and to top it all my wife told me that we now have a Engine Control Faulty on start up and the light stays on. Just drove it round the block and dosent seem to have a loss of power.
Help!!!

Sorry brain failure....... its a 1.6 03 plate Multi with 57000 on the clock
I have just been informed that the engine control faulty message/light has gone out.

i have often that problem. When i turn my lights on, i get error's of everything (abs, oil,...), then engine light turns on. and after few second it turns off like nothing happend. (srry for my english,i'm dutch). i don't know the problem would be.

Just an update, went to the local garage who investigated the error code, only one in the memory was to do with the engine control faulty and said that one of the coils is not always generating a spark. Couldnt find any reference to the abs/ebs error and even took it out to see if he could replicate it without any luck. Came home no problems then the next trip out when doing a sharp slow turn into a drive same error with the engine stopping and same errors.
Reading other posts they all seem to be on start up when this isint, think I will change the coil just to see anyway.

stmterrace said:

Just an update, went to the local garage who investigated the error code, only one in the memory was to do with the engine control faulty and said that one of the coils is not always generating a spark. Couldnt find any reference to the abs/ebs error.

Click to expand...

need examner equipment, unlikely local garage could read the code(s)

Sorry to bring this up but its really begining to be a pain.
This does not happen when starting the car only when driving.
It manifests its self only when the car seems to be under heavy electrical strain.
The other evening drove out and didnt have any major problem only when at a junction and having foot on brakes and you can hear the cabin fan blower increasing/decreasing.
On the way home in the dark and all sorts of errors showing up mainly when braking anything from abs/edb error, instruments would reset and then it would do its system check like its just starting up, the instrument display would dim.
The instrument digital display dimming is the part that displays your mileage etc.
All this happens when braking, the dimming when braking lightly, the other problems when braking harder.
Have had the earth cables from the gearbox, under the battery tray and one behind the headlight (couldnt get the the other one the other side).
Battery seems ok as all this happens when driving and car starts on the button every time.
Are there any other earth points worth having a look at, some one said it might be the instrument cluster earth, any ideas where this might be before I start taking things apart.

Well, you've certainly been putting up with it for a long time!

Have you had the alternator output checked? Because it's such a long-running fault, I doubt it is that, but may be worth having the output checked. Also, have the earth leakage checked with a heavy duty ammeter when the engine is running. It sounds to me like an earth/grounding fault, but you've checked/replaced all the usual suspects. Do you get any silly things like the rear lights dimming on/off as the indicators flash?

Thanks for the info widemouthfrog.
Yes it has been going on for a while, sometimes it dosent happen at all other times like the other night its going all the time.
The Alternator was checked when the original problem started and didnt show any problems, not checked to see if the rear lights dim when indicators are on, whilst im messing around near the rear of the car are there any earth cables to do with the brake light system as wondered as this seems to happen when braking if that was worth checking.

Right the saga goes on!!!
Got myself a code reader the other day as the car has twice now stopped when driving, similar as mentioned above driving along disco lights engine stops.
Starts again after acouple of attempts, after restart "Engine Ctrl Faulty" message and engine warning light stays on, no loss of power etc.
Got code reader and this gives errors PO351 and PO352 Ignition Coil signal low errors and a U1600 Immobilizer Key faulty invalid signal.
Unfortunatley it dosent read ABS/EBS errors so cant check that out.
Have checked the voltages around the battery connections/terminals and these are as follows with the engine running its around 14.00 with lights on,indicators going/cabin fan on full and radio on it ranges from 13.92 down to 13.19.
As mentioned the cabin fan speeds up and slows down when indicators are on or if sat with foot on brake.