Technical TwinAir - CEL/S&S not available and possibly low on power

[myothercarsa2cv]

Hi all,

First post here, sorry it's a long one!

We've just got a 2011 Twin Air and on its first long trip to Cornwall it threw a check engine light, has a triangular warning light and says stop and start isn't available. Obviously I've left the manual at home!

I also wonder if it's down on power as, while it gets to 70, it takes an age and going up hill sees me in 3rd on the steeper stuff to maintain speed.

So a couple of questions:

Even my 2CV with 30bhp doesn't struggle this badly with hills. Is this normal for a Twin Air?

Where should I start looking for the cause of the check engine light? Does S&S automatically get disabled when the CEL comes on, or does the CEL come on when S&S isn't working (e.g. Goosed battery)?

If it shouldn't be struggling this badly with hills and is low on power, is it limp home mode, or could it be something else like MAP sensor/split pipe leaking boost? I can hear the turbo so assume it's making boost.

Finally... diagnostic tools. Anyone recommend the one from TMC Motorsport?

Thanks!

 

[Mercky]

It should sail up hills, SS light is a by product of actual problem so ignore that, could be a failed coil but probably best get some diagnostics done to narrow it down

 

[myothercarsa2cv]

It should sail up hills, SS light is a by product of actual problem so ignore that, could be a failed coil but probably best get some diagnostics done to narrow it down

Thanks - definitely have a problem then. Hopefully it's something simple like a hose. On the plus side fuel consumption has been excellent so wonder it is leaking boost...

Are the warning triangle / CEL linked as well?

 

[Mercky]

Thanks - definitely have a problem then. Hopefully it's something simple like a hose. On the plus side fuel consumption has been excellent so wonder it is leaking boost...

Are the warning triangle / CEL linked as well?

Presumably

 

[Mick F]

We had a 2011 Twin Air up until a week or so ago. It not only sailed up hills, it went like a rocket. No lack of power at all.

As for fuel consumption, ours was disappointing. Averaged 43mpg or so. Best we ever got on the motorway at a steady 55mph was 53mpg.

Get a copy of Mulitecuscan.
http://www.multiecuscan.net

Good luck,
Mick.

 

[rallycinq]

Are the warning triangle / CEL linked as well?

Yup

D

 

[myothercarsa2cv]

TwinAir - CEL/S&S not available and possibly low on power

By way of an update...

Took the car in to LoveMy500 near Sevenoaks this morning to have a poke around. Obviously the engine light was off now! The fault codes stored were O2 sensor and no boost pressure, they reckon they're linked...

Because in a previous life the turbo to intercooler pipe and down pipe had clearly been removed and not replaced properly meaning to make it fit a brace/bracket was hacked off and this lack of support caused the turbo to intercooler pipe to make a bid for freedom. Hopefully not too much of a problem now it's all bolted up properly but a replacement pipe is over a hundred quid... off to find a breaker. Anyway, should all be back to normal and I collect the poor thing tomorrow morning. Looking forward to a bit of poke! Driving a feeble 1.2 was like a rocket ship in comparison [emoji23]

Thanks all for the help and suggestions, I will soon be the proud owner of diagnostics tools too which will be most handy!

 

[The Pretender]

Hi all,

First post here, sorry it's a long one!

We've just got a 2011 Twin Air and on its first long trip to Cornwall it threw a check engine light, has a triangular warning light and says stop and start isn't available. Obviously I've left the manual at home!

I also wonder if it's down on power as, while it gets to 70, it takes an age and going up hill sees me in 3rd on the steeper stuff to maintain speed.

So a couple of questions:

Even my 2CV with 30bhp doesn't struggle this badly with hills. Is this normal for a Twin Air?

Where should I start looking for the cause of the check engine light? Does S&S automatically get disabled when the CEL comes on, or does the CEL come on when S&S isn't working (e.g. Goosed battery)?

If it shouldn't be struggling this badly with hills and is low on power, is it limp home mode, or could it be something else like MAP sensor/split pipe leaking boost? I can hear the turbo so assume it's making boost.

Finally... diagnostic tools. Anyone recommend the one from TMC Motorsport?

Thanks!

Yep, i have the same with my Panda 85TA.
According to my FIAT dealer it's the UNI-AIR Module (that managed the MultiAir system) is at fault.
Irregular Idle, sometime cut-off at 4000 rpm, don't know about lost of power, will not test that out at this time.

 

[myothercarsa2cv]

All fixed and going like a rocket again! Happy days. Big shout out to LoveMy500 near Sevenoaks for getting me back on the road in a jiffy and for being all round top blokes. Took the time to show me exactly what I needed to do to rectify it for many miles to come and have set me up so that swapping in the new part should be a doddle (ish).

 

[Cjpinner]

What was the fix???

 

[myothercarsa2cv]

I never actually said what it was! It was as simple as lining it all up, bolting it together, and clearing the codes. Perfect after that!

Funnily I now have an issue where the car just cuts out, and refuses to restart for a while without copious pedal bashing. Sometimes it starts ok, sometimes not. Errors are map sensor, anti fouling and extended start up time, all intermittent. I’m hoping to be able to get it to the garage one evening by driving it, unfortunately I don’t have home recovery! Typical.

Anyway, I got the paid for MultiscanECU in the end with a OBDII to USB from elm-327. Gendan supplied all the adaptors for different modules. Setup on the computer took a while as I had to download all the drivers, configure the port, and then adjust the settings to get it all reading, but got there in the end with a bit of perseverance. It’s a great tool. Fiat life eh?

 

[myothercarsa2cv]

Made it to the garage this morning by avoiding boost. The couple of times I crept in the boost the car started kangarooing and wanting to stall. Meant I was the slowest car on the road, but I got there all the same. This definitely points to a sensor issue as there are no other error codes, like lambda or uni-air errors. Let’s hope that’s all it is! Full service at the same time to get it tip top.

 

[myothercarsa2cv]

All fixed. Not sure what it was but (for the first time in history perhaps) the garage managed to replicate the issue successfully while plugged in to the laptop. No errors so they got in on the ramp and gave it a thorough service. After resetting the ECU for the oil change and clearing the codes, the car is now running sweetly again. My theory is the spark plugs were degraded and being ‘blown out’ by the boost. Who knows!

Got some fresh tyres brakes and a few other bits at the same time and back to being happy with the car.