Technical Low oil pressure causing loads of errors

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Technical Low oil pressure causing loads of errors

Ceidio

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My 11 months old Cross TA was towed to the dealer last week. Kept giving all sorts of warnings in the display like Hill Start not available, fuel cut off not available, 4x4 not available etc. It has been doing it on and off for the past month but has always started. Switching off and restarting always cleared the display warnings. However, this time, after a myriad of warnings the car refused to start. I left it overnight and it started perfectly OK next morning. My dealer just phoned to say they have cleared all the fault codes and tracked it down to low oil pressure. As the car has done under 5000 miles I don't quite see it.
How can a low oil level cause these warnings and why would the car have used so much oil in 5k of normal driving? Is the dealer giving me bull?
If it happens again, is there a way of starting the vehicle other than having to wait several hours for it to clear? I read somewhere that turning the ignition on and off ten times would do the trick but it didn't work for me. I know I could disconnect the battery but as I am of the fairer sex, it's not something I'd like to attempt in a busy car park! Any help would be appreciated.
 
Low oil pressure or low oil level ?
They're two different faults.
Hi,
They said both. Said they had put more oil in, cleared the fault codes, and all was now well in the Fiat world.
Sounded like a typical Fiat Dealer load of tripe to me! I just can't see how low oil pressure/low oil level would result in these unrelated errors. Not once did I get a "low oil pressure" warning.
 
Hi,
They said both. Said they had put more oil in, cleared the fault codes, and all was now well in the Fiat world.
Sounded like a typical Fiat Dealer load of tripe to me! I just can't see how low oil pressure/low oil level would result in these unrelated errors. Not once did I get a "low oil pressure" warning.

If it's been run under load with both low oil pressure and low oil level for any length of time, the engine will be scrap. If Fiat are lucky, it may just about see the warranty out, but this is a car I'd want to be rid of at the earliest opportunity.

It's also a good example of why buying a secondhand car always carries some element of risk. This may not end well for the car's next owner.
 
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Thank you. It has never been run under load and has NEVER given any warning lights relating to oil pressure or level. Suggest you read my post again and answer what is asked/pertinent.
 
Hi.
Whether used or bought new surely in 11 months you have checked the oil level??
When you get a car you need to get know it's habits and that includes it's oil consumption, regular checking early on will give you a lot of information.
I somehow doubt the engine is toast as you'd surely notice rumbling and other wear related noises. Get an ELM 327 reader and Torq on your phone and if you have problems read the codes yourself.
Whether the TA has a sophisticated oil pressure sensor or just a simple switch I have no idea nor whether it has a level sensor, but if the engine sounds OK when running I'd plump for sensor problems rather than worn main, big end bearings or duff pump.
 
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Of course I checked the oil level. Do you assume cos I am a woman that I would not do that? I put in 500ml of selenia oil (recommended) two weeks ago. I'm female NOT stupid.
 
Of course I checked the oil level. Do you assume cos I am a woman that I would not do that? I put in 500ml of selenia oil (recommended) two weeks ago. I'm female NOT stupid.

I think you are missing the point and it's nothing to do with what sex you are.
Questions have to be asked to get an idea of the problem.
Now that I know you check the oil and it has obviously not gone below the low mark, then I am confident the problem is sensor related. The code reader I suggest will be a good arguing point for you against the dealer.

One thing you have no idea of those that never check anything.... men included.
Good luck.
 
Of course I checked the oil level. Do you assume cos I am a woman that I would not do that? I put in 500ml of selenia oil (recommended) two weeks ago. I'm female NOT stupid.

hi, :)
as you'll know the TA's CAN use some oil.. :eek:

if it's nearly new.., then it's worth attempting to get the consumption sorted - as they take @15,000 miles to fully run-in , and the proper oil is far from cheap.

I'd read horror stories about oil consumption / engines run dry..!!:eek: when waiting for mine to be delivered..
so I made sure it got properly bedded in once it had covered 2,000 miles ,
and it's perfect .. on 26K now - 4 years old,
Charlie
 
The fact the dealer stated the oil pressure was low doesn't have a bearing on the level unless it was seriously depleted, did they add further oil after the 500ml you put in it and if so by how much and where is the oil on the dipstick now?
I'd be asking these questions at least..... Why was the oil pressure low..... What has been done to rectify the problem?
 
Could someone please address this part of my message, "If it happens again, is there a way of starting the vehicle other than having to wait several hours for it to clear? I read somewhere that turning the ignition on and off ten times would do the trick but it didn't work for me." Thank you.
 
Could someone please address this part of my message, "If it happens again, is there a way of starting the vehicle other than having to wait several hours for it to clear? I read somewhere that turning the ignition on and off ten times would do the trick but it didn't work for me." Thank you.

Disconnect the battery for a few minutes. There's a quick release clamp so it takes only seconds and can easily be done in a busy car park. Fiats store all the critical information, including the radio code, in non-volatile memory, so the only thing you will have to reset is the clock.
 
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Battery terminal disconnected will do a "reboot".

Im assuming the low pressure is from low oil circulation.

Try and record the oil consumption vs miles..

As if its unacceptably bad ...itll be remedied under warranty
Charlie
The question is whether there is an engine fault or a sensor issue?? Before I went to the trouble of disconnecting the battery to reset the ECU I'd want to know if I was causing further damage to the engine or not by letting it run.
Surely the service department should have explained the situation properly to the customer.
 
The question is whether there is an engine fault or a sensor issue?? Before I went to the trouble of disconnecting the battery to reset the ECU I'd want to know if I was causing further damage to the engine or not by letting it run.
Surely the service department should have explained the situation properly to the customer.

Pretty sure other TAs have done similar..
Remember it needs oil pressure to BREATHE..
 
Pretty sure other TAs have done similar..
Remember it needs oil pressure to BREATHE..

Well I'm no expert on the TA but virtually all 4 stroke car engines have an oil pump to circulate oil at pressure around the various bearings and drillings to direct oil to piston skirts.
My point is the majority of engines only have an oil pressure switch that will switch when the oil pressure rises above about 7psi. So if the engine is running at a pressure below this it will be ruined.
So my question is does the TA have a more sophisticated monitoring system that measures pressure at different engine speeds and temperature?
 
So my question is does the TA have a more sophisticated monitoring system that measures pressure at different engine speeds and temperature?

.... undoubtedly it will have, such is the nature of the electro-hydraulic control and operation of the inlet valve gear on the TA. What we don't have is first-hand experience of the symptoms, nor had the benefit of the explanation (detailed or otherwise) from the Fiat technician. However, lack of oil/pressure might seem a reasonable theory as to the cause of the problem, if 1/2 litre of oil was reportedly needed before and then further required when at the dealers. If that is the case, then the cause of the oil usage needs sorted and quite quickly. It should ultimately be a low oil user - I've hardly ever had to top mine up in 23,000 miles.
 
An update!
Just collected car from dealership. Apparently, they put in "about half a pint of oil"! This will be on top of the 500ml I had already put in some days ago.
The fault codes have been cleared.
They were:
ASS U1700-86 Body Control Module (BCM) - Signal invalid
ASS Ul728-87 Controlled Coupling Module (CCM) - Missing Message
ASS U1702-87 Electrical Power Steering (EPS) - Missing Message
ASS U1701-86 Engine Control Module (ECM) - Signal Invalid
ASS U0001-88 C CAN Bus - Bus off
BCM B1052-86 ECM (Engine Control Module) FPS (Fire Protection Strategy) Failure - Signal invalid
BCM B1067-67 VDSM (Vehicle Dinamic System Module) C CAN signal- Signal incorrect after event
BCM U0426-31 Minikrypt error - No signal
BCM U0001-88 C CAN - Bus off
HVAC U1701-87 Engine Control Module (ECM) - (Absent) missing messages
EPS U0001-88 C CAN Bus - Bus off
PCM U0001-88 Engine Control Module CAN Transmission - Bus off
PCM U1701-87
PCM U1800-87 BodyControl Module CAN transmission (only for Trekking application) - Missing message
PCM U0426-63 Immobilizer - Circuit/component protection timeout
IPC U1706-87 BSM (Braking System Module) - Missing message
IPC U1701-87 ECM (Engine Control Module) - Missing message
CCM C2005-68 Electronic Lock Differential (ELD) from brake system fail - Event Information
CCM U0001-87 C CAN Bus - Missing Message

I have no idea what these mean and can't find an online database of them.

Am hoping this is the end of the problem, but I have this niggling fear that it won't be!

Don't see how low engine oil could throw up all these (seemingly) unrelated faults. At no point has the oil level light come on.
 
Just collected car from dealership. Apparently, they put in "about half a pint of oil"! This will be on top of the 500ml I had already put in some days ago.

Half a pint of oil is not much; it's about a cupful (284ml) and is a bit less than you'd need to bring it up to the top mark on the dipstick from about halfway down. If the total amount needed to bring it up to fully filled is 750ml, then it's unlikely to have done any lasting damage.

Don't see how low engine oil could throw up all these (seemingly) unrelated faults. At no point has the oil level light come on.

No more do I. I'd say it's more symptomatic of an intermittent fault in the wiring connecting the various CAN modules; possibly a bad connection at one of the connectors.

Am hoping this is the end of the problem, but I have this niggling fear that it won't be!

If all they've done is to clear the error codes and put a cupful of oil in, then sadly I'd bet money you'll be back at the dealer before very long.
 
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An update!

I have no idea what these mean and can't find an online database of them.

ignore the prefix, :)
the U codes are basically bit's of electronic kit on the car talking to each other.. and flagging up errors where they've not received expected answers..
Googling the U codes will tell you a bit more,;)

so - do tell , how old is the car..and is it still in warranty??.

the oil consumption needs addressing.. mines used less than that "cupfull" in 26K miles..!!

because I used a relevant running in method.:cool:

Charlie
 
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