Technical P1206 limp mode problem

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Technical P1206 limp mode problem

jadento

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Ok guru's, ive been reading post for a while with the search engine and still need help...

Symptom:
Today the Check engine light came on(p1206) and the car went into limp mode after about 10 minutes of driving. Drove to destination in limp mode (no choice, taking kids to school). Shut car off, dropped off kids and after restarting the check engine light is on but the car drove normal for several miles before going into limp mode again. Made it to the gym in limp mode. After gym car starts and runs normal again(with light on) for several miles before hitting limp mode again.

My Prognosis after reading with search:
Honestly im not sure. The car has a relatively new EGR valve less than two years and the scan tool shows the valve opening and closing. I know that the tool is not necessarily positive proof the egr is good, but when I had the egr go bad last time it was a different symptom. So now im thinking it could be that the ECU is trying to initiate a DPF regen cycle and then failing for some reason? Maybe not enough temp? Maybe it decided oil degradation is to far? Not sure. Please see the screen print from the scan tool and let me know what you think. I do know that the oil has been changed a couple times without a ecu reset. But I have not gotten the change oil light? When does the ECU decide oil degradation is to far for a DPF regen? If its that simply ill pay for the full version of software again and reset it.

Thanks for any help. BTW, I have(had) the car sold and am supposed to deliver it next week. I am leaving the UK returning to the States next friday. This couldnt be a worse time to have to deal with this.

John
 

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BTW, I knew I had purchased a version of software that allowed me to reset the oil light etc...well researching now...I find it was from FiatECUScantool.net. Well since then the HD on my laptop died and I had to rebuild. I didnt even think about that software till now when I needed it. So I find the email from FiatECUScan.net with my purchase license info and it says some crap about needing to un-register an old system before loading a new one...anyhow it seems the webiste doesnt even exist anymore...I guess its been replaced by multiecuscan. So now I need to see if i can get a registered copy or key from them before I can find out if the oil degradation is the issue...what a pain!

John
 
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55oC is low according to printout, 580-650oC is normal temp for regeneration. Also there have been a few software updates so worth checking if your vehicle is up to date.

550c? I dont see that number anywhere? I saw 620+c average for last 5 regens?
 
550c? I dont see that number anywhere? I saw 620+c average for last 5 regens?

I said 55oC not 550c

54.26oC on your screen shot to be exact (particulate filter temp, I assume car is cold and this is not a snapshop of error data) last regen temperatures are good so take the car out and see what temperature the DPF is reaching.
 
I said 55oC not 550c

54.26oC on your screen shot to be exact (particulate filter temp, I assume car is cold and this is not a snapshop of error data) last regen temperatures are good so take the car out and see what temperature the DPF is reaching.

Sorry, got it. Yes the car had been sitting for a while when I was collecting data. Was really capturing the historical data, average regen. temp, last regen, oil degredation etc. sorry I had just clicked on that also.

I will check the particulate temp during operation tomorrow.

John
 
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Safety first so get someone to drive the car or use the recorder function.

When (if) the DPF starts to regen you will see the temperature rise rapidly then after a few minutes check the clogging percentage. A good figure would be 18-22%.
 
dpf failure wont put car into limp mode nor will a regen check fuel target v actual fuel pressure . also egr valve can move in and out all day long but if top is broke off it no joy
 
dpf failure wont put car into limp mode nor will a regen check fuel target v actual fuel pressure . also egr valve can move in and out all day long but if top is broke off it no joy

I disagree if you are refering to DPF blockage/unable to regen, some software has it written into it that if the car cannot regenerate the DPF it will shorten injector duration then shut the injectors down. In some cases you will lose all throttle response.
 
Ok, I got the license thing straight with MultiECUScan (was FiatECUScan). So I have the full version of software again. It was alot easier than I thought it was going to be so kido's to them!

Im going to reset the oil degradation value first and drive the car to see what happens. I suspect it will go into limp mode again.

Then I will have my wife drive and I will run the laptop to check DPF temps along with fuel target v actual fuel pressure.

I really hope this is a EGR issue. I will have results tonight after work.

John
 
It seems unlikley that it is your DPF causing the problem. I monitor mine very closely because I do alot of town driving and usually induce a regen by taking it for a good blast when it needs it. From past experience it will rarely initiate a regen below 80% clogging even when encouraged. Its been above 90% before after I'd been away and my wife had been driving around town for a few days (see attached before and after readings). Even at that level, although it felt sluggish and MPG was abysmal, there were no error codes or warning lights.
 

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Alright, So this afternoon I cleared the error and reset the oil degradation counter. That didnt help. The light came back on and car went into limp mode again. So I cleared out the error and forced a DPF regen. After several minutes at 3500rpm the process completed and the DPF filter percentage went from 69ish to 64ish. I reset the error that triggered during the regen. and went for a drive. About 15 miles later and the car was still driving fine, no light and no limp mode. So I am going to let it go and see what happens.

John
 
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It seems unlikley that it is your DPF causing the problem. I monitor mine very closely because I do alot of town driving and usually induce a regen by taking it for a good blast when it needs it. From past experience it will rarely initiate a regen below 80% clogging even when encouraged. Its been above 90% before after I'd been away and my wife had been driving around town for a few days (see attached before and after readings). Even at that level, although it felt sluggish and MPG was abysmal, there were no error codes or warning lights.

Ough so after seeing that im slightly concerned. You had a major drop in percentage compared to mine. Is that a sign of the filter going bad?
 
Is that a sign of the filter going bad?

Not necessarily. I tried forcing a regen once using the software and it didn't drop at all. When I said before that I usually induce a regen, I do it by driving the car. I usually drive around for a while until its thoroughly warmed up then take it out on the dual carriageway starting up a very long steep hill near where I live so that I can run foot to the floor at 80 in 4th for about two minutes. The regen usually starts at the top of the hill and carries on for up to 10 minutes. I usually hold it in 4th or 5th using the tiptronic (mines an auto) and drive at 70-80 so its consistently at 2500-3500rpm while regenerating. usually its at about 80-85% clogging when I start and falls to 15-20% when finished. The reading attached was taken after the most recent regen
 

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