Technical cold start start/stop not available then limp mode

[yellowcrosslover]

I love my 2015 Cross but not sure for how much longer!!

Car runs like a beauty. Then I jump in some random morning and turn the key......start stop not available....limp mode activated. Did it again this morning. Limited to 3K revs. Embarrassing hold up to traffic! Parked up at work. After work same error but engine not so limited, so pulled out of car park no prob and able to get up a hill at 30mph in 4th so all good! Stopped at home. Left it about 10 mins. Fault and lights then gone when restarted.

I do short runs to work, about 6 miles. Husband blaming this. Poor car has had 2 EGR valves and new SS battery in it's short life. Getting tiresome. Just wondering if anyone had same problem? And if there's an (inexpensive!!) fix as I'm tired of spending money on it now! Going to garage asap but fear they will just tell us needs another EGR valve. OMG please no.

Is there a clue that it always happens from a cold start? (Never happens during a journey). Thanks for any info!

 

[varesecrazy]

Hi

Charge the battery.. see how many trouble free trips you get ..

Im not sure how you have needed EGR valves though..

They are steel boxes.. nothing to wear out..or break

But.. buying a modern diesel with trips of less than 20 miles was maybe unwise

TA would be a better bet

 

[MaxHeadroom]

Yes - completely agree with Varesecrazy on the short trips with a diesel - thats exactly why I parted company with my SAAB - it wasn't doing it any good at all.

I'd suspect the battery - but you also need to know that the alternator is doing its job properly too - so worth having the output tested.

Bear in mind that as we move into colder weather, a tired battery will start to weaken significantly

 

[Al D]

Welcome. Worth a look at this (Diagnostics register). https://www.fiatforum.com/multiecuscan-members-register/

Someone local to you could plug car in. varesecrazy will know if used it to read Dpf percentage of his car(s). As you do 60 miles a week it won't regenerate and oil won't get warm. typecastboy would happily plug the car in if local to him, or at least do you screenshot of what you need to look at if someone else did. Software will give you battery and alternator health too. Numerous diesel cleaning products you can put in the car which may help.

 

[murphyv310]

Hi.
Totally agree with the above. Diesels are way the wrong choice for short runs. When I had the multijet Doblo van (2012 new shape) it took over 6 miles in cool weather to get to operating temperature, even longer if you tried to have the heater running to clear windows or keep warm yourself, even the long decent and traffic heading into Glasgow would see the temperature needle drop back again to cold in winter with the heater fan on.
Also the loading on the battery is higher with diesel engines as the cranking current is higher and the glow plugs pull a lot of current as well.

I agree that you need to charge the battery, switch off the Stop Start and don't use it, do a run each week of about 25 or more miles ideally at motorway speed, the EGR will be most likely clogged again and most important change the engine oil and filter at least every six months.
Consider trading for a petrol version.

Don't blame the car for this, a good salesman should ask what type of driving you do and really should have steered you toward a petrol version. My neighbour used to have a BMW three series diesel and he did mainly short runs and it was constant trouble costing him thousands in the six years he had it, now has a 116 petrol with no issues at all.

 

[varesecrazy]

Welcome. Worth a look at this (Diagnostics register). https://www.fiatforum.com/multiecuscan-members-register/

Someone local to you could plug car in. varesecrazy will know if used it to read Dpf percentage of his car(s). As you do 60 miles a week it won't regenerate and oil won't get hot.

When I needed a car in 2012..I bought the TA.. as I wasnt convinced my 13 miles each way was enough for a DPF

My diesels now are fine.. earlier then DPF (and 110 miles each way helps)

At the time in 2012 a friend had a diesel SUV for towing a horsebox

Each year.. before the MOT it got 40 miles of motorway in 3rd gear to attempt regens

Every other year it failed emissions and needed £800 of work : buy a petrol

 

[MaxHeadroom]

Each year.. before the MOT it got 40 miles of motorway in 3rd gear to attempt regens

...Often referred to as "An Italian Tune-Up" I used to do the same with the diesel SAAB.

I was also advised give it a particularly good Italian tune-up on the way the MOT testing station

 

[murphyv310]

I always thought Italians tuned their cars every time they drove!!!!

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

I think others have hinted at this, but to be blunt: using a diesel for infrequent or short journeys is 'a bad thing' (both for the engine and the environment). They need frequent long runs: long enough to get properly hot (preventing sooting of the EGR), and long enough to let the particulate filter (DPF) do its 'clear out' cycle (which means a drive of at least 15 minutes with revs constantly over 2000 rpm - a good bit of dual carriageway or motorway). Lots of short runs leads to soot build up and then to engine error codes.

Similarly the battery will not like lots of short journeys - esp in a diesel where added load on starting compared to a petrol engine.

(My 4x4 is a diesel and used to do a 50 mile round trip daily - which is why i went for diesel. In past year it has seen fewer long trips, which it is not happy about).