[RobC]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

This is daylight robbery. Not at all accepted and how can RSA charge if the work done is not successful?! Do they expect customers to be stranded on the road? Unbelievable!

...

How long does it take for the engine to start when you twist the key?

Anurag.

I think what they meant was even if they are not able to fix the issue on site, they may just call for towing and I would have to pay for both, the RSA visit and the towing.

The engine would not crank at all. Blank cranks. Seemed like there was no current available at all. When the cluster lit up in between, the engine fired as normal, within a second. Looks like a contact issue, hence the intermittent nature of the problem. Couldn't be a blown fuse, could it?

Have given the car to Ford Service. Hope to have the issue resolved by today.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by RobC

The engine would not crank at all. Blank cranks. Seemed like there was no current available at all. When the cluster lit up in between, the engine fired as normal, within a second. Looks like a contact issue, hence the intermittent nature of the problem. Couldn't be a blown fuse, could it?

Wiring us getting in contact with each other so it us shorting so no cracking power there. The starter motor pulls huge amount of electricity from the battery so no other electrical load should be there at that time and even if such load is given the supply is cut-off till engine starts. I guess it is to protect the electricals system due to surge in power.

Another suspect is, could be water/moisture in the wiring that could be playing havoc here.

Please update the thread as to what Ford has to say.

Anurag.

[RobC]

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Please update the thread as to what Ford has to say.

Anurag.

Got the car back. A case of loose coupling was the diagnosis and was rectified. Driven for a couple of days and faced no issues since.

Only regret was having called RSA when the issue cropped up initially. Fixing the issue at Ford Service cost way less than the RSA charges for basically asking me to get the battery checked. Duh.

[AYP]

Experienced an instrument cluster failure today.

I had recently got myself an OBD 2 connector along with the Torque Pro App. I had hooked up the same to my car today and was trying out the various functions/readings that the Torque Pro App gives.

I drove around for some time and then switched off the car with the OBD 2 connected plugged in. About 15 minutes later, I started the car with the scanner plugged in and noticed that there was no light at all on the instrument cluster. The dials weren't working either. It had gone completely dead. The sound of indicators is also absent.

I tried to restart the car multiple times but to no avail.

The car in question is the Figo 1.5 TDCi. I re-connected the OBD device after the instrument cluster failure and there was no fault code present.

Does the OBD device have something to do with this? More specifically, could this happen because I started the car with the device plugged in? Or is it just a coincidence?

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by AYP

Experienced an instrument cluster failure today.

I drove around for some time and then switched off the car with the OBD 2 connected plugged in. About 15 minutes later, I started the car with the scanner plugged in and noticed that there was no light at all on the instrument cluster. The dials weren't working either. It had gone completely dead. The sound of indicators is also absent

Check all the fuses related to the accessories and instrument cluster. Perhaps one of the fuse which supplies power to the instrument cluster is blown which is the cause of this. Generic OBD devices can only read fault codes from the OBD protocol which is mainly engine and transmission error codes. But you will need a much more advanced tool to access the other controllers in the car including the instrument cluster. However if the cluster is completely dead, it would mostly not be accessible by any diagnostic tool either. But it would be best to first ensure that the IC is receiving power.

[Neel70]

Hi Team BHP, I need some advice on intermittent instrument cluster failure on my Chevrolet Spark 2011. The cluster and the LCD screen flickers on ignition but everything else works just fine. The panel comes back to life after 10-15 minutes of driving.
Interestingly, though it happens when the car has been parked for some time, overnight for example, when I park it in my office (open space) for approximately 7 hours, the panel works fine on starting the car.
I have been advised to change the cluster but am just wondering if this is a simple connection problem.

[parampath]

I also have the same issue for my 2011 Spark. When the engine is cold, the instrument cluster goes blank.. it slowly starts blinking post some 10 kms of ride and comes to life if the kms run is more than that.

Not sure if it's some loose connection. the voltage from battery is good. So don't think of it as an issue.
Yet to identify the issue. please post here in case someone had solved the issue.

[Sourav1598]

Caution & Apologies for a long read! :(

Hi Fellow Bhpians,

Sorry for bumping onto this thread pretty late. I have been facing an unique problem. I own a Swift 1st Gen (2011) with a 1200cc K-series engine.
Last sunday, during cold start, my engine stalled after running for barely 10 secs. I cranked the engine again with the key still on at Ignition, however it went futile. Switched off the Ignition, pulled out the key, again inserted the key to turn to Ignition and the engine cranked and got running. However, I got a CEL this time. Scanned the code using an Obd2 scanner and got the following DTC:

P0607 - Powertrain Module Control Performance Error

I deleted the DTC with the Ignition On and cranked the engine. The engine started running. However, the car seemed to run on limp mode for sometime before it got back to running as it normally would. Drove the car for more than 120+ kms till the next day (Monday) without any such error code during Cold Start. However, the following day (Tuesday) , the car stalled suddenly during cold start. Removed the same DTC again, however the car didn't start. The following morning, the car did start but with the CEL on the instrument cluster. The engine did feel heavily misfiring, with an unusual smell from the exhaust and ran on limp mode to the MASS. They diagnosed with their scan tool to confirm me that the ECM needs to be replaced. Due to my past experiences at MASS, I did not completely buy with their solution during this time.
I have a trusted FNG workshop near my place in Kolkata which is run by an experienced automobile engineer. I visited him the following day for a diagnosis. He scanned my car using his X-Tool professional scanner. He got the same DTCs as I did scanning the ECM:
P0607 & P2176 (I got this DTC intermittently while scanning with my scanner paired with my phone)
However, scanning the EPS module, the following DTC was found on X-Tool -
C1122 which translates to "Engine Speed Signal Malfuntion"

Hence, he asked me to leave my vehicle at the workshop for a day for his team to diagnose. I somehow stressed them to throughly check the wiring & associated sensors to the ECM. More importantly, I requested them to access & check the Crankshaft position sensor (sitting at the backside of the Engine and difficult to access). The next day, I was informed that it was due to a faulty ECM, they said that they did check the wiring & the crankshaft position sensor (this I highly doubt until I see it for my self). He advised me to replace the ECM at MASS as it would require key programming/pairing which could be done authentically at the MASS using Suzuki Softwares. I agreed.

The next day, I visited a different MASS (apparently known for their good reputation) in Kolkata and thoroughly explained everything that transpired over the last one week. They submitted my car (which was an extremely difficult drive from my home to the MASS as my car stalled more than 10 times during the trip) to diagnose. I was personally there on the floor while they diagnosed. Apparently, there was no fault in the firing anywhere. I also urged them to probe-test both the fuse boxes ( and the fuses) present under the Dashboard and in the Engine Bay. They found no fault!

Using the Suzuki scanning tool, they did get the same DTCs viz-a-viz P0607, P2176 & C1122. I did ask them to diagnose the Crankshaft position sensor by decoupling it. However, they seemed not interested in doing that as they monitored the signals & voltages of all the sensors on their scanning tool which were at normal readings. I agreed to their advice to replace the ECM after the diagnosis continued for almost 2 working days with me being present for nearly 4 hrs each day at the MASS workshop.
Got my ECM replaced and programmed today! There were no DTCs from the ECM i.e P0607 & P2176.
However, scanning the EPS module on their scanner, the C1122 fault code was present at Ignition On. However, it seemed to disappear when the engine was on (or maybe they cleared the code I'm not sure). I had to collect the car today as I needed to use to it reach somewhere. However, the C1122 fault code is bothering me.

On probing the C1122 DTC on Google, it is mostly characterized by a failing power steering motor/module or the associated wiring. Had I known this earlier, must have gotten it diagnosed at the MASS. Surprisingly, I do not feel any Power Steering issue while driving, except at U-turns, I feel the steering could steer back to its original position a bit more enthusiastically or quickly maybe.

Please share your advice upon the same.

N.B - 3/4 months back, during cold start I noticed that my engine cranked at half self, however the RPM needle stood at 0 which is suppose to hover around 1000+ rpm at cold start. At this condition I raved my engine to see if the RPM needle moved and it certainly did but only to point at 0 when the revv is released. Turning off the engine and cranking again, the RPM would be point at around 900-1000 rpms before adequately warming up, which is normal. This particular issue did happen multiple times when I also connected my OBD2 scanner to read the RPM readings on my phone at cold start. Surprisingly, even if the tachnometer pointed to 0 RPM at cold start, the OBD2 reading was absolutely normal at 1000+ RPM reading, gradually going down to hover around 750-800 RPM after warming up (even though the RPM meter points at 0 until I switch off the engine and start again for it point out at the correct reading ). Hence I got my car scanned during that time (3/4 months back) at the same FNG which I mentioned above. As far I can recollect correctly, the same DTC C1122 had popped up. I was advised that it wasn't anything major as long as it was not throwing any warning lights on the Instrument Cluster. 2 months back when I got my front drive shafts replaced, I fiddled with the wiring of the CRANKShaft position sensor which I could access with my bare hands and the RPM pointer at 0 did not come for the last 2 months, however the RPM needle did get stuck at times at 1.5k or 2k RPM at times which got normal at the next start of the Engine. This happened until I got the faulty ECM DTC last week.
Moreover, my knowledge tells me that the First Gen Swift was notorious for it's poor Instrument Cluster. I do have a dimmed CEL ON even if the Ignition is off, steering locked and keys out at all time. I had been living with this Instrument Cluster anomaly as it was not really causing a problem while driving.

Requesting you all to suggest me what else do I need to get diagnosed. I did a major suspension replacement & steering rack overhaul this year in the month of April as a routine maintenance.

Best, Sourav

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by Sourav1598

Requesting you all to suggest me what else do I need to get diagnosed. I did a major suspension replacement & steering rack overhaul this year in the month of April as a routine maintenance.

Difficult to say. But given the various codes and problems you have had I would have started by checking the battery health and all main power supply related connections. Modern car electronics need a good steady voltage. A poor battery might cause these sort of problems. Especially during starting as the battery is loaded up heavily momentarily which causes the voltage supplied to drop.

Poor connection, a loose battery terminal, corroded battery terminal and or dirty/ corroded terminals give the same effect. It causes a voltage drop leaving less volts to power the electronics.

Good luck

Jeroen

[Sourav1598]

Hi Jeroen,

Totally agree with your advice. Infact, It's worthy to mention here that my battery has been replaced almost 3 times in the last 7 years.

The last replacement was done 2 months back when the Exide battery my car had one cell not working properly during the crank. As it was covered under the 2 years warranty, it was replaced free of cost by the company taking help of the BatMobile service the company provides. Also, I replaced the positive terminal of the battery as it was adviced by the BatMobile agent on his inspection right after the battery was replaced.

However, the question boils down to the fact that why is the battery on my vehicle getting wasted sooner than expected? My explanation to this would be -

1. I get my car serviced at a Local FNG where I get all the parts, Engine Oils, Filters etc myself. I pay them the Labour Charges for the same. However, I would say it's my mistake that I always ended up not checking the battery health on each service. Didn't even check the level of battery water during the last service in June. Summers are at peak and scorching in Kolkata, it totally makes sense for the battery water to dry up. I have this point ticked on priority now when I get my car serviced in December this year.

2. Also, like you had mentioned, the negative terminal of my battery is indeed corroded. I took my car to MASS last month to replace both the O2 sensors as part of a maintenance as I had never touched them in the last 13.5 years of ownership. The MASS Mechanic disconnect the battery terminals to work upon replacing the O2 Sensors. While connecting back the terminals, the Mechanic used a small metal wire (it wasn't a copper wire) to make the negative terminal fit tightly. Apparently, it did look like a tight fit. Exactly 2 weeks after this, I started facing the troubles with the ECM. Hence, I did order a MGP Negative terminal with wiring from Boodmo which fits my car. Hoping to see the difference after I replace the same.

Any suggestions on the Crank Sensor performance? The FNGs and MASS both opined that it's working perfectly.

Best,
Sourav