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high engine/transmission speed and one cylinder not working


petrim
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When I was driving to work the other day, I accelerated briskly (but not really fast) into traffic on a busy road.  While I was doing this, the transmission and/or engine revved way up - far more that I would expect.  Then it stepped up faster, and then stepped up ever faster despite the fact that I backed off on the accelerator.  After the engine slowed back down, the car was running very rough, as if one cylinder was not operating.  The "Service Engine Light" was flashing.  I pulled the car out of traffic and shut it off.  After it was restarted, it ran fine.

 

I took it to the dealer yesterday.  The car did record an error code for the malfunction (a cylinder not working), but the dealer didn't seem sure what to do about it.  We're waiting to see if it happens again.

 

I don't know if the revvig engine/transmission problem is related to the cylinder issue.  That seemed to prompt the cylinder issue.  I don't think they pulled up any error codes related to the revving.

 

Anyone else have such a problem with their C-Max?  That's only happened once in the 2 months I've had the car.

 

 

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When I was driving to work the other day, I accelerated briskly (but not really fast) into traffic on a busy road.  While I was doing this, the transmission and/or engine revved way up - far more that I would expect.  Then it stepped up faster, and then stepped up ever faster despite the fact that I backed off on the accelerator.  After the engine slowed back down, the car was running very rough, as if one cylinder was not operating.  The "Service Engine Light" was flashing.  I pulled the car out of traffic and shut it off.  After it was restarted, it ran fine.

 

I took it to the dealer yesterday.  The car did record an error code for the malfunction (a cylinder not working), but the dealer didn't seem sure what to do about it.  We're waiting to see if it happens again.

 

I don't know if the revvig engine/transmission problem is related to the cylinder issue.  That seemed to prompt the cylinder issue.  I don't think they pulled up any error codes related to the revving.

 

Anyone else have such a problem with their C-Max?  That's only happened once in the 2 months I've had the car.

 

This new TSB might be related:

 

TSB-13-3-12:

Some 2013 C-MAX Hybrid/Energi vehicles built on or before 2/13/2013, Fusion Hybrid and MKZ Hybrid vehicles built on or before 2/6/2013 may intermittently exhibit a flashing MIL under hard acceleration with DTCs P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304 or P0316 in the Powertrain Control Module (PCM). The engine may also exhibit a misfire or runs rough condition during the event.

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  • 1 year later...

Ok, so does anyone have the full information on this TSB? Driving home tonight my CMax started running REALLY rough and started flashing the check engine light. Scangauge read code P0302. My understanding is that is a misfire in cylinder 2 (and the way it was running I believe that!).

 

Taking it to the dealer tomorrow, but at 45k+ I'm well out of warranty so I'm wondering what the TSB is.

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Engine is part of powertrain, so you are still in warranty. Powertrain warranty is 60k/ 5 years.

 Yes, I know about the powertrain warranty, but I was thinking it was a coil.  Reading the warranty information that came with the car, I read it that ignition coils are only covered for 24 months or 24,000 miles.

 

Turns out it was a faulty injector. And since I drove it 35-40 miles, it "burned up" (the dealers words) the spark plug from running lean.  I am now worried about what other possible damage I did to the cylinder from running it lean.  Seems to me the car should not have let me run with a cylinder running lean OR it should have shut down the cylinder completely.  

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 Yes, I know about the powertrain warranty, but I was thinking it was a coil.  Reading the warranty information that came with the car, I read it that ignition coils are only covered for 24 months or 24,000 miles.

 

Turns out it was a faulty injector. And since I drove it 35-40 miles, it "burned up" (the dealers words) the spark plug from running lean.  I am now worried about what other possible damage I did to the cylinder from running it lean.  Seems to me the car should not have let me run with a cylinder running lean OR it should have shut down the cylinder completely.  

I believe the 2/24 is the Federal Emission Warranty on certain parts.  I believe Ford states (somewhere), in essence, that it's b2b limited warranty is the greater of 3/36 or the Federal Warranty on these emissions components.  So the 3/36 should supersede the emissions warranty for the coil.    I agree though that a coil, spark plug wires are generally not part of the 5/60. 

 

Was the injector covered under the 5/60?  I think that can go either way depending on manufacturer.

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Just a guess, but I would think that it's no worst than when running with Downhill Assist.

 

Yes but downhill injector isn't firing (i.e. no gas). but to "burn up" the spark plug, I am guessing the injector was firing, just not enough fuel.  Thats why it was running lean.  Of course this IS a dealership, so they could just be trying to get my $$ for replacing a spark plug when not needed.

 

I believe the 2/24 is the Federal Emission Warranty on certain parts.  I believe Ford states (somewhere), in essence, that it's b2b limited warranty is the greater of 3/36 or the Federal Warranty on these emissions components.  So the 3/36 should supersede the emissions warranty for the coil.    I agree though that a coil, spark plug wires are generally not part of the 5/60. 

 

Was the injector covered under the 5/60?  I think that can go either way depending on manufacturer.

 

The dealer told me the injector was covered under warranty, but the spark plug wasn't.  Seems to me the plug should be covered due it needing replacement because of the faulty injector. but truthfully I'm not too worried about it, the plug shouldn't cost too much.  Although the dealership does charge $500 to change 8 plugs on a 1997 F-150 4.6L ... so maybe I should be worried. :headscratch:

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I dont see how messing up the fuel to oxygen ratio (too much fuel) would damage a cylinder. The main issue is lubrication, and all cylinders are lubricated via the oil pump regardless if they are firing or not. Even if the fuel injector was not pumping any fuel at all, you just have a spark plug that is firing. I dont see how that could damage anything.

Oh, and replace the spark plug yourself. Not sure how hard it is on these CMAXes, but changing spark plugs is typically one of the easiest things you can do on a car unless the engine is buried way the hell in there. If they said the plug is bad, that means they pulled the plug and looked at it (no other way to determine), so tell them to show you.

Edited by SPL Tech
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I dont see how messing up the fuel to oxygen ratio (too much fuel) would damage a cylinder. The main issue is lubrication, and all cylinders are lubricated via the oil pump regardless if they are firing or not. Even if the fuel injector was not pumping any fuel at all, you just have a spark plug that is firing. I dont see how that could damage anything.

 

Oh, and replace the spark plug yourself. Not sure how hard it is on these CMAXes, but changing spark plugs is typically one of the easiest things you can do on a car unless the engine is buried way the hell in there. If they said the plug is bad, that means they pulled the plug and looked at it (no other way to determine), so tell them to show you.

This has nothing to do with lubrication.  HannahWCU / dealer says the mixture was lean (not rich) which makes sense.  To lean a mixture can lead to detonation (hence the misfires).  Detonation spikes internal temperatures which likely damaged the spark plug (it's now not a controlled burn in the combustion chamber with no temperature spiking) .

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This has nothing to do with lubrication.  HannahWCU / dealer says the mixture was lean (not rich) which makes sense.  To lean a mixture can lead to detonation (hence the misfires).  Detonation spikes internal temperatures which likely damaged the spark plug (it's now not a controlled burn in the combustion chamber with no temperature spiking) .

Well pull the spark plug and test the compression of the chamber then. If it heated up so much that it warped the cylinder walls or the piston, or the rings, then the compression will take a hit.

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Well pull the spark plug and test the compression of the chamber then. If it heated up so much that it warped the cylinder walls or the piston, or the rings, then the compression will take a hit.

 

I just might do that.  They did replace the Spark Plug ($17).  I drive it down to the beach this weekend (~300 miles) ran no different than before the issue.

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I just might do that.  They did replace the Spark Plug ($17).  I drive it down to the beach this weekend (~300 miles) ran no different than before the issue.

Either way it's covered under warranty, so I wouldent be concerned with it. If you did damage it, I dont think it would take long for you to notice. They charged you $17 for a spark plug? Or was that labor included?

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