2009 Mondeo Titanium X Sport - Engine Malfunction Message
Discussion
Hi All, newbie alert.
I have a 2009 Mondeo 2.2 Titanium X Sport.
For a few weeks it's been coming up with the message "Service Oil" on the screen. I spoke to my mate who runs the car sales at the garage I bought it from about getting it serviced, but was advised that as it was only serviced 8000 miles ago on 52,000 miles, it shouldn't really need servicing for a couple of thousand more miles. So I've ignored it and thought I'd get it booked in nearer to 62,000 miles.
However, it's now started coming up with an "Engine Malfunction" message as well as "Service Oil". It did come up with this just after I bought it in August, so I returned it and it had a glow plug changed which cleared the message until now, so I think it might be a similar thing, but also wonder whether it might just be a way of the car just nagging me to get it serviced as it also came up with the "Service Oil" message first on that occasion too
I've used a small cheap Amazon-special bluetooth adapter that plugs into the diagnostics port and talks to my phone, however it's not picking up any errors (not that I expect too much from it, why would garages pay thousands for a diagnostics machine if you can get one of these for a tenner off Amazon?). I do know it can work however as I plugged it into my parents Astra who had the engine management light on and it picked up that there was an issue with an O2 sensor.
My mate has offered to stick it back on the diagnostics, but I can't get there until next weekend.
So I have a couple of questions:
- Does anyone have experience of this message and whether it could just be a way of further nagging me to get it serviced? It's a coincidence that last time I got this message it started with the "Service Oil" message then too, then quickly escalated.
- Am I likely to be safe to drive it as I'm not actually noticing any symptoms (it's not going into limp mode, although on occasions since the message started coming up it does take a second or so to pick up after hitting the throttle, but not every time).
- Is it worth getting it serviced 9,000 miles after the last one?
Thanks in advance.
I have a 2009 Mondeo 2.2 Titanium X Sport.
For a few weeks it's been coming up with the message "Service Oil" on the screen. I spoke to my mate who runs the car sales at the garage I bought it from about getting it serviced, but was advised that as it was only serviced 8000 miles ago on 52,000 miles, it shouldn't really need servicing for a couple of thousand more miles. So I've ignored it and thought I'd get it booked in nearer to 62,000 miles.
However, it's now started coming up with an "Engine Malfunction" message as well as "Service Oil". It did come up with this just after I bought it in August, so I returned it and it had a glow plug changed which cleared the message until now, so I think it might be a similar thing, but also wonder whether it might just be a way of the car just nagging me to get it serviced as it also came up with the "Service Oil" message first on that occasion too
I've used a small cheap Amazon-special bluetooth adapter that plugs into the diagnostics port and talks to my phone, however it's not picking up any errors (not that I expect too much from it, why would garages pay thousands for a diagnostics machine if you can get one of these for a tenner off Amazon?). I do know it can work however as I plugged it into my parents Astra who had the engine management light on and it picked up that there was an issue with an O2 sensor.
My mate has offered to stick it back on the diagnostics, but I can't get there until next weekend.
So I have a couple of questions:
- Does anyone have experience of this message and whether it could just be a way of further nagging me to get it serviced? It's a coincidence that last time I got this message it started with the "Service Oil" message then too, then quickly escalated.
- Am I likely to be safe to drive it as I'm not actually noticing any symptoms (it's not going into limp mode, although on occasions since the message started coming up it does take a second or so to pick up after hitting the throttle, but not every time).
- Is it worth getting it serviced 9,000 miles after the last one?
Thanks in advance.
I test drove a Mondeo that came up with that same message after a few hundred metres.
The only thing I noticed was when lifting off the throttle to change gear the response wasn't crisp.
It made me look as though I couldn't drive.
I walked away. Plenty of other Mondeo estates out there.
The only thing I noticed was when lifting off the throttle to change gear the response wasn't crisp.
It made me look as though I couldn't drive.
I walked away. Plenty of other Mondeo estates out there.
Have you considered visually checking the oil level and condition?
Sorry to be facetious but it sounds like you haven't even done that.
Not knowing the particular model I'm speculating a bit but..
May have an oil condition sensor and will definitely have several ways of estimating oil condition based on how the engine has been running.
Assuming it's a diesel, assuming it has a DPF..
Many forced/active DPF regens can dilute the oil with fuel, reducing lubricity and increasing engine wear, after a certain amount of time in regen mode the ECU will decide the oil is probably done for (and it probably is).
May also just have a distance/time based service warning.
I would suggest getting an oil and filter change and making sure they tell the ECU they've done it.
Sorry to be facetious but it sounds like you haven't even done that.
Not knowing the particular model I'm speculating a bit but..
May have an oil condition sensor and will definitely have several ways of estimating oil condition based on how the engine has been running.
Assuming it's a diesel, assuming it has a DPF..
Many forced/active DPF regens can dilute the oil with fuel, reducing lubricity and increasing engine wear, after a certain amount of time in regen mode the ECU will decide the oil is probably done for (and it probably is).
May also just have a distance/time based service warning.
I would suggest getting an oil and filter change and making sure they tell the ECU they've done it.
Edited by scarble on Sunday 1st March 18:29
Thanks for the replies.
It does have a DPF, got home a couple of times recently and the fan has been going mad for a few minutes after turning the engine off, I've assumed it's been in the middle of regen. Sometimes I'll go straight back out in it and give it a chance to finish the regen (no idea if this works, read it somewhere when I first got the car, my first with a DPF).
I decided yesterday to clear the Service Oil message using the throttle/brake method and see if the Engine Malfunction warning would clear at the same time, which it did. I'll get it booked in for a full service next weekend and get it on diagnostics as well.
finishing touch said:
I test drove a Mondeo that came up with that same message after a few hundred metres.
The only thing I noticed was when lifting off the throttle to change gear the response wasn't crisp.
It made me look as though I couldn't drive.
I walked away. Plenty of other Mondeo estates out there.
Mine is great most of the time, just a couple of times its seemed to delay slightly when I accelerate hard(ish). The only thing I noticed was when lifting off the throttle to change gear the response wasn't crisp.
It made me look as though I couldn't drive.
I walked away. Plenty of other Mondeo estates out there.
scarble said:
Have you considered checking the oil level and condition?
Sorry to be facetious but it sounds like you haven't even done that.
Not knowing the particular model I'm guessing many things.
May have an oil condition sensor and will definitely have several ways of estimating oil condition based on how the engine has been running.
Assuming it's a diesel, assuming it has a DPF..
Many forced/active DPF regens can dilute the oil with fuel, reducing lubricity and increasing engine wear, after a certain amount of time in regen mode the ECU will decide the oil is probably done for (and it probably is).
May also just have a distance/time based service warning.
I would suggest getting an oil and filter change and making sure they tell the ECU they've done it.
I've checked the oil fairly regularly, looks fine and doesn't seem to be losing/using any (had a couple of Vauxhalls before this which used oil at a ridiculous rate so I'm used to checking them often). Sorry to be facetious but it sounds like you haven't even done that.
Not knowing the particular model I'm guessing many things.
May have an oil condition sensor and will definitely have several ways of estimating oil condition based on how the engine has been running.
Assuming it's a diesel, assuming it has a DPF..
Many forced/active DPF regens can dilute the oil with fuel, reducing lubricity and increasing engine wear, after a certain amount of time in regen mode the ECU will decide the oil is probably done for (and it probably is).
May also just have a distance/time based service warning.
I would suggest getting an oil and filter change and making sure they tell the ECU they've done it.
It does have a DPF, got home a couple of times recently and the fan has been going mad for a few minutes after turning the engine off, I've assumed it's been in the middle of regen. Sometimes I'll go straight back out in it and give it a chance to finish the regen (no idea if this works, read it somewhere when I first got the car, my first with a DPF).
I decided yesterday to clear the Service Oil message using the throttle/brake method and see if the Engine Malfunction warning would clear at the same time, which it did. I'll get it booked in for a full service next weekend and get it on diagnostics as well.
ok, it's true that it'll still be hot but the ECU often depends on various other factors to trigger a regen so no knowing if it'll restart.
Would definitely recommend fresh oil even if it's not using any, in fact given the fuel dilution, the level can even be going up as fast as it's going down.
When the fan comes on is this typically after urban, rural or motorway driving?
What's your driving normally like?
Would definitely recommend fresh oil even if it's not using any, in fact given the fuel dilution, the level can even be going up as fast as it's going down.
When the fan comes on is this typically after urban, rural or motorway driving?
What's your driving normally like?
scarble said:
ok, it's true that it'll still be hot but the ECU often depends on various other factors to trigger a regen so no knowing if it'll restart.
Would definitely recommend fresh oil even if it's not using any, in fact given the fuel dilution, the level can even be going up as fast as it's going down.
When the fan comes on is this typically after urban, rural or motorway driving?
What's your driving normally like?
It usually kicks in when driving City roads when getting back from work - I give it a good drive at least once a week on 70mph roads, but during the week its mostly urban, and very stop start - not ideal really. I don't tend to thrash it, occasionally take off fairly quick though just to test the performance :-) Would definitely recommend fresh oil even if it's not using any, in fact given the fuel dilution, the level can even be going up as fast as it's going down.
When the fan comes on is this typically after urban, rural or motorway driving?
What's your driving normally like?
It was actually well serviced by the previous owners, stamps at 10k intervals at most (often sooner, I think the last 3 were at 2k intervals) so keen to keep this up (I have to admit to being poor on this with previous cars, though had a monthly oil change every time they ran out and I refilled them 😂). Hence mentioning a service when the message came on, but was told it was unnecessary at 8,000 miles.
Your cars ran out of oil on a monthly basis?!!?!
Anyway, lots of city driving will mean it tries to do active regens where it injects extra fuel late in the combustion phase, kinda like afterburner down the exhaust to heat things up more, this degrades oil quickly.
If you drive at higher speeds for extended times the exhaust heats up more naturally and you can sometimes achieve a "passive regen" where it just starts to burn off soot in the dpf anyway. This shouldn't degrade oil as much. You don't need to be aggressive, crusing at 60 to 70mph for 25-30 minutes should do it.
Harsh acceleration actually makes more soot.
Anyway, lots of city driving will mean it tries to do active regens where it injects extra fuel late in the combustion phase, kinda like afterburner down the exhaust to heat things up more, this degrades oil quickly.
If you drive at higher speeds for extended times the exhaust heats up more naturally and you can sometimes achieve a "passive regen" where it just starts to burn off soot in the dpf anyway. This shouldn't degrade oil as much. You don't need to be aggressive, crusing at 60 to 70mph for 25-30 minutes should do it.
Harsh acceleration actually makes more soot.
Well, slight exaggeration maybe, but certainly every couple of months. Could never figure out where it was going, no leaks, wasn't burning oil, so where on earth would it go?? I took my first Vectra to the dealer when the place I bought it from refused to accept anything was wrong, they checked it over and said they are "high consumption engines". Strange that they are called "ecotech" then. Got quite costly.
Thanks Olas. Did that yesterday, as I'll be booking it in for a service anyway so don't need the constant reminders, it got rid of all warning messages.
Thanks Olas. Did that yesterday, as I'll be booking it in for a service anyway so don't need the constant reminders, it got rid of all warning messages.
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