Service engine soon gremlin

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  #1  
Old 04-26-2012, 05:13 PM
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Default Service engine soon gremlin

I have a 2007 front wheel drive FEH with few bells and whistles. It has almost 50K miles and still runs like the day I bought it, well except for one thing. Recently, maybe once or twice a week in my 200 miles or so of driving, I get the service engine soon light. I have a Scan Gauge II attached, as I have since I bought the vehicle and no matter how fast I check, I can't pick up any error codes, for that matter anything unusual. It can happen at any time, no pattern at all. When I restart, the light is gone and may stay gone for a few days before it pops back on. The only pattern is the vehicle has to be off for a while or there is a good chance it will return in a few minutes. I don't want to take it in for service because, I figure no codes, no findings. Has anyone had similar experience and what best to do about it?

Thank you,
TeichRA
 
  #2  
Old 04-26-2012, 06:27 PM
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Default Re: Service engine soon gremlin

Originally Posted by teichra
I have a 2007 front wheel drive FEH with few bells and whistles. It has almost 50K miles and still runs like the day I bought it, well except for one thing. Recently, maybe once or twice a week in my 200 miles or so of driving, I get the service engine soon light. I have a Scan Gauge II attached, as I have since I bought the vehicle and no matter how fast I check, I can't pick up any error codes, for that matter anything unusual. It can happen at any time, no pattern at all. When I restart, the light is gone and may stay gone for a few days before it pops back on. The only pattern is the vehicle has to be off for a while or there is a good chance it will return in a few minutes. I don't want to take it in for service because, I figure no codes, no findings. Has anyone had similar experience and what best to do about it?

Thank you,
TeichRA
Sounds like it might be the blend door actuator in the rear of the vehicle.
 
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Old 04-26-2012, 07:29 PM
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Default Re: Service engine soon gremlin

There are many codes the Scan Gauge is incapable of reading. If the light came on, there should be a stored code. BTW, there is no need to try to check it quickly, it is stored until it is cleared. Take it to the dealer or at least a mechanic with more sophisticated scanning equipment. My Scan Gauge did NOT read the the failed cooling fan code, my mechanic and dealer found it immediately
 

Last edited by GatorJ; 04-27-2012 at 06:23 AM.
  #4  
Old 04-27-2012, 02:44 PM
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Default Re: Service engine soon gremlin

The scan gauge does not show any codes after the wrench comes on. When I shut the engine off for more that a few minutes, the fault goes away and may not show up for a few days. Would the code still be visible to the Ford dealer? I looked around but it was not clear to me what the blend door actuator actually is. The fault will even happen sitting quietly at a light in EV mode.
 
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Old 04-27-2012, 03:30 PM
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Default Re: Service engine soon gremlin

Originally Posted by teichra
The scan gauge does not show any codes after the wrench comes on. When I shut the engine off for more that a few minutes, the fault goes away and may not show up for a few days. Would the code still be visible to the Ford dealer? I looked around but it was not clear to me what the blend door actuator actually is. The fault will even happen sitting quietly at a light in EV mode.
It opens the outside air door on the left rear pillar to allow air to the battery. It is used in the 2005 - 2008 models.

There is a SG code for it, but I don't recall how to program it. I had the intermittant light for a while on my 2008, and the actuator was replaced under warranty.
 
  #6  
Old 04-28-2012, 08:14 AM
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Default Re: Service engine soon gremlin

Originally Posted by stevedebi
It opens the outside air door on the left rear pillar to allow air to the battery. It is used in the 2005 - 2008 models.

There is a SG code for it, but I don't recall how to program it. I had the intermittant light for a while on my 2008, and the actuator was replaced under warranty.
Steve, the '09 has the same vent to the outside also.

GaryG
 
  #7  
Old 05-01-2012, 03:26 PM
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Default Re: Service engine soon gremlin

Originally Posted by GaryG
Steve, the '09 has the same vent to the outside also.

GaryG
Thanks. I could not remember if that were the case, but I figured you would chime in!

So the electric AC started with the 2010...
 
  #8  
Old 05-01-2012, 04:17 PM
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Default Re: Service engine soon gremlin

Originally Posted by stevedebi
Thanks. I could not remember if that were the case, but I figured you would chime in!

So the electric AC started with the 2010...

Any time Steve, I will add the same battery filter is used also.

GaryG
 
  #9  
Old 06-02-2012, 04:50 PM
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Default Re: Service engine soon gremlin

Hi All,
I figured I should give everyone an update on my intermittent wrench light that came and hopefully has gone for good. I brought it in to my local Ford dealer where they cleared the memory of some unreadable non Ford codes ??, updated the software and suggested I leave my Scan Gauge II out of the loop to see if it was causing the problem. As you might have expected, I continued to get the same fault and brought it in after two weeks. They had their hybrid tech look at it, found the problem right away, just what was suggested previously on the blog (air flow circuit failure blend door for HVTB). They called to let me know they found it. They were even shocked they had the part in stock and I was back on the road in a few hours. I guess I can't complain. This is the first problem I have had in 47K miles. Hopefully, I will be able to stay away from the service department for a while.
Thanks for all your help,
TeichRA
 
  #10  
Old 06-02-2012, 05:15 PM
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Default Re: Service engine soon gremlin

Originally Posted by teichra
This is the first problem I have had in 47K miles. Hopefully, I will be able to stay away from the service department for a while.
I have 45k on my 2007 now, and have had the blend door and MECS pump fail so far. You might want to plan ahead and anticipate the MECS pump going out next. Mine started getting noisy weeks before it failed.
 


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