"Stop Safely Now"
#81
02-16-2009, 12:20 PM
Re: "Stop Safely Now"
Well, now I got the "stop safely now" message. Or, rather, my wife did.
2006 MMH, 33000 miles (ish)
She drove the family ~100 miles to Seattle, stopped at the grocery store, and it didn't start when she returned to the car. She got a "service soon" message and a "stop safely now" message, but no start. It didn't even turn over, although there was power to the radio (I heard it over the cellphone).
Took it to the dealer. Of note is that the car started right up when the tow truck driver got there in about an hour. The dealer calls this morning and says it's the... MECS pump. Having read the saga here, I called him back and asked how he diagnosed it. My thinking was that if he visually diagnosed it, it could indeed be the pump. If he used DTCs, then it may not be the coolant pump.
He says that his hybrid tech noticed from under the car that the coolant pump was not running in hybrid mode and it should be. His tech tapped it with a hammer and it started running. His tech called Ford, who referred to a service bulletin about this issue. The upshot is... replace the coolant pump.
Does that make sense to everyone. Sadly - and I mean that - my expectations for dealer service are in the basement. My default position now is that they don't know ****, won't listen to anyone, and it's about 50/50 that they will make things worse. Still, I try to have an open mind. Does his explanation make any sense?
Perhaps it could be that the electronics pump failed (the actual pump), causing the electronics coolant to overheat after the 100 mile drive, causing the computer to not allow it to start until it cooled... about an hour later when the tow truck driver came. After sitting over the weekend at the dealership it would start again, but the coolant pump wouldn't be running, which the tech could notice. This scenario seems plausible, but depends on the computer to disallow starting, throw a "service soon" and "stop safely now" message based on overheating of the electronics coolant. Does that happen? Or can you think of something else?
Could be the relays, of course, but that doesn't really jive with his "hit the MECS pump with a hammer and it ran" bit.
Arrgh.
Thanks
2006 MMH, 33000 miles (ish)
She drove the family ~100 miles to Seattle, stopped at the grocery store, and it didn't start when she returned to the car. She got a "service soon" message and a "stop safely now" message, but no start. It didn't even turn over, although there was power to the radio (I heard it over the cellphone).
Took it to the dealer. Of note is that the car started right up when the tow truck driver got there in about an hour. The dealer calls this morning and says it's the... MECS pump. Having read the saga here, I called him back and asked how he diagnosed it. My thinking was that if he visually diagnosed it, it could indeed be the pump. If he used DTCs, then it may not be the coolant pump.
He says that his hybrid tech noticed from under the car that the coolant pump was not running in hybrid mode and it should be. His tech tapped it with a hammer and it started running. His tech called Ford, who referred to a service bulletin about this issue. The upshot is... replace the coolant pump.
Does that make sense to everyone. Sadly - and I mean that - my expectations for dealer service are in the basement. My default position now is that they don't know ****, won't listen to anyone, and it's about 50/50 that they will make things worse. Still, I try to have an open mind. Does his explanation make any sense?
Perhaps it could be that the electronics pump failed (the actual pump), causing the electronics coolant to overheat after the 100 mile drive, causing the computer to not allow it to start until it cooled... about an hour later when the tow truck driver came. After sitting over the weekend at the dealership it would start again, but the coolant pump wouldn't be running, which the tech could notice. This scenario seems plausible, but depends on the computer to disallow starting, throw a "service soon" and "stop safely now" message based on overheating of the electronics coolant. Does that happen? Or can you think of something else?
Could be the relays, of course, but that doesn't really jive with his "hit the MECS pump with a hammer and it ran" bit.
Arrgh.
Thanks
GaryG
#82
02-16-2009, 01:15 PM
Re: "Stop Safely Now"
TSB 05-04-10 is exactly what you describe. And you are correct the system will over heat setting several codes, then cool down and start. There is no way for the PCM to tell if the MECS pump is actually running. The correction is a new redesigned pump part number 5M6Z-8C419-A. Should be covered under the basic car warranty NOT the hybrid warranty.
#83
02-16-2009, 01:28 PM
Re: "Stop Safely Now"
I wish I could cut and paste these TSBs, but the software will not allow this. The TSB actually says to tap on the pump to see if it will come on!
#84
02-17-2009, 07:15 PM
Re: "Stop Safely Now"
I am so glad I found this forum. Last winter my 06 FEH surprised me with my first red triangle & stop safely now. After setting for several hours vehicle was fine. I called my dealer & they said if the light wasn't on now there was nothing they could do. Everything was fine for nearly a year & just a couple of days ago my ABS light came on. My info center then said service 4x4. It then said 4x4 temporarily engaged then 4x4 temporarily disabled. Then my low traction low came on. Vehicle began to pulsate & that's when I got the stop safely now light & the vehicle died. I nursed it home & haven't done anything since. I just lost my job & really am not ready for a $1200.00 dollar fix. What do you guys think??
#85
02-18-2009, 08:16 AM
Re: "Stop Safely Now"
Unfortunately, the quickest answers start with the Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTCs) that have to be pulled off the vehicles computer by someone with the proper equipment (who will charge you, usually the Ford dealer or other shop). You could pay to have the codes read and get a recommended fix, and then stop there to get other opinions. Or, go with what the recommended fix - these vehicles are not too bad at diagnosing themselves. Good luck.
#86
02-18-2009, 01:54 PM
Re: "Stop Safely Now"
Yesterday, my wife made the usual trip in our FEH from the garage of our house to the bus stop, turned the ICE off, restarted it after several minutes, and the "Stop Safely Now" message came on. This time, after my wife turned the ICE off and tried to restart it, it would not restart. She waited about a half-minute, and it restarted. This is the first time it would not restart, so the problem seems to be getting worse. The relay came in yesterday, and my wife picked it up this morning. I am going to try to replace the power sustain relay now. I hope that fixes the problem.
#88
02-20-2009, 07:32 PM
Re: "Stop Safely Now"
2006 MMH 33,000 miles.
Well, I picked up the MMH after the dealer replaced the MECS pump and everything seems fine. I drove it 100 miles, stopped at Costco, and it started right back up again. It's been fine for 2-3 days now. Score one for the dealer mechanic.
So it seems that a "stop safely now" message can indeed be triggered in a roundabout way by a failure of the MECS pump itself.
Thanks for the input and assistance.
Island Mariner
Well, I picked up the MMH after the dealer replaced the MECS pump and everything seems fine. I drove it 100 miles, stopped at Costco, and it started right back up again. It's been fine for 2-3 days now. Score one for the dealer mechanic.
So it seems that a "stop safely now" message can indeed be triggered in a roundabout way by a failure of the MECS pump itself.
Thanks for the input and assistance.
Island Mariner
#89
02-23-2009, 03:29 PM
Re: "Stop Safely Now"
My tech called today & told me I had C1236 L/R wheel speed sensor input missing, C1234 R/F wheel speed sensor input missing, C1524 brake pedal travel sensor, & C1222 wheel speed sensor error. He said he had to do some more testing & would call me back in a day or 2. Anybody know if there is a common thread tying this all together?
Last edited by cmpslp; 02-23-2009 at 05:02 PM.
