[TSM2021]

Hi All,

Has anybody had experience of using Foxwell or iCarsoft (or other!) Diagnostic Scanners on an Ecosport Titanium 1.0 (125PS) 2018?

For the first time I changed the oil and filter myself this year and 2 months later the Engine Management (amber) Light has come on on the dashboard. Car is running perfectly well and as normal and I suspect it is some sort of Oil Service Indicator. I have been trying to find out if it is possible to reset this without resorting to an ODB2 Diagnostic Scanner, without any luck - am I missing something?

I don't have an Oil Life option (latest models) in the Vehicle Settings menu and I've tried the ignition-on and holding brake and accelerator pedals down simultaneously (older models).

I've therefore resorted to researching/sourcing a Diagnostic Scanner to get a handle on this gremlin, but it seems to be a minefield working out which are compatible with the Ecosport and what functions they support and whether Ford allow an Oil Service Reset from an aftermarket scanner - has anybody got first hand experience using these tools?

Any help please would be really appreciated - thanks!

 

[colinJYD]

Hi TSM and welcome to the forum

We really need to see the fault code(s) if any.

Any cheap OBII reader should be able to see the fault code and reset, and then reset the engine management light. I have managed to diagnose quite a number of cars, including my last Ecosport (2016).

I have a Maxiscan ms309, cheap and cheerful. Once you get the fault codes, if any. You can read off the code, you can also put it on the forum for discussion.

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[TSM2021]

Many thanks Colin - really helpful.

I've ordered the scanner and its on its way - will post details of the outcome.

 

[TSM2021]

Code reader has arrived and I have the results.....

I'm getting:

P0141
P0137
P0036
With descriptions relating to: O2 Sensor Heater Circuit / O2 Sensor Circuit - Low Voltage / Heater Control Circuit

All to do with Bank1/Sensor 2

I've located 2x O2 sensors under the bonnet on the front of the engine/exhaust manifold.

I'm believing the lower one to be Sensor 2. It should be the one downstream of the catalytic convertor so I understand?

Is there only two of these sensors I wonder or are there more on the exhaust system under the vehicle?

I'm going to have a closer look...........

 

[colinJYD]

Glad you got your OBII reader.
Bank1/Sensor 2 is downstream of the catalytic converter.
Only two sensors involved, one either side of the catalytic converter, see video.

 

[TSM2021]

OK I've included snapshots of the fault code and the original part removed from the car. This sensor 2 is the downstream one and on my model it is located further down the exhaust pipe than illustrated in Colin's video clip above. It is right on the elbow of the exhaust just before it routes under the engine on my early 2018 model. The original part has a cable length of 670mm and the new part was 660mm - which I found still long enough to fit.

Hardest part of this job was sourcing the replacement part - finding an example with the correct connecter for the wiring loom.

Have fitted the new part and cleared the codes from the ECM using trusty code reader. It's done 5 journeys now and all seems well so far. (clearing the codes a few times before replacing the part resulted in the fault code returning always on the 3rd journey).

Many thanks for your help Colin - particularly with pointing me in the direction of the ODB11 reader!

 

[ljr_9]

Hi there, was it a fairly easy DIY job to replace the sensor? I've recently had an amber EML and fault code P0420 which could indicate, amongst other things, a faulty O2 sensor so I might try replacing this first - would like to gauge how much of a faff it is first though!

 

[TSM2021]

It took a bit of preparation - like WD40'ing the threads of the 02 sensor a few days in advance. It was also fiddly in accessing the sensor's wired connector where it joins the wiring harness at the back of the engine under the bulkhead. I had to remove the air intake tubing at the back of the engine - simple enough to do though - just two jubilee clips. You need to go carefully in removing the sensor at the exhaust pipe end - no excessive force. In the end I shifted it with an open ended spanner and a few light blows with a lump hammer to the end of the spanner adding more WD40 between strikes..
Did you get a description along side your code reading - P0420? The code reader I used gave a very specific description of the item the code was referring too. It might be worth spending the £15 to get the code reader colinJYD and Myself have been using which gives a useful level of detail to the fault code. I was able to clear the codes easily with this device too.
Does this help any?

 

[ljr_9]

That's great, sounds like something I can attempt myself! I don't suppose you remember where you bought the part from..?
No description unfortunately, but I'm using iCar Proscan OBD2 reader which is a decent bit of kit and allows me to clear codes. On a slight tangent, since I cleared the code around a month ago the light hasn't come back on nor has the code flagged up on any of the drives I've recorded...
Speaking to a couple of local mechanics P0420 is quite a generic code; some online research narrows it down to either a leaking exhaust system, an O2 sensor or the catalytic converter but one mechanic said it could even be something like a split pipe which buggers the air volume reading. The exhaust seems to be in good order and I'm not getting any of the usual indicators of a faulty cat, which leaves me with the O2 sensor. The MOT is in a couple of weeks so will see if anything is flagged then.

 

[TSM2021]

If the code hasn't come back on, then almost certainly whatever the circumstances where that caused it to come on in the first place are no longer present. A number of times I cleared the code for my 02 Sensor fault and each time the error code came back. If you have no dashboard warning lights still present, I would put the car in for its MOT and see what happens. If you have an 02 Sensor issue then it should adversely affect the emission values and these will be recorded as part of the MOT process.
Let us know what the outcome is.
I bought my 02 Sensor from eBay for about £30 (New). However, I removed the original one from the car before buying so I could see what wiring harness connector it had as there are different connectors advertised as compatible for Ecosports - depends on your model year. As it happened the part I purchased was advertised as NOT compatible with my model/year but it had the correct connector. Seems to be working fine though.

 

[ljr_9]

Update! Bear with me on this one it’s a bit long-winded…
The car passed the MOT, emissions readings were ok. Interestingly though the light had been coming back on intermittently either side of the MOT, and each time I cleared the fault code no problem.
Fitting new brakes and spark plugs last weekend, my stepdad noticed that the exhaust was in fact blowing - I guess I’d just got used to the noise it made . Upon further inspection it turns out that the flexi pipe downstream of the cat has split; I’m therefore inclined to think that this is the cause of the EML.
There’s a local garage that makes custom exhaust pieces rather than replacing whole sections (which in this case would include the cat!) so I’m booked in there on Wednesday. Only time will tell if this completely solves the EML issue!

 

[TSM2021]

I would anticipate the exhaust blowing would affect the 02 readings under some circumstances and cause the EML to register - you may well have nailed the reason. Did you get the repair to the CAT done successfully and how has the EML light been since?

 

[ljr_9]

I wanted to leave any updates for a time to see if the repair was successful… Sadly, the new flexi pipe did not solve the issue! The light was back on within 500 miles, same code. There is a leak from the back box as well which may be a contributing factor but I’m not convinced.
Next steps are to fit a new sensor and get some Gun Gum to temporarily seal the back box, at least until MOT time. Will report back once I’ve got a few hundred miles out of the new sensor.