Weird fault with my C Max 2008 1.6 diesel

[Ds85]

Hey all, looking for a bit of advice as i've been looking for people with similar faults and not found anythibg really.

So, i've got a 2008 C Max 1.6 Diesel about 90k on the clock.

Had it for two years now, and never really had a major issue with it. Anyway, last week I was driving to a gig down a dual carriageway, about 75mph ish, and suddenly got the engine fault and the warning noise. I instantly lost acceleration and both my speedo dial and rev counter went dead, as in the needles dropped. However my care was still on, idling and all electrics/lights were ok. So i pulled over when safe, switched off and after about a minute it started up and let me carry on my journey, with no faults showing.

It also did it on the way home later that night, though this time I was going much slower in third about 30mph, pulling away from traffic lights.

The next day i had no issues, but the day after it happened when i was driving back home in the morning, through a residential area and not being faster than about 15mph at the time.

So that last time was a monday morning, and it didnt happen again all week. 30 miles a day minimum for work and at the weekend driving well over 120 miles on the saturday.

But yesterday (sunday) it happened again, this time while queueing to get out of a very busy shopping complex. This time I wasn't even moving, but i did have the clutch dipped i believe while sitting in the traffic.

So every time it's happened, ive heard the alarm with the dash telling me there is an engine fault, I completely lose the Accelerator pedal, it does nothing. But the engine doesn't die, it just idles away. Brakes still work, all electrics still work, but i can't accelerate until i switch off for about a minute. If it try to switch on sooner, I can't start the car.

I know i need to try and get the fault codes read, but the only place i know to do this is a ford garage who charge for the privilege of telling me what's wrong.

If anyone has ever experienced anything similar, i'd be grateful to hear. A friend of mine thinks it may be the Accelerator potentiometer?

[pragmatix]

You can read the fault codes yourself with a programm called Forscan it's a free download you will,also need a modified ELM connector and a lap top.

the codes need reading before you switch of the engine as what your describe sounds like the fault goes.

Forscan here https://forscan.org/download.html 

Elm here, https://tunnelrat-electronics.fwscart.com/USB_Modified_ELM327/p4541936_17045457.aspx  don't bother with the cheap ones on eBay most are unreliable, the drivers are on a separate page.