Fiesta MK8 suddendly losing power, steering functions

[tytiki]

Hello everyone, I have this MK8, 100hp, 3cyl, IT/EU market with only ~25000km on the odometer. I'm having this annoying problem where the car (in no particular situation - it happened on the highway and in the city) suddendly:

• loses power for a fraction of a second
• the odometer stops working
• several lights appears on the dashboard including the little wrench light
• the steering wheel functions (blinkers, wipers, audio controls) stop working
• the assistant says something along the lines "contact the ford partner assistance"

Now the curious thing: if I press the horn, the dashboard starts working again! The odometer jumps to the actual speed and I can use blinkers, wipers, etc. The only light on is the wrench light (and the abs light iirc), to get rid of them I have to cycle the power. On the next vehicle start there is no error until it will appear again randomly.

Anyway the car is out of warranty so if I can at least understand what's going on I could try to fix this, I have some experience with mechanics but mostly on older vehicles.

I have an OBD connector and, after having established a connection, I got some errors:

• PCM: P0231:00-68 P062C:00-AF U0121:00-68 U0151:00-68 81012:00-AF
• APIM: U0121:00-08 U0151:00-08 U0155:00-08
• PAM: U0401:00-2A
• BdyCM: U0212:87-08 U0121:87-08 U0131:87-08 B1026:93-08

I'm actively investigating the errors but if someone recognizes this strange error I'm all ears. Thanks in advance and I apologize for any grammar mistake.

[auldreekie]

You sure your car is out of warranty?

Thought there was a 3 year warranty on all new cars, certainly a 2019 fiesta, I've got the same car and warranty is 3 yrs, Ford Warranties

If so take it back to the dealer and get them to sort it.

[tytiki]

I'm sorry, I answered on the fly and I put the wrong year in my profile. Actually the car is from 2017, I bought it in 2019. Sorry for that, I fixed the profile.

So I'm doing some research on the aforementioned codes.

PCM (Powertrain Control Module):

• P0231:00-68
  • Fuel Pump Secondary Circuit Low
• P062C:00-AF
  • Internal Control Module Vehicle Speed Performance
• U0121:00-68
  • Lost Communication With Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Control Module
• U0151:00-68
  • Lost Communication With Restraints Control Module
• U1012:00-AF
  • Invalid Internal Control Module Monitoring Data Received From Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Control Module

APIM:

• U0121:00-08
  • Lost Communication With Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Control Module
• U0151:00-08
  • Lost Communication With Restraints Control Module
• U0155:00-08
  • Lost Communication with Instrument Panel Control (IPC) Module

PAM:

• U0401:00-2A
  • Invalid Data Received From ECM/PCM

BdyCM:

• U0212:87-08
  • Lost Communication With Steering Column Control Module
• U0121:87-08
  • Lost Communication With The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Control Module
• U0131:87-08
  • Lost Communication With Power Steering Control Module:
• B1026:93-08
  • Steering Column Lock: System Internal Failure

I think the main problem lies with the first codes that I got from the powertrain module (PCM). My guess is that the other codes are generated due to something happening in the PCM so I'll exclude them for now and focus on the first two errors, P0231 and P062C.

I'll perform KOEO / KOER tests when I get back home to see if I can get more information. I'll also perform some tests on the fuel pump relay / wiring.

[dedion]

Hello, did you solved your problem ? I've got almost exact problem on my mondeo mk5.

[tytiki]

Hi Dedion, unfortunately no. The error appears randomly and I can't replicate it. Last time happened yesterday and that's why I remembered that I posted here. Yesterday the error was more serious since the car wouldn't start. Pressing the horn a couple of times allowed me to start the car allowing me to go home and connect the OBD tool.

I tried to run some tests with Forscan. All the modules on HSCAN2 can't be tested (ABS, RCM, PSCM, SCCM, GWM, IPMA). Testing the other modules I got:

• DDM (Driver door module)
  • B1D06 - Left turn indicator - Circuit short to battery or open
• BdyCM (Body control module)
  • C1D00 - Park brake apply switch - Circuit short to ground
• PCM (Powertrain control module)
  • U1012 - Invalid internal contro module monitoring data received from ABS control module

and nothing else, excluding a bunch of other errors like in the first post.

[st line x 140 driver]

crankshaft sensor?

[Eng_Ahmad1986]

those errors are too much to happen at the same time, I would check battery cables for corrosion and clean them and make sure they are installed correctly, and the ground cable also beside the battery.

[st line x 140 driver]

sounds like power cut /dodge connection - crankshaft sensor they play havoc with cars if faulty.

[tomshepp]

C1d00. The handbrake is applied. Disregard.

A look at the common factors suggests the steering column controls. Horn resets, other steering column functions misbehave. Strip the trim from the column and ensure that every connector is pushed fully home.

[tytiki]

First of all, thank you for your answers guys. I'm not able to find anything on the web regarding these errors so it's heartening to get some help.

Yesterday, before I checked the forum, I connected the OBD again. There was another error, B1D07, that should be the same as B1D06 but for the right turn indicator.

Since it's my sister car I never drive it so I never noticed the indicators not working. I put on the hazard lights and, lo and behold, the left and right mirror indicators didn't blink at all. I opened both mirrors and:

• the right side bulb is blown out
• the left side bulb is okay, but doesn't blink

I checked the fuses (should be position 7 and 14 of the passenger side fuses box) and they are both okay. I checked with the multimeter and no voltage is coming at both connectors with the hazard lights on (should be 12V iirc).

I also checked for parasitic draw because the battery this morning was a bit low (I charged it up to 12.8V as of now). Right after connecting the multimeter it reports ~3.8A, after a couple of minutes goes down to ~1.2A and then after another couple of minutes to 0.

 

15 hours ago, st line x 140 driver said:

sounds like power cut /dodge connection - crankshaft sensor they play havoc with cars if faulty.

Sounds like a dodgy connection to me too. Regarding the crankshaft sensor, is there an easy way to check if it's working correctly? I saw that on older Fiesta models it's accessible from the bottom of the car and unfortunately the car right now is on an inclined surface, I can't lift it up safely. I might need to wait on 3rd of December when we are out of curfew to move it to my other garage.

 

On 11/27/2020 at 2:41 PM, Eng_Ahmad1986 said:

those errors are too much to happen at the same time, I would check battery cables for corrosion and clean them and make sure they are installed correctly, and the ground cable also beside the battery.

After a quick check they seems to be installed correctly and snugly. I was reading that some Fiesta have problems with the ground connection and they suggest to sand where the lugs connect. Would that be a good idea? In that case I'd buy some dielectric grease to protect the sanded parts.

 

5 hours ago, tomshepp said:

C1d00. The handbrake is applied. Disregard.

A look at the common factors suggests the steering column controls. Horn resets, other steering column functions misbehave. Strip the trim from the column and ensure that every connector is pushed fully home.

I removed the steering column trims but unfortunately everything seems okay to me. The connections are good, nothing seems to be damaged. Please see the photos I attached.

As of now the car won't start (the engine doesn't even turn) at all and I didn't force it by honking the horn. Also the engine light sometimes blinks instead of being steady. Again, thank you for your help.

[anon]

That reads to me like maintainance of the ESC system. If that is the stability control, it would involve the ABS unit, the steering sensors and powertrain control all together. it could be a sensor giving the wrong output - almost certainly NOT the crankshaft sensor. If the engine will not now turn, charge the battery fully with a good modern charger. It ought to start then.

Get an auto electrician in to look at it. Internet guesswork is an almost useless diagnostic tool. Everybody has a theory. Nobody has an answer. It is going to cost money to fix. Swallow hard and accept it or waste a lot of time.

[tytiki]

Yes, it's a maintenance message, but it's one of the random messages it's giving, among ABS, tire pressure, start and stop, etc..

I brought the car to an auto electrician after the first time (in June) and they couldn't find nothing in almost 7 days. The error reappeared once between June and the other day but disappeared with a power cycle until yesterday, when the error finally became persistent. Unfortunately we are currently under curfew until 3rd of December, in the meanwhile I said why not, let's try to understand what's going on.

Yes, the engine will not turn but not like when the battery is dead: the car beeps and gives the errors in the photo.

[Tdci-Peter]

On 6/14/2020 at 2:16 PM, tytiki said:

I have an OBD connector and, after having established a connection, I got some errors:

• PCM: P0231:00-68 P062C:00-AF U0121:00-68 U0151:00-68 81012:00-AF
• APIM: U0121:00-08 U0151:00-08 U0155:00-08
• PAM: U0401:00-2A
• BdyCM: U0212:87-08 U0121:87-08 U0131:87-08 B1026:93-08

I'm actively investigating the errors but if someone recognizes this strange error I'm all ears. Thanks in advance and I apologize for any grammar mistake.

All those U errors strongly suggest a bad connection on one of the CAN busses. Most likely in one of the many connectors it undoubtedly passes through. It would need a full wiring diagram to work out which modules are on which bus, and what connectors they go through. CAN busses are very prone to faults, simply because they wind their way to all parts of the car.

From your sympton description, loss of steering controls & indications, plus hitting the horn can fix it, I suspect the key errors are to do with the wheel, and the CAN bus (or busses) that probably go to it. I would start looking there, jiggling wires, moving or tapping connectors, etc.

On 6/15/2020 at 1:27 PM, tytiki said:

• U0212:87-08
  • Lost Communication With Steering Column Control Module
• U0121:87-08
  • Lost Communication With The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Control Module
• U0131:87-08
  • Lost Communication With Power Steering Control Module:
• B1026:93-08
  • Steering Column Lock: System Internal Failure

 

[thanuttiscotsman]

This is clearly a module going haywire and brining the network down. Or a poor connection between them. 

[unofix]

A little too late to the party 🤣