Hi there...new to this page and looking for a bit of guidance/help. I have a 2017 Smax vignale, covered approx 55000 miles. Week before last I lost power and the dreaded spanner symbol lit up on the dashboard. I plugged in my small diagnostic computer and it gave me a P2279 air intake error. Went to my local garage who check all the hoses pipes etc for splits but nothing found. They then changed the MAF sensor which they seemed to have identified as the issue. But the following morning while on the bypass the spanner lit up again same fault P2279. Back to the garage but they are now not sure what it may be and seem to think it's an electrical fault. I am totally hopeless with cars so was wondering if anyone has had a similar issue with the Smax?

Also not really sure who best to take my car to now to look into it, would an auto electrician be able to investigate it more?

Any help would/guidance would be greatly appreciated! 

Craig

Didn't find the cause so guessed at the MAF sensor. Failed.

Lost power. Air intake error. Not enough to go on. Did you get the power back? Did it come back after fitting the new sensor? Was this transient or sustained? Give us something to work with, please.

(But it is almost certainly a split or perished pipe, whatever your garage thought.)

2 minutes ago, anon said:

Didn't find the cause so guessed at the MAF sensor. Failed.

Lost power. Air intake error. Not enough to go on. Did you get the power back? Did it come back after fitting the new sensor? Was this transient or sustained? Give us something to work with, please.

Power doesn't come back...seems as though the turbo becomes inactive once the error appears. Only way to clear it is to switch engine off and restart. This clears the fault and the turbo works again until the fault reappears. The issue only seems to happen when I go on bypass/motorway. 

Haven't had the fault happen unless above 70mph so unsure about the sensor as to whether it made a difference or not.

Right. So it isn't the MAF sensor and it sounds as though it comes back on switch off but it goes wrong under load - under boost conditions. I suspect that you have a loose pipe, that is leaking under pressure and forcing the engine into limp mode.

2 hours ago, anon said:

Right. So it isn't the MAF sensor and it sounds as though it comes back on switch off but it goes wrong under load - under boost conditions. I suspect that you have a loose pipe, that is leaking under pressure and forcing the engine into limp mode.

I would agree with that...unfortunately the garage have said they have checked the pipes any there is no issue with them 🙄🤷🏻‍♂️

Then it is your own silly fault for believing what they tell you! Open the bonnet, run the engine, get somebody to give it some revs and watch for bits moving and listen for hissing noises.

13 hours ago, anon said:

Then it is your own silly fault for believing what they tell you! Open the bonnet, run the engine, get somebody to give it some revs and watch for bits moving and listen for hissing noises.

If you had taken the time to read my initial post you would have noticed that I said I am totally hopeless with cars. So I certainly don't have the knowledge to question a garage about something like this. 

The bonnet was opened and the engine run. It was given revs and I could hear very little to my untrained ear...that was done well before it went to the garage!

 

I not only took the time to read your post but I took the trouble to try to help. You have a scanner and talk about MAF sensors as though you know what you are talking about, what are we to think?

 It can be any one of thousands of possibilities causing your problem but as it recurs you will know when it is fixed, as will the garage you now need to take it to because you can not fix it yourself.

If the fault is electrical, it is likely to have been logged in the car's memory. In that case, a Ford dealership will almost certainly be the quickest and cheapest route to a reliable diagnosis.

So seems that the Ford dealership is the way to go then?!

If I can plug in a diagnostics machine then believe me anyone can...as mentioned, cars are not my strong point by any manner of means.

Pretty much your best course of action. The car is fairly new, it will have stored malfunction codes that are accessible by Ford's equipment so they should be able to tell you what is wrong. Other diagnostic systems are available but they need interpretation by people  with skills we don't all have.

Which engine is it?  If it's diesel, the air doser (throttle body) might be sticking and restricting flow when it shouldn't.

4 hours ago, anon said:

Pretty much your best course of action. The car is fairly new, it will have stored malfunction codes that are accessible by Ford's equipment so they should be able to tell you what is wrong. Other diagnostic systems are available but they need interpretation by people  with skills we don't all have.

Thanks for your help 

4 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

Which engine is it?  If it's diesel, the air doser (throttle body) might be sticking and restricting flow when it shouldn't.

Yes, it is a diesel engine. I'm guessing this won't be accessible by any chance?! 🤣

One of a thousand potential faults, divined by guesswork for somebody unaccustomed to what goes on under a bonnet. We are doing him no favours here. Craig, take it to the garage.

1 hour ago, Craig Davidson said:

Yes, it is a diesel engine. I'm guessing this won't be accessible by any chance?! 🤣

Which one lol?  I'll assume it's a 2.0...

I think the TB is right on the front of the engine on those.  It's easy to find anyway, will be on the thick intake pipe.

If you can find it, remove the air intake pipe to it and just check the flap moves smoothly when you switch the ignition on.  It won't move much while the engine is running.

If you can get Forscan on it, that might show us some more codes than the generic reader.

 

1 hour ago, anon said:

One of a thousand potential faults, divined by guesswork for somebody unaccustomed to what goes on under a bonnet. We are doing him no favours here. Craig, take it to the garage.

While I do agree, he's already been to a garage where they've fobbed him off with an easy fix and can't be bothered doing a proper diagnosis... 

Unless he knows of a decent local garage, we're probably the best option at the moment.

Which is why I suggested a proper Ford diagnostic, reading the memorised codes..

Just now, anon said:

Which is why I suggested a proper Ford diagnostic, reading the memorised codes..

We are in agreement there then. 

What was the outcome I'm getting same code please help.

So far replaced Distribution including pump wheel Flap Air balance Turbo Egr Check hoses with smoke from filter to engine Check hoses with pressure from turbo to flap including cooler - pressure held for 24 hours Cleaned all hoses/pipes and egr Checked distribution settings 3x Still on 3-speed at speeds over 3500 rpm, error p2279 pops up. Pcm replayed to last calibration. Visually check cam.

But did you have a diagnostic done at a Ford dealership before throwing money at your guesswork?

Dne 13. 7. 2025 v 21:25 anonym napsal(a):

Ale nechal jsi si udělat diagnostiku v autosalonu Fordu, než jsi vyhodil peníze do odhadů?

If it's up to me, it's always Ford diagnostics. Not even the authorized service knows what to do anymore.