4 year repeat of Previous problem with Cmax 2012 1.6 Duratorq, Titanium diesel

In 2021, I was driving down a rough, bumpy country road. No problems previously. Sudden power loss, engine running rough, 'review engine' dialogue flashes on screen, orange engine icon came on. Barely enough power to move. So I pulled over and turned off engine. 
Half hour later I restarted with same symptoms. But shifted into reverse and pull back and forth, then shut engine down again. I returned half hour later, and the engine started, reved above 2000 and drove as normal. The Warning 'engine malfunction dialogue disappeared, but the engine icon light was still on. I drove 50 klm home without problems.

Car limped along at 10 , barely made it up a hill in 1st gear. RPM wouldn't go above 2000, without load. I pulled over started it up and same juddery engine and lack of rpm above 2000. turned engine off and let sit.
miles without problems. Warning engine dialogue not showing then, but engine icon light still on. Made it home.  Next day turned on, drove normally, the engine icon light disappeared. 

I had the engine digitally scanned but no error codes showing up????? The engine healed itself? 
No problems for 4 years. 

Current problem
The same problem reappeared suddenly two days ago. In the morning I drove around a bumpy field, maybe 100 metres with no problem then, but in afternoon drove to Carcassonne, on way back, the previous incident repeated itself. 

'Engine malfunction, service now' dialogue appeared. Loss of power. Engine was juddering under load and unable to raise rpm to shift into next gear, or go above 2000 rpm. I could drive 30kph by carefully shifting in 1st through 3rd gear. But not enough power to move above 4th gear. This time the icon for  'car skidding light came on (traction control?) and 'engine malfunction, service now' warning code was on as well, but no yellow engine icon light. 
I limped home, shut engine off for 10 minutes and it restarted without problems, no code or lights showing.  Drove several 20klm trips without issue

The problem reappeared 48 hours later on way back from town. As above. I turned off engine several times and same symptoms, lights and icons as above. So far not recovering. 
 

IMHO you need to read the codes with Forscan when the fault(s) are preset.
I don't think there's enough information to make any precise diagnosis as there appear to be problems with engine and ABS/ESC areas?
Unless someone has experienced this exact issue before and can point you straight to a solution.

P.S Carcassonne is unique!

Once again, miraculously, the car healed itself and haven't had any problems since 2nd incident 3 weeks ago! All lights and warning codes have remained off.

I haven't changed the gas filter in 6 years, not realizing it needed that. So I intend to have that done. Also, I can help but feel this might be a faulty or erratic sensor given how this has happened 3 times now over 4 years and healed itself. It does make me not trust the car on long drives away now, which is frustrating because the car has been faultless, completely trustworthy  and very satisfying over last 6 years I've had it. 

I took car in for a scan and nothing showed currently. Historically two codes showed up that might be related. PO37D00-28 Glow Plug Relay malfunction CMDTCS  Odd because the car has never refused to start up on first button push. 

The second historic fault is P1264:00-28 A possible injector malfunction on cylinder 4 CMDTCS.

But neither show as current problem, just historic incidences. Mechanic told me he wouldn't charge for digital check because there was no current malfunction to fix. 

He suggested gas filter could be an issue. And that changing injectors was expensive and better to change all four, not just one, because they don't talk to each other as well then. 

He also said their were some historic minor code issues with PCM, ABS, BCMii, RFA, not to worry about. All self healed as well presumably. 

I really like this car for its reliability, utility and comfort, and hoped to get 200k miles out of it, having done timing belt, clutch and other upkeep items. Given its age and 220,000klm = 136701 miles and worrying reliability I need to decide whether to replace injectors, when they may not need doing, and try to drive the car toward my goal. Or dump it and buy something I maybe less happy with. 

Tricky as I do two or three thousand mile jaunts a year. 

Any advice on likelihood of sensor faults and fuel filter being the culprit or go for injectors. How many here have driven their cars 200-250K and been happy with everything? 

Just to remind. I'm living in France and commuting back and forth, and not all that thrilled with going for a French equivalent to CMAX. 

10 hours ago, syrahnose said:

not all that thrilled with going for a French equivalent to CMAX. 

Get yourself a real French car, Renault Dauphine

If I've got this right, diesel fuel filter at 6 years is well past its sell by date and i would replace urgently.

Regarding injectors, Alan Howatt reckons, I think, perhaps 150k miles before problems BUT myself and at least 1 other forum member rate Archoil.
I wouldn't change them without some clear evidence and maybe getting them reconditioned would be a cheaper way to go based on the value of the car?

We are on 120k and still drives like new.

thanks for that suggestion on injectors probably ok until 150k. I'll get the fuel filter done and see where things go. It's such a weird intermittent fault, often after a bumpy ride, then ok after a couple of days rest. I can imagine bad stuff getting shaken up in filter and passed on, then settling back down again. 

Is reconditioning relatively easy? done while they remain in car or taken out? I see reconditioned ones for sale at half or a third the normal price. I did get a quote for 4 replaced with new at 1800euros, so must be around 1500 quid. And that not by Ford, a couple of local garages. 

The historic error code indicated an injector malfunction on cylinder 4. p1264 0028  There was also a second historic code indicating a glow plug relay malfunction p037d 0028. As I said, nothing showed up as a current problem. 

I was thinking to just replace the injector in 4th cylinder. Researching this, it seems there is no potential to damage anything with just one new injector and so long as its been coded in properly it should be ok. 

Any thoughts? 

Why glow plugs were indicated is baffling because in 6 years it has never refused to start. Any symptoms I should look for as a possibility? 

5 hours ago, syrahnose said:

Why glow plugs were indicated is baffling because in 6 years it has never refused to start. Any symptoms I should look for as a possibility?

Glow Plugs on modern cars are used more to reduce Emissions when the car is cold and sometimes for DPF Regeneration rather than to help start an Engine unless the temperature is well below zero. 

18 hours ago, syrahnose said:

Is reconditioning relatively easy?

I had an Olde Worlde distributor pump reconditioned and they disassembled, checked, replaced any parts as required, tested and returned it with a warranty.
I'd imagine but don't know the details that a similar process of dismantle, clean, replace components, rebuild and test would be done by any trusted supplier, again, with a warranty.
Changing one injector isn't a problem as long as it is coded in correctly.
Also, a leak off test is one way to see if individual injectors may be sub-standard.

As usual some sort of testing and finding anything outside of the norm is preferable to simply changing parts on a guess (especially expensive ones - unless there is no other option and you are prepared for there to be no guarantee you'll fix it)

Edit: intermittent fault doesn't sound like basic mechanical or component, could it be electrical /wiring

The bizarre thing the car has been running fine since the initial problem three weeks ago? Just like the same problem happened and fixed itself 4 years ago. No error codes currently, although both those historic ones above showed up as happening twice each. It makes me wonder if it isn't more a wiring or connection problem with cylinder 4 injector/glow plug? Is same wiring going to both? 

thanks so far for all this great advice. I'll let you know how it goes. 

So here’s what happened. I took the car into Roady garage here and told them to change 4 cylindar’s glow pluch and injector and the fuel filter which I hadn’t changed for at least 120k I had the car and possibly before. Roady did a scan and said there was no fault or reason to change the injector/Gp. They didn’t charge me, again, for the scan!  They changed the filter and said it was almost blocked full of gunge, so probably the problem. Total cost under 100 euros. They won my trust forever, given they could have done the work I expected and charged me a grand. 

 

So everything worked fine after for 6 weeks driving.

 

Except, i drove 1500klm to Portugal and on way back, same problem appeared. Rough idle, below 2000 revs, limp home mode. I parked and let it sit for an hour, and it suddenly fired up and hasn’t returned now for 2500 klm of driving. I drove up to UK and am currently in Winchester for next 4 weeks praying it keeps running well, which is always has except for this one mysterious intermittent fault. 

Once I’m back in France will have to consider to keep or sell. To be honest, I’ve found the car so reliable othewise, I might just replace glow plugs and injectors on tiny chance they were the culprit and try to drive it for 300-400 klm. 

Has anyone reached that kind of mileage over time? Am I crazy to drive this car into the ground? I can’t help but think, having looked at newer cars, that my era 1.6 diesel may have been the best that engine evolved into. 

Any thoughts from anyone on any of this? 

 

All the wet bets that followed and pollution control add ons have made finding something comparably reliable a challenge.