Hello. Done about 40 miles today, came home and washed the car, then did the 4-mile school run so the car was warm-ish. About half a mile from home, the car went into limp mode and the glow plug light started flashing. This is the first time this has ever happened.

I plugged my F-Super in and got the code P132B, which some Googling suggests is a stuck turbo actuator.

Some of you may know I have had nothing but problems with this car since the day I bought the damn thing, and I'm pretty much at the end of my rope with it. Given that I have places to go, people to see etc and cannot be without a car for a long time, nor do I have any desire to spend the best part of Christmas sitting in the garage with said car and I also DON'T want to be spending garage rates just now because I just don't have the money with Christmas and everything else, what is the best way for me to address this?

Car's just hit 90k.

I saw one guy on Youtube who had the same problem (repeatedly), drilled a hole in the back of the turbo, threaded it and put an 8mm bolt in, which he can periodically remove and spray in a load of Mr Muscle oven cleaner directly into the turbo vanes. As much as it seems like a bad idea to be drilling holes in things that weren't designed to have holes, SO !Removed! tempted to do it. Cannot wait til I can afford to get rid of this car. It's cursed, I swear to God it is.

It could be as simple as water has gotten under the bonnet and has affected a sensor. Clear the code, leave the car to dry out overnight and see how it is in the morning. Might also help to just let the car idle when / to get warm and the heat should hopefully help to dissipate any moisture that may reside.

It could be as simple as water has gotten under the bonnet and has affected a sensor. Clear the code, leave the car to dry out overnight and see how it is in the morning. Might also help to just let the car idle when / to get warm and the heat should hopefully help to dissipate any moisture that may reside.

Thanks, I'll do that.

I actually jet-washed the car, and as good as the method is, I've always thought that it's got to be forcing water into places where water isn't meant to get. I've cleared the code, and restarted the car (the glow plug light didn't flash). Ran it at all sorts of RPM from 800 to redline and all seems good, so you might just be right. I hope so.

I've got a school run to do tomorrow, then I might take it for a long-ish run to see what happens. I'm meant to be doing a 150-mile trip next Tuesday, mostly on the A1 and I don't really want it going limp on me again!

can understand that.

Definately get it warm under the bonnet, maybe sit and idle it at about 1500 - 2500RPM just to get it up to temperature, and do that for about 15 minutes. That should hopefully evaporate any residual water.

It might also be worth taking it for test runs tonight. Keep the temperature up and take it across a few different roads from town to carriageways. That way you can get a feel for whether it has really sorted itself out. Be gentle with it to start, but then after the cars been to temperature for a short while, then make it do some hard work in acceleration, that should test it truly!

I'd love to test it out tonight - unfortunately I'm just recovering from a lung infection, and consequent allergic reaction to the penicillin I was given for it. I've been dragged around town Christmas shopping today and it's nearly killed me. I just need to go to sleep. See how I feel in a bit.

This Christmas/winter lark isn't all it's cracked up to be! :)

Not the greatest BigD!

Well, I did take it out for a little run last night, only 7 or 8 miles, and all was well. Started it from cold this morning (it was 0C here, early-on), did the school run, then a garage pit-stop for diesel and up to the cafe for a fry-up, then home - about 25 miles all-round - no problems whatsoever.

Still very wary that it'll happen again, but a *little* more confident today.

Hopefully that is the end of the matter, probably was juts moisture on the sensor...

I did notice something else today - the stereo has lost all of it's settings as if the battery has been disconnected recently (it hasn't).

Is this a usual side-effect of the car going into limp mode, or did I get water in a bad place?

It happened again today. Typical as I have to do a 150-mile trip tomorrow, then a 100 mile trip the day after.

How difficult a job is it to remove the turbo and clean the vanes? The Haynes manual, as usual, makes very little sense whatsoever.

Its not the easiest job, IIRC its a 4 spanner job! so not the easiest. As for the battery disconnect, it could be water ingress, but then it could be the reason you are also seeing the turbo error. I know its been a rather windy and blustery day, so wouldnt surprise if water has made its way where it shouldnt have.

Its a pain taking the exhaust manifold off

It may be possible to disconnect the actuator and carefully move the rod up and down by holding it with mole grips or pliers, this can help loosen the variable vanes as they get coked up with carbon and can stick, this can eventually damage the electronic actuator

(i presume yours is a Euro4, VNT with electronic actuator, front mounted electronic EGR etc)

Its true that you can soak the electrics with a jetwash, when i worked in a Ford main dealers, often the valeters would immobilise a car by using the high- pressure hot foam jetwash on it,(especially if it was a "new guy") they learned to keep the lance back from sensitive areas,

The electronic actuator sticks out from behind the engine cover and can be affected by high-pressure water

the engine bay is sealed at the top, and at the back, and the bay gets warm, especially the actuator next to the turbo, as long as the bonnet is closed and the undertray is present, the bay will tend to stay dry or dry out with the bonnet closed when driving the car, unless you are driving through floods/ fording rivers etc

If you plan to drill a hole in the manifold be sure to give the turbine vanes clearance for the bolt

90k is not a lot for one of these and if its sorted properly could do you for years

Thanks, and yeah it's Euro4.

Had a chat with a mate earlier - friend of his works at a garage in town so he's going to have a word with him about it, as he uses a company who specialise in gearbox/turbo etc refurbs. So it could be that he whips the turbo off my car, takes it there for a clean, and refits it. I'll know more detail tomorrow but I'm not even attempting it this side of Christmas. Might have a go at it Boxing Day, depending how quick it can be turned around.

Just got a call - mechanic guy is coming on Saturday to sort the turbo. Knew what it was straight away - apparently he does several of them on Mk3 Mondeos every week and knows the job inside-out.

It's going to cost me £200 all in, which I'm fine with.

What part of the tirbo did he say went pop?

Can't repeat exactly what he said ;) but the gist of the idea was "crud in the turbo" - that was without even being given the fault code (P132B).

Its a common problem - the VNT mech (variable vane) gets coked up with carbon from the exhaust, this can make the mech sieze or stick, reducing its range of movement, as the vanes control the boost pressure and reduce lag this can cause problems (exessive lag, overboost, limp mode being triggered etc). If the range of movement is reduced and the actuator tries to move in its full range, a sticky VNT mech can also damage the actuator, especially an electronic (Euro4) one

He says that with the Mk3 mondeo, because of build-up in the EGR, manifold and turbo, the best policy is to drive it like you nicked it every once in a while, to blow the cobwebs away.

Reckon he might be on to something...

That tends to be the advice we offer to all DPF owners on this forum :p

She's in "surgery". Awaiting news. :s

All done. Before:

After:

Looking good, question is, did she make it out alive? or is she on life support?

She's very much alive and kicking. :)