MY12 D4 3.0 White Smoke and limp Mode/Restricted Performance Towing Caravan Uphill

[dannyboydownunder]

Hi,

I have a MY12 3.0L Diesel D4 - I purchased this vehicle new and starting towing a 3T caravan with it 3 years ago - only 125K on vehicle and well serviced by Ayers Automotive in Sydney - about 6 months ago had Timing Belts replaced and had the Turbo Drain issue fixed at same time - no problems until last week during trip with friends towing caravan to Lightning Ridge.

First event was driving up steep incline with caravan when white smoke starting pouring out of vehicle which then quickly went into limp mode. I was able to get vehicle and caravan off of the 2 lane highway and turned ignition off and then back on and all good again.

Travelled another 500KM or so over the next few days without incident and then coming home up the great divide south of Gunnedah a warning message appeared saying that I was operating in Restricted Performance mode. I drove a few KM to a servo and again turned ignition off and then back on and all good again. Drove another 300KM to Sydney with no incident.

Today I used my new OBD2 Australia BT scan tool linked to an Android App called ELM-OBD2 and was able to extract the following high level fault codes:

============1==============
P006A(00)
Raw code: 006A00
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Test failed since last DTC clear
OBDII: MAP sensor/MAF or VAF sensor bank 1 - correlation

============2==============
P00BE(07)
Raw code: 00BE07
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Test failed since last DTC clear
OBDII: Mass air flow (MAF) sensor B - circuit range/performance

============3==============
P1247(00)
Raw code: 124700
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear, Test not completed during this operation cycle
OBDII: Turbo Boost Pressure Low

============4==============
P2263(22)
Raw code: 226322
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear, Test not completed during this operation cycle
OBDII: Turbocharger (TC) boost pressure/supercharger (SC) boost pressure - performance problem

============5==============
P226B(00)
Raw code: 226B00
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear
OBDII: Turbocharger (TC)/supercharger (SC) boost pressure - pressure too high

============6==============
P0488(72)
Raw code: 048872
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear
OBDII: Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, throttle position control - range/performance problem

============7==============
P004D(77)
Raw code: 004D77
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear
OBDII: Turbocharger (TC)/supercharger (SC) boost pressure control B - circuit high

============8==============
P006A(00)
Raw code: 006A00
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Test failed since last DTC clear
OBDII: MAP sensor/MAF or VAF sensor bank 1 - correlation

============9==============
P00BE(07)
Raw code: 00BE07
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Test failed since last DTC clear
OBDII: Mass air flow (MAF) sensor B - circuit range/performance

============10==============
P1247(00)
Raw code: 124700
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear, Test not completed during this operation cycle
OBDII: Turbo Boost Pressure Low

============11==============
P2263(22)
Raw code: 226322
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear, Test not completed during this operation cycle
OBDII: Turbocharger (TC) boost pressure/supercharger (SC) boost pressure - performance problem

============12==============
P226B(00)
Raw code: 226B00
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear
OBDII: Turbocharger (TC)/supercharger (SC) boost pressure - pressure too high

============13==============
P0488(72)
Raw code: 048872
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear
OBDII: Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, throttle position control - range/performance problem

============14==============
P004D(77)
Raw code: 004D77
ECU: Engine control unit[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear
OBDII: Turbocharger (TC)/supercharger (SC) boost pressure control B - circuit high

============15==============
B1B01(87)
Raw code: 9B0187
ECU: BCM[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear

============16==============
B1D01(15)
Raw code: 9D0115
ECU: BCM
Status: Pending, Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear, Test not completed during this operation cycle

============17==============
B12EE(11)
Raw code: 92EE11
ECU: BCM[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Test failed since last DTC clear, Test not completed during this operation cycle

============18==============
B12EE(15)
Raw code: 92EE15
ECU: BCM[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Test failed since last DTC clear, Test not completed during this operation cycle

============19==============
B1B01(87)
Raw code: 9B0187
ECU: Body Control Module/Gateway Module[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear

============20==============
B1D01(15)
Raw code: 9D0115
ECU: Body Control Module/Gateway Module
Status: Pending, Confirmed, Test failed since last DTC clear, Test not completed during this operation cycle

============21==============
B12EE(11)
Raw code: 92EE11
ECU: Body Control Module/Gateway Module[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Test failed since last DTC clear, Test not completed during this operation cycle

============22==============
B12EE(15)
Raw code: 92EE15
ECU: Body Control Module/Gateway Module[Archive (inactive)]
Status: Test failed since last DTC clear, Test not completed during this operation cycle


Any ideas on what is causing this intermittent issue?

[Stuart02]

Well, my pa done taught me that blue smoke is oil, and white smoke is water... checked your levels? There's a bunch of codes, they could all just be knock ons...

[DiscoJeffster]

Buddy you’ll have split an intake manifold most likely or intercooler or something. The errors you’re getting indicate a leak somewhere in the system. Most common are split manifolds. They’re plastic and fatigue fail.

[scarry]

First thing i would do is check the intercooler hoses,or replace them if they are the original ones.

[DiscoJeffster]

First thing i would do is check the intercooler hoses,or replace them if they are the original ones.

3L don’t do hoses like the 2.7L

They split both manifolds, throttle body and intercooler as the general reason for these errors.

[Eric SDV6SE]

Clean both the MAF sensors and MAP too, they can carbon up and can give trouble too

[dannyboydownunder]

Well I took my vehicle to my local indie for diagnostics and they found the following:

- Primary Turbo "looks a bit sticky and may be faulty"
- Throttle body plate will stick in closed position if closed manually and scan tool is reporting throttle open 2.35% when throttle fully opened
- Secondary Turbo is leaking oil quite badly (note oil drain fix implemented by this indie about 6 months ago) and turbine shut off valve failed the on-demand test but came good
- Cleared all faults and extensive test drive but no faults reappeared.

Advised to keep driving vehicle until faults re-appeared but they suspect that both turbo's and throttle body will have to be replaced at estimated cost of $15,000.00!

Cost of these potential repairs seems very high to me. Does this repair cost seem reasonable to others?

[Eric SDV6SE]

Both turbo's on mine were done within 2 years of each other. Luckily the most difficult one (the variable vane turbo) was done under my extended warranty, at the time LR advised me that that the total repair bill was around 10k. This is because it's a body off job to access the turbo. They did the drain pipe mod at the same time. The 2nd turbo went 2 years ago and that cost me 4300 out of my pocket. So the prices look about right. Check though that the actuators can be freed up with a bit of wd40 and cleaning out the mechanism. Throttle body replacement is easy DIY so you could save done coin there.