Fault Codes...

[FamilyWagon]

My local Ford dealer informed me that by inserting the key and attempting to start a 2003 Galaxy 2.3 16v DOHC Ghia (26k miles) with a problem as mentioned in my previous post Here!!! will clear the fault code and they won't be able to find anything wrong.

Is this true or are they just fobbing me off until my warranty expires?

 

Thanks.

[Andrew T]

No, I believe fault codes are then stored until they are reset, regardless of the Engine fault light being on or off at the time.

[Guest neil_wiles]

The fault codes are stored in volatile memory unless they are "Second Trip" faults.

 

The first time the error occurs the lamp will ight and the engine may cut out to prevent damage to the component, if during a subsequent drive cycle the error does not re-occur then the error is erased.

 

This may be what the dealer is referring to, however the fault should have been logged providing the car had not been started, having said that it is likely that the technician would have just started the car and drove it into the workshop before realising that he may have needed to download the fault codes.

 

If it happens again, an ecu reset may solve the issue, then insist the dealer download the fault codes before moving the vehicle.

 

The dealer may not be snowing you but just covering the technicians error.

[FamilyWagon]

The dealer has reset the ECU in an attempt to solve the problem.

 

The evening before the dealer looked at the car, and before the dealer told me about starting the engine could clear the fault code - the nice bloke from the tow truck that brought me, the other half and my not very amused 18 month daughter (she screamed a bit) the 220 miles back home, dropped the car off the truck and then looked at the car and did start the engine and therefore could have inadvertently cleared the code.

 

The dealer did tell me that they would push the car in to the service bay to preserve any fault codes that might have been logged and this is what they did as far as I know.

 

In a reply to my original post a faulty earth connection was mentioned. Does anyone know how I can check this please?

 

Thanks for all your replies and suggestions.