Badger1966

No worries, as soon as I know anything I will let you know

Nice one, thanks normski2  Wish my lovely neighbours and wonderful drivers had left my bodywork looking as good as yours! Don't think I have a single panel without some kind of scratch or little dent from small childrens bycicles etc. 

The car has done 141000, quite a few miles indeed. But Lexus report that it has no other faults anywhere on the car. Perfect working order, apart form the currant problem, lol. A testament to Lexus engineering. I bought it with one owner from new with full Lexus service history. Last two mot's went straight through with no advisories. Although the first mot I had done, the tester said the front pads were ok but would need changing before next mot. The discs had a very minor lip on the edge, so I brought new Ferodo pads and discs, and also refurbished the front calipers. Belt and braces. it stops very well indeed. The engine top end was done at 98000. 

Hi guys, things are looking good! After the mechanic fitted the suction control valve, he took it for a spin and said that its like a completely different car. Performance greatly improved.  Even took it on the motorway and averaged 40mpg  I have never seen that as long as I have owned it, amazing. The acid test will be tomorrow morning. Simon the Lexus front man for the workshop will be taking it home this evening. Around 15 miles each way. So fingers crossed it won't go into limp mode when he starts it tomorrow morning. I sort of hope it's not fixed, I could keep the NX300h for a bit longer, lol. What an awesome car that is! Just wish I had £36k spare. But on a serious note, if this fix makes my mpg go up as well as fixing the limp mode saga, it could be the answer to a lot of peoples problems. I am guessing the suction control valve starts causing problems way before it starts making the car go into limp mode. I have had the car for 2 years 3 months and even then I saw no more than, from memory, 35mpg. And for the mechanic to get 40mpg straight away is a revelation! Hopefully the final part of this saga tomorrow...

If you type in to eBay "lexus suction control valve" You will find Toyota ones for £99 or Denso for £199. They all say fits Lexus !S220d. What the difference between them is, I don't know. But £333 fitted at Lexus, omg. Apparently Lexus say one hour labour. I will keep you posted on progress. 

Hellooo, 

Well, I have news! As they can't find anything wrong, they decided to go through the Lexus bulletins to see if they could find a solution. And I think they might have done. In 2010 a bulletin was released about a "Suction control valve" in the fuel pump going faulty causing loss of power and, you guessed it, the P0093 fault code! It apparently may also be the cause of the over fuelling and therefore poor mpg issue. Lets wait and see on that front. Luckily it's available as a kit. I almost expected to have to buy a new pump. The bad news is it's going to cost me £333 fitted. But if it cures the fault, then worth every penny. The part should be fitted tomorrow and they will keep the car and continue testing to see if it's cured. Should have a definitive yes or no on Wednesday. In the mean time I have a nice new NX300h lux to potter around in! And I'm loving it!!!! Keep yer fingers crossed folks 

Lol, I know what you mean. But if it's faulty, replace it anyway. Hope it doesn't cost as much as my air fuel sensor did! Which didn't fix the fault. Well mine is in to Lexus tomorrow for as long as it takes to fix. Lets see what they come up with.

Out of interest, I just read this..

The Fuel Rail Pressure (FRP) sensor is a diaphragm strain gauge device in which resistance changes with pressure. The electrical resistance of a strain gauge increases as pressure increases, and the resistance decreases as the pressure decreases. The varying resistance affects the voltage drop across the sensor terminals and provides electrical signal to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) corresponding to pressure.

Strain gauge type sensors are consider passive sensors. A passive sensor is connected to a voltage divider network so that varying the resistance of the passive sensor causes a variation in total current flow.

Voltage that is dropped across a fixed resistor in series with the sensor resistor determines the voltage signal at the PCM. This voltage signal is equal to the reference voltage minus the voltage drop across the fixed resistor.

The FRP sensor measures the pressure of the fuel near the fuel injectors. This signal is used by the PCM to adjust the fuel injector pulse width and meter fuel to each combustion cylinder.

This could be the fault, if the highlighted bit above is correct, maybe this could explain the low fuel consumption. Too much fuel being injected?

Well thats great news indeed! Mine is going into lexus on Monday. I will mention that to them. I feel sure its a fueling problem so fingers crossed. As for mine, its still the same old thing. As soon as I know anything I will let you know.

Hi, I have considered that possibility, but the system shows correct fuel pressure since I had the fuel filter done. Also I would imagine I would get problems all the time and not just until the engine starts to warm up. Unless the pressure builds up and then creates a seal. Having said that, nothing would surprise me! Unfortunately if Lexus cant find the problem next week, I am literally at the point of replacing parts until I cure the fault. Grim. I would like to think that lexus would not like the world to know that they can't fix one of there cars though!, lol

Any way, my journey back from head office, 25 miles. Outside temp 11 degrees. Started car, within 30 seconds into limp mode. Started again drove away and got around 200 meters until limp mode again. Started car and no problems again. Averaged 26.5 mpg. So, higher outside temp, less going into limp mode and slightly higher mpg than this morning.

I did another little test on my journey. 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear. flat road holding the throttle steady between 2000rpm and 2500rpm. Engine power was pulsing for want of better words. revs rising and falling very slightly and very rhythmically. You can also hear it. I could also feel it, as in I could feel my body moving forward and backwards sometimes. I can't help but think it can't get the fueling right. Which also makes me think thats the reason for the poor fuel economy, it's seriously over fueling, running very rich. And to that end, could that be the reason why I get the P0093 fault? Combined fuel consumption should be around 44mpg? Even if I was getting 30 mpg, that's, I think 37% less than it should be. Could that be enough extra fuel usage to make the ECU think the car has a fuel leak???

Top man, thanks. I am handy with a multimeter, so I will give it a go. Cheers.

Hi, yes, only in the morning when cold. Or any time during the day if is has been left to get cold. But always goes into limp mode more often first start of the day.When I turn on the heat, air con or not, the revs automatically rise. No idea if Lexus checked the coolant sensor. But it didn't show as faulty on diagnostics.

Cheers

This morning I thought I would start it and go. Didn't get 20 meters. Restart, then about 200 meters, restart, then about another 200. Restart and just make it to work, 0.8 mile from home. Left it ticking over for 5 mins. Then started 25 mile journey to head office. Didn't miss a beat. Outside temp, 3 degrees. Put heater on and no smoke today. Arrived with average of 25.5mpg.

Well these days I tend to stay stationary until it gets it act together. But usually it starts within 30 to 60 seconds and can go on for 5, 10 sometimes 15 mins before it will run. If I do just start and drive, I am lucky to get 200 yards before it goes into limp. Don't even reach the end of my not very long road sometimes. And yes, it cuts out every time. The hotter the engine gets, the less it happens, until it runs ok. So I guess heat is an issue which is why it always happens from cold. I guess things that are affected by heat are engine, coolant, and exhaust. And remember, mine often smokes a lot before it gets up to full operating temperature if I have the heat on in the car.Turn the heat off and no smoke. How mad is that. Although it hasn't done that for a while now. But it did do it this morning. And another crazy thing is that the outside temperature needs to be below approx 10 degrees for the smoking thing to happen. It is all very crazy indeed. I like to think I am quite good with vehicles. I can strip an engine and rebuild etc. And good at fault finding problems, but this car is nuts! In all my life I have never experienced such weirdness in any vehicle! 

I'm not sure how regeneration is linked to a P0093 code. Regeneration of the DPF is exhaust, not fuel. Although I think the 5th injector is used some how for regeneration, but not sure. And my diagnostics say my DPF is fine, and Lexus confirm it is fine as well. Not to mention that Lexus couldn't find anything wrong, even after an hour and a half live test. Other than the air fuel sensor. So I have no idea what they are going to find next week. If it does turn out to be the DPF, the cost would write the car off. I think I would consider getting the DPF gutted, block the 5th injector, fit an emulator and have a re map done. Needless to say, the car is getting worse. Next week will be very interesting indeed!

Cheers. 

Yep, must have gone into limp mode 10 times on the way to work.

Indeed, if I was a betting man, I would would certainly bet on them coming back in the morning, lol. I will let you know.

Good luck Mackemade, my fingers are crossed for you! And yes, please keep in touch. Strangely though, I've just come back from visiting my parents. Half way there, the faults have reset, I looked at the dash and no lights on. And on the journey back, all ok. Car going really really well. The car is crazy. Out of interest, is it a Lexus main dealer garage?

Hi Mackemade, yes, mine will not rev above 1500 ish rpm and after a short while it will stall. And you have an interesting theory. Although the code states large fuel leak. Also I have absolutely no sign of any fuel leak. I would imagine if the system remains pressurised after the engine stops, you would at least see some sign of diesel somewhere, or even smell diesel. Also for air to get into the system you would need a vacuum to suck the air in, or a large enough hole for air to naturally get in. Either I would have thought would show some sign of diesel leaking. Also I never have to prime the system to bleed any air out before starting again. This is all me just guessing though!

 It is very strange how the car will run once it gets its act together. Also we are both suffering from mpg going down. I think there can only be two reasons. A leak, or more fuel being injected. 

 Any way, Just ran diagnostics. I had 2 fault code show up. I then saved the time stamp data. Went back in to look at it and it showed 3 fault codes? B2283 being the 3rd. Crazy car..

Codes are...

P0093 Fuel leak large

C1201 Engine control system malfunction

B2283 Vehicle speed sensor

I don't know how related all this is. But after new MAF, Fuel Filter and Air Fuel Sensor, I still have exactly the same problem, I dont know whats next.

Fingers crossed the next visit to Lexus will sort it!

Very interesting reading Shahpor, I guess they did do all that, but I wasn't with the mechanic at the time. But they did report absolutely no leaks which is why the fuel filter was changed because it had low fuel pressure. Filter changed and fuel pressure good. 

And Mackemade, yes, your problem is exactly the same as my problem. But mine goes into limp mode numerous times from about 10 seconds after I start to approx half a mile, The hotter the engine gets, the less it does it until it runs ok, Could be 2 times up to 8 times. Although I don't have a handheld tester so I just repeatedly turn the car off and back on until it keeps running. I find that the colder the morning the worse it is. Very strange. But since I had the Air Fuel Sensor changed the problem has got a little worse. Although since the fuel filter and sensor change, the car runs much better when it runs. 

I'm going to try and hook up the diagnostics again later today. I did have another fault code yesterday but I can't remember what it was. Catch up with you all again later.

Out of interest Mackemade, what mileage does your 220d have, and what sort of mpg do you get?

You will never believe it. I did a diagnostics on it earlier. P0093 again. They have done the fuel filter and also concluded there were no fuel leaks or low fuel pressure. How on earth can I still have a p0093 fault? Crazy.

Cheers guys. I think they are going to get Lexus UK technical involved this time. They will have the car for a few days so fingers crossed. And I can only dream of the day my 220d  gets that sort of mpg.

Well well well, guess what? Yes you guessed, lol. The car is still going into limp mode! Despite all the faults fixed, and the car feeling much better, for some reason its loving limp mode. The car is booked into Lexus again a week Monday, 29th. They will keep the car for a few days and see whats what. I just think it's possessed. What undetectable fault can be causing this? Tomorrow I will hook up my own diagnostic software and see what fault code appears.  

Cheers Shahpor, I do hope at least some people do find this interesting. But yes, 4th was a little short. And how do I reset average fuel consumption while on the move? Ah, I just read another thread on resetting. No worries I will give that a go. Not sure about resetting the ecu, I might leave it out of interest to see how things develop. And out of interest, what sort of mpg are you getting?

Well I had to go out again, around 5 miles in town traffic. The mpg did not drop below 28.5, so thats got to be a good sign as mpg is usually less around town. I also noticed that the tank average has gone up to 32mpg. I can only guess thats a good thing to. And still no smoke. 

Ok, I couldn't resist, just went out for a spin up the motorway. Averaging 65mph in 4th gear.  Approx 30 miles. Started out at 28.1mpg. First 15 miles it stayed the same. Last 15 miles I used 5th gear more and it slowly went up to 28.5mpg. Maybe the brain is getting used to the new sensor readings? I don't know? But it's going in the right direction. As time goes by I will keep you updated. Fingers crossed.

Hello all, 

Well on the face of it, all seems good. In the short time I have driven the car, I have seen no smoke, and the horrific flat spot in power at 2500rpm under hard acceleration seems to have gone. Thinking back, I was getting odd drops/hesitation in power all over the rev range under acceleration. But the power is nice and smooth all the way through the rev range now. Wonderful. Even on tick over, the engine sounds so much smoother and quieter. It was quite sort of lumpy before. I will keep you posted on the fuel economy. I won't be traveling any real distance until Tuesday next week, a 50 mile round trip. That will show if my mpg has gone up. At the moment its in the 28mpg area. 

The true test will be tomorrow morning, the car always goes into limp mode from cold. I will update tomorrow on that. Certainly if it does not go into limp mode then I can say it's fixed! But again, as for the smoke and mpg, time will tell...

If any one is interested, the part code that was fitted is 89467-53010, Lexus call it "Sensor, Air Fuel" But basically I think it's a Lambda Sensor. But I thoroughly recommend getting you car into Lexus for a live diagnostics test before buying it. With the 220d faults, who knows what sensors etc might be faulty. Don't forget, I had MAF sensor, low fuel pressure due to blocked fuel filter and this needle in a haystack air fuel sensor all faulty at the same time. 

Cheers and I will catch up with you all soon :-)