TSB 14-0020 - DTC P1A18, P1A19, P0AEE, P0BCD When Using Engine Block Heater

[hybridbear]

This from OASIS today:

 

Some 2013-2014 C-MAX, Fusion and MKZ Hybrid/Energi vehicles may illuminate the wrench lamp (Hybrids) or the Service Engine Soon lamp (Energi) when using the engine block heater, with diagnostic trouble codes P1A18, P1A19, P0AEE or P0BCD in continuous memory of the SOBDM-C. The lamps will turn off within no more than three drive cycles after the engine block heater is unplugged. Engineering is currently investigating this condition and will be releasing an updated calibration to resolve this concern. Monitor OASIS for updates.

 

From C-Max Hybrid Forum: http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/3327-dtc-p1a18-p1a19-p0aee-p0bcd-when-using-engine-block-heater-under-investigation/

[hybridbear]

This just happened to us today. I used the block heater on new car for the first time this morning and after starting car after unplugging I got the wrench.

[acdii]

Interesting, wonder what causes it. The block heater shouldn't be tied into the system in any way that I can think of. Maybe it throws codes based on seeing temps out of normal in certain areas.

[hybridbear]

Interesting, wonder what causes it. The block heater shouldn't be tied into the system in any way that I can think of. Maybe it throws codes based on seeing temps out of normal in certain areas.

Don't know. It was nice because the coolant started at 60C this morning so immediately the ICE would shut off as normal.

[larryh]

The service engine soon light came on for me after using the engine block heater today. I drove 7 miles to my destination. The light did not come back on when I turned on the car back on.

[larryh]

You can find the description of these DTCs (if you can decipher their meaning) at:

 

https://qa2k3.motorcraftservice.com/vdirs/diagnostics/pdf/OBDSM1303_HEV.pdf

 

P1A18 - Variable Voltage Controller Inductor Temperature Sensor Circuit

P1A19 - Variable Voltage Controller Driver Temperature Sensor Circuit

P0AEE- Drive Motor Inverter Temperature Sensor "A" Circuit Range/Performance

P0BCD - Generator Inverter Temperature Sensor "A" Circuit Range/Performance

According to the link above, P1A18 results from:

Inductor temperature differs from ECT > 30 deg C after a 180 min engine off soak time

And P1A19 results from:

Power Electronics temperature differs from ECT > 30 deg C after 180 min engine off soak time.

I assume ECT is Engine Coolant Temperature? So the engine block heater warms up the engine coolant to greater than 30 deg C more than the generator and electric motor controller/inverter temperatures causes these DTCs?

Edited January 11, 2014 by larryh

[murphy]

That is an example of the programming specification for the system not including all of the possible variables.

One more example of sloppy programming.

 

http://www.fordfusionenergiforum.com/topic/1655-2013-fusion-energi-suffers-from-sloppy-programming/?do=findComment&comment=10516

[hybridbear]

It's strange that this issue appears to only affect Job 2 Fusions. Our first black FFH never had this issue and this was a recent OASIS publication about this issue.

[hybridbear]

Based on these codes, do you have any idea why the issue is intermittent and not something that happens every single time the block heater is used? It seems like the temperature variation would be that great every single time the block heater is used, since it heats the coolant about 40°C above ambient temperature. The electronics components should be about ambient temperature when the car is been sitting for a long period of time and thus the coolant temperature would be more than 30°C greater than the electronics components temperature just about every single time the block heater is used.

[larryh]

I was able to read the DTCs from my car. There were 3 of them: P0BCD, P1A18, P1A19.

 

I'm not exactly sure why it is intermittent. I don't get the service engine soon light unless the EBH is plugged in for at least three hours. So I assume that the engine block heater is not warming up the coolant enough to exceed the threshold every time. I have only used the EBH when it is below zero outside. Note that the car must be off for at least three hours before the fault can occur (as described in the document above). Also, the EBH probably warms up the Inverters and controllers since they are near the engine block, but not always enough to inhibit the fault condition.

 

The following are the coolant temperatures that I observed when it was is -2 F (-19 C) last week. I plugged in the EBH four hours before my GO time. The car was outside. The service engine soon light came on. The EBH warmed up the coolant 48 C above the outside temperature.

 

elapsed time temperature degrees Celcius

0:45 14

1:30 22

2:15 26

3:00 29 -- preconditioning started

3:30 31

4:00 30

 

Preconditioning began 1 hour before the GO Time, or 3 hours after I plugged in the EBH. The car was plugged into the 120 V charger. As usual, preconditioning is useless using the 120 V charger. It just blows cold air even after the EBH heated the coolant to 29 C or 84 F. Preconditioning didn't even warm the coolant temperature above the 30 C reached by the EBH.

 

I should measure what temperature preconditioning brings the coolant temperature up to using the 240 V charger. That does not cause the service engine soon light to come on.

Edited January 12, 2014 by larryh

[hybridbear]

I was able to read the DTCs from my car. There were 3 of them: P0BCD, P1A18, P1A19.

 

I'm not sure why it is intermittent. I don't get the check engine soon light unless the EBH is plugged in for at least three hours. So I assume that the engine block heater is not warming up the car enough to exceed the threshold every time. I only use the EBH when it is below zero.

 

I often have the EBH plugged in more than three hours with outside temps ranging from -15 to 35 like it is today. The yellow wrench comes on perhaps 1 in 10 times of using the block heater.

[larryh]

I updated my post above with some more information since your latest post. You're too quick for me. Mine has come on most of the time I plugged it in for 3 hours.

Edited January 12, 2014 by larryh

[hybridbear]

I updated my post above with some more information since your latest post. You're too quick for me. Mine has come on most of the time I plugged it in for 3 hours.

 

We've discovered on my parents' Energi that preconditioning only warms the coolant in the heater core loop, not the coolant that flows through the ICE. Thus the EBH and 240V preconditioning are both helpful in the winter.

[larryh]

We've discovered on my parents' Energi that preconditioning only warms the coolant in the heater core loop, not the coolant that flows through the ICE. Thus the EBH and 240V preconditioning are both helpful in the winter.

 

You can see my observations regarding the EBH vs. the heating element for the heater core at:

 

http://www.fordfusionenergiforum.com/topic/1446-cold-weather-observations/?p=10534

http://www.fordfusionenergiforum.com/topic/1614-engine-block-heater-anyone-out-there-have-one/

Edited January 12, 2014 by larryh

[ptek]

I often have the EBH plugged in more than three hours with outside temps ranging from -15 to 35 like it is today. The yellow wrench comes on perhaps 1 in 10 times of using the block heater.

I had my EBH on for 1 hour last Monday with no yellow wrench. Tuesday through Friday, the EBH was on for 3 hours each morning and I had a yellow wrench each time. The wrench light is out when I start the car in the evening for my trip home (no EBH at work).

[larryh]

It usually takes three on/off cycles for the service engine soon light to turn off. Preconditioning the car this morning with the 240 V charger, the coolant temperature reached 38 C, higher than when I used the EBH. When determining the diagnostics, it must determine that the car has no longer been off for three hours once preconditioning starts. Otherwise, that might cause the service engine soon light to come on.

Edited January 13, 2014 by larryh

[hybridbear]

 

You can see my observations regarding the EBH vs. the heating element for the heater core at:

 

http://www.fordfusionenergiforum.com/topic/1446-cold-weather-observations/?p=10534

http://www.fordfusionenergiforum.com/topic/1614-engine-block-heater-anyone-out-there-have-one/

Thanks Larry. Great info!

[hybridbear]

 

You can find the description of these DTCs (if you can decipher their meaning) at:

 

https://qa2k3.motorcraftservice.com/vdirs/diagnostics/pdf/OBDSM1303_HEV.pdf

P1A18 - Variable Voltage Controller Inductor Temperature Sensor Circuit

P1A19 - Variable Voltage Controller Driver Temperature Sensor Circuit

P0AEE- Drive Motor Inverter Temperature Sensor "A" Circuit Range/Performance

P0BCD - Generator Inverter Temperature Sensor "A" Circuit Range/Performance

According to the link above, P1A18 results from:

Inductor temperature differs from ECT > 30 deg C after a 180 min engine off soak time

And P1A19 results from:

Power Electronics temperature differs from ECT > 30 deg C after 180 min engine off soak time.

I assume ECT is Engine Coolant Temperature? So the engine block heater warms up the engine coolant to greater than 30 deg C more than the generator and electric motor controller/inverter temperatures causes these DTCs?

How did you read the DTCs? It doesn't appear that my car shows them in ET Mode. Edited January 13, 2014 by hybridbear

[larryh]

How did you read the DTCs? It doesn't appear that my car shows them in ET Mode.

 

You need a scanner to read them. I used this scanner to connect to the OBD II connector:

http://www.amazon.com/Elm327-Wirless-Diagnostic-Reader-Scanner/dp/B00AOIM2CC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1389621725&sr=8-2&keywords=elm327

http://www.amazon.com/Version-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Interface-Scanner/dp/B008UR7J6I/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1389621725&sr=8-4&keywords=elm327

 

The used the following Torque software to read the scanner:

http://torque-bhp.com/

 

Since I don't have an Android phone, I used BlueStacks on my notebook to emulate the Android operating system to run the Torque software:

http://www.bluestacks.com/

Edited January 13, 2014 by larryh

[acdii]

HB, use your scan gauge to read the codes, thats what it was designed for. :)

[hybridbear]

HB, use your scan gauge to read the codes, thats what it was designed for. :)

Will it show a code for the yellow wrench? I know it'll show codes for the CEL...I guess I've gotten so involved in all the other data from the ScanGauge that I forget that it can read codes too lol

[acdii]

Will it show a code for the yellow wrench? I know it'll show codes for the CEL...I guess I've gotten so involved in all the other data from the ScanGauge that I forget that it can read codes too lol

It should show any code that the PCM generates.

[hybridbear]

I asked Ashley for an update on this. She said Engineering is working on it but doesn't have a fix yet.

[larryh]

When I plugged the EBH in this morning, it was 19 F. After 3 hours, the engine coolant temperature rose from -7 C to 38 C. The generator inverter temperature rose to 6 C, and the motor inverter temperature rose to 7 C. So the difference between the inverter and engine coolant temperatures was about 32 C. The service engine soon light did not come on. Most likely because I turned on the car before plugging in the EBH. I think the car has to be off for at least three hours before plugging in the EBH for the light to come on.

 

I was experimenting with preconditioning the car this morning, so the inverter temperatures were above the ambient temperature from the heating element for climate control used to precondition the car. They were both at about 1 C when I plugged in the EBH. I didn't get readings prior to preconditioning. I had the formulas incorrect for the inverter temperatures--the value returned by the OBD II system is a signed number, I had it as unsigned. So It showed up as a very large number. This means the actual temperature was below 32 F. They were probably -7 C. So both preconditioning and using the EBH appear to warm up the inverters. They must be warmed from heat radiating from the engine block.

Edited January 19, 2014 by larryh

[hybridbear]

When I plugged the EBH in this morning, it was 19 F. After 3 hours, the engine coolant temperature rose from -7 C to 38 C. The generator inverter temperature rose to 6 C, and the motor inverter temperature rose to 7 C. So the difference between the inverter and engine coolant temperatures was about 32 C. The service engine soon light did not come on. Most likely because I turned on the car before plugging in the EBH. I think the car has to be off for at least three hours before plugging in the EBH for the light to come on.

 

I was experimenting with preconditioning the car this morning, so the inverter temperatures were above the ambient temperature from the heating element for climate control used to precondition the car. They were both at about 1 C when I plugged in the EBH. I didn't get readings prior to preconditioning. I had the formulas incorrect for the inverter temperatures--the value returned by the OBD II system is a signed number, I had it as unsigned. So It showed up as a very large number. This means the actual temperature was below 32 F. They were probably -7 C. So both preconditioning and using the EBH appear to warm up the inverters. They must be warmed from heat radiating from the engine block.

 

How are you measuring temps of the motor/generators?