E350Cdi 2012 C207 Glow Plug Dash Light On Only Briefly

[MrGundam]

Hi all,

Trying to get to the bottom of why my DPF isn't currently regening and currently looking at glow plugs. I know this isn't meant to be directly responsible but has me wondering if my current ones are working OK.

Before I start checking resistance etc I have always found it odd how the dash glow plug light has only ever very briefly flashed on for less than a second when the key is in the ON position, and never once started no matter how cold.

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Does this look like normal behaviour? Just seems very short duration it is on for no matter the conditions.

 

[sautah]

if you get a decent OBD reader you can look at the reports for the last 16 (I think it's 16) regens. It will either say it was a success and the miliage it happened at or will tell you the reason it failed. In your case the latter.

Saves any guessing. On my 250 CDi the glowplug light comes on for less than a second at this time of year. My own Regen issue was due to a failing 12v battery. I would never have guessed that.

I used the Autel Ap200. Took a while to figure out how the phone app was laid out etc but it did the job. it will show you any stored codes and the DPF report as mentioned. If your DPF is at 400% fill etc due to no regen you'll be in limp mode too so your gearbox won't shift as expected and you'll be in restricted performace mode. YOu need to fix the issue then reset the fault code before your car will do a regen. You cn view the live DPF data and see the DPF temp and fill level etc as you are driving. My 207 took about a 30 minute drive as we watched the app and the fill levels etc drop to normal.
The DPF temperature is the best was to see the regen is happening.

 

[MrGundam]

if you get a decent OBD reader you can look at the reports for the last 16 (I think it's 16) regens. It will either say it was a success and the miliage it happened at or will tell you the reason it failed. In your case the latter.

Saves any guessing. On my 250 CDi the glowplug light comes on for less than a second at this time of year. My own Regen issue was due to a failing 12v battery. I would never have guessed that.

I used the Autel Ap200. Took a while to figure out how the phone app was laid out etc but it did the job. it will show you any stored codes and the DPF report as mentioned. If your DPF is at 400% fill etc due to no regen you'll be in limp mode too so your gearbox won't shift as expected and you'll be in restricted performace mode. YOu need to fix the issue then reset the fault code before your car will do a regen. You cn view the live DPF data and see the DPF temp and fill level etc as you are driving. My 207 took about a 30 minute drive as we watched the app and the fill levels etc drop to normal.
The DPF temperature is the best was to see the regen is happening.

Unfortunately I have never had much luck with OBD scanners. I had iCarsoft but found it useless. I even invested in a C4 xentry kit and so have full access to data but even there I get oddities like my mileage showing as crazy implausible numbers so difficult to make head or tail of regen status's. Even the battery voltage shows as what I assume is half (7.2 volts) for some odd reason.

I will fire it up again this weekend and most likely report back here but I don't hold much hope tbh.

 

[sautah]

or maybe your battery is indeed defective. You've got the right kit there then to find the issue. You could waste £600 taking it to a garage who will just tell you the DPF needs taking off and cleaning etc.... That's what happened to mine. It was just the 12v battery. Car seemed fine as long as i used it everyday but after sitting for 4 days would only just start......

BTW your miliage thing on Xentry..... Kilometers..

 

[toteimerced]

The dpf pressure sensor is a known problem on these engines, some people keep a spare, as a matter of course, might be worth changing for the sake of a few quid tbh.

 

[MrGundam]

or maybe your battery is indeed defective. You've got the right kit there then to find the issue. You could waste £600 taking it to a garage who will just tell you the DPF needs taking off and cleaning etc.... That's what happened to mine. It was just the 12v battery. Car seemed fine as long as i used it everyday but after sitting for 4 days would only just start......

BTW your miliage thing on Xentry..... Kilometers..

Did you have to replace the small stop/start battery in the boot or just the main one?

I assumed the mileage is KM but what is strange is it doesn't match up to miles equivalent. A few thousand miles out which is odd.

 

[johnsco]

The glow plug light time is just the same on my W211 E280cdi Sports Estate.
No worries.

 

[sautah]

If your DPF pressure sensor was at fault that would show on the diagnostics. Good luck finding the issue.

 

[MrGreedy]

If your DPF pressure sensor was at fault that would show on the diagnostics. Good luck finding the issue.

My faulty DPF pressure sensor didn't show up on any diagnostics, and I had occasional limp mode, but was never in limp mode at the garage nor when I had a code reader to hand. I opted for a nrw sensor because it was cheap and it fixed my issue, but acknowledge this might not relate to Ops problem.

 

[sautah]

My faulty DPF pressure sensor didn't show up on any diagnostics, and I had occasional limp mode, but was never in limp mode at the garage nor when I had a code reader to hand. I opted for a nrw sensor because it was cheap and it fixed my issue, but acknowledge this might not relate to Ops problem.

Like I said it would show on the diagnostics. Might not through a EML or a code but the values would be out of tolerance. After long enough out of tolerance the DPF fill level would go to max (usually %400 reported) and limp mode kicks in.

oP has the correct software so is in a good position to diagnose exactly what’s up.

In my experience now of 3 OM651 versions is that the DPF pressure sensor, 12v battery and the exhaust pressure sensor are all items that should be considered as points that need attention.