Power light

[blueji]

I've just put my car back on the road after a few months off and just done it's 90k service. The power light, just after starting the engine, stays on for a second or two and then flashes quickly 16 times......could someone please enlighten me to it's meaning.....does this mean 'trouble at mill', other than that the car seems to run ok.

John

[b3lha]

It means that the transmission computer is getting an unexpected reading from one of it's sensors and it thinks you might have a problem.

Go to this website http://www.svx-iw.com click on "SVXipedia" and look for the section on how to check tranmission error codes to find out what it is complaining about.

If the car is driving OK then there probably isn't much wrong.

[blueji]

Thanks Phil,

I was just about to state 'look before you leap' as you replied .....trawled through the site late last night and found a few relative post's..

I had the smallcar quick shift fitted and now removed, the only thing I've noticed is slightly hard shift under throttle.....what do I check for to test the resistor?

J

[blueji]

sorted.....I think, the resistor has no resistance, any pointers where to get a replacement....and not Subaru at £81.00

John

[b3lha]

At a guess I would say you need something like this. Check with Trevor, he will know for sure.

http://uk.farnell.com/9508104/passiv...YN-WH50-12R-JI

[blueji]

Excellent Phil!, came accross the same on another web site but will print this off for ref, hope to get something today at my local C.E.F.

after spending a small fortune doing my 90k service, I was hoping my SVX would be running like a little sweetie and it was for a couple of weeks.....then this, if all goes well this will be my cheapest repair....at £1.77!

thanks for the conformation!

John

[blueji]

OK Guy's.....really need help here,

I'm gona start over again...got myself a trusty meter and checked the resistor and it measures 12 ohm...sorry for leading folk astray! The symptom when driving:- the gear change, mostly smooth then the odd light thump into gear, no power light on kick down but seems to go through the gears ok, no engine breaking when put into 3rd from D (revs fall away to idle ), the power light lights up on start up and blinks 16 times.....when I try to pull a code going through the procedure, the power light just stays lit and does not flash.

I have a few ideas and could go 50/50, but I would like to ask the audience first....pleeeeeease.

John

[b3lha]

Originally Posted by blueji

OK Guy's.....really need help here,

I'm gona start over again...got myself a trusty meter and checked the resistor and it measures 12 ohm...sorry for leading folk astray! The symptom when driving:- the gear change, mostly smooth then the odd light thump into gear, no power light on kick down but seems to go through the gears ok, no engine breaking when put into 3rd from D (revs fall away to idle ), the power light lights up on start up and blinks 16 times.....when I try to pull a code going through the procedure, the power light just stays lit and does not flash.

I have a few ideas and could go 50/50, but I would like to ask the audience first....pleeeeeease.

John

Does anybody know for sure if the procedure to read the TCU codes is the same on the UK gearbox. I tried to read the codes on a UK car last week and couldn't get it to work on that one either.

I don't have any first hand knowledge of the gearbox. But I wonder if the problem might be related to your throttle position sensor.

If the TCU detects a TPS error, it will not engage power mode. A TPS problem might also prevent the codes being read because you have to press the throttle pedal as part of the code reading sequence - and the TPS is the thing that tells it you have pressed the pedal.

But if you did have a TPS problem then I would expect the ECU to be complaining about it too. So...I dunno. Maybe your local subaru dealer could plug their select monitor tool into it and check the error codes that way?

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by blueji

OK Guy's.....really need help here,

I'm gona start over again...got myself a trusty meter and checked the resistor and it measures 12 ohm...sorry for leading folk astray! The symptom when driving:- the gear change, mostly smooth then the odd light thump into gear, no power light on kick down but seems to go through the gears ok, no engine breaking when put into 3rd from D (revs fall away to idle ), the power light lights up on start up and blinks 16 times.....when I try to pull a code going through the procedure, the power light just stays lit and does not flash.

I have a few ideas and could go 50/50, but I would like to ask the audience first....pleeeeeease.

John

OK then John, I suppose we had better help you, or you won't turn up at the JAE with the single malt scotch.

Tsk, tsk, tsk, the things we have to do..........

John, I didn't row in here because I thought you had it sorted with your resistor thingy, but you still seem to have a problem. So.

First off I don't think the blinking power light has a code relating to that resistor, in fact I'm sure it hasn't so your problem is elsewhere, although you may still like or need to replace the resistor.

Regards reading the codes with due respect I feel you have not done the test right. In the How-To section click into the following link where it says Engine Codes and Instructions:
http://www.subaru-svx.net/photos/user.php?How-To|14263

We need to rename this because page 2 of the Engine Codes also has the Transmission codes and instructions. Download and print off the Word document, bring it with you to the car.

The reason the Power light stayed lit up constantly is you did not complete the test routine.

After doing all the moves of the shifter, and turning on and off the Manual button, the final step that gives the codes is you depress the accelerator pedal to beyond half way. This I think is why Phil mentions the TPS, this last move measures if the TPS is OK, and proceeds to give you codes.

Do this John and see what codes fire up.

Joe

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by b3lha

Does anybody know for sure if the procedure to read the TCU codes is the same on the UK gearbox. I tried to read the codes on a UK car last week and couldn't get it to work on that one either.

I don't have any first hand knowledge of the gearbox. But I wonder if the problem might be related to your throttle position sensor.

Phil

The code reading procedure is exactly the same for the UK cars. It works fine on the three cars I have here.

Was the Power light actually working in the one you tested? If the bulb is gone, you see nothing.

The only other explanation I can think of why it would not work for you might be a poorly aligned gear selector.

If when you move the lever it does not actually sit right in the correct slot for any of the moves you make, then it will have broken the "chain" of tests, and won't show you the codes.

That's all I can think of.

Joe

[blueji]

why are the simple things in life so hard???

will give it a go Joe....and report back

John

[b3lha]

Originally Posted by svxistentialist

Phil

The code reading procedure is exactly the same for the UK cars. It works fine on the three cars I have here.

Was the Power light actually working in the one you tested? If the bulb is gone, you see nothing.

The only other explanation I can think of why it would not work for you might be a poorly aligned gear selector.

If when you move the lever it does not actually sit right in the correct slot for any of the moves you make, then it will have broken the "chain" of tests, and won't show you the codes.

That's all I can think of.

Joe

Thanks for confirming that. I think I figured out my mistake. When I do it on my JDM cars, I click the shifter button in each gear. But on a UK car, the buttons are swapped around. So I was clicking the Econ button not the manual button.

So the procedure should work for John. I wonder why he isn't getting the codes.

[svxistentialist]

Originally Posted by b3lha

Thanks for confirming that. I think I figured out my mistake. When I do it on my JDM cars, I click the shifter button in each gear. But on a UK car, the buttons are swapped around. So I was clicking the Econ button not the manual button.

So the procedure should work for John. I wonder why he isn't getting the codes.

He could be making the same mistake as you, using the Econ button [I made the same mistake myself, so I'm saying nothing ], or, as is my main suspicion, he did not complete by depressing the accelerator more than half way.

Joe

[blueji]

First, many thanks Phil and joe for talking on my grief!.....cos I aint finished yet

Done exactly as you said Joe, to the letter, and still the same....no flashing power light. I did notice a buzzing noise coming from under the car when I put it through R N D 321 and back, (only with engine running) I imagine from the gearbox area. I'm just so confused as to where to start first? mechanical items and polishing I dont have a problem with.....electrics is not my srtongest point!!

John

[svxistentialist]

John

The buzzing you hear from under the car is the gearbox, and is probably normal. There are a number of solenoid valves in the gearbox, and they operate on what is called a duty cycle.

[No, it doesn't have a saddle! ]


These valves are opening and closing at 50 hz, and can be altered in terms of modulation of the open cycle to allow more pressure or less pressure through.

To achieve this they are opening and closing rapidly all the time, that's the sound you hear.

Just to go back over what you have tested so far, excuse me if this sounds pedantic.

You know the Power light is working, because it blinks. So far so good.

You say the Power light does not come on for kickdown. Does this imply Power mode is not coming in at all? How thoroughly have you checked this out?

Power mode comes in more easily if the car is going more slowly. At high motorway speed it is hard to activate. Could you try a standing start bat out of hell style on a clear safe road, and check that Power mode is definitely not working as you say?

Now, assuming that what you say so far proves to be the exact situation, there are two clues in your symptoms that narrow down your probable faults in a big way. They are:

No engine braking in 3 range=> 3,23,10
No power mode in D range => 3,10
Probable causes are:
3: Faulty Control Unit [TCU]
23: Valve sticking
10: Faulty throttle sensor [TPS]

So our primary suspects here are your TCU or the TPS.

In a way John this is good news. Both of these can be checked without taking off the transmission, saves a lot of labour costs.

It could be either fault, but if I were you I'd start with the TPS. The TCU is not giving you the diagnostic result, ever though the blinking light says you have a faulty sensor. I believe this is because the last step of the test is your TPS, and your TPS may be faulty, and may be sending a signal to the TCU that is outside of the expected range.

In turn, this is causing the TCU not to get to the end of the diagnostic routine. Hence it doesn't throw your codes. Effectively I think the TCU is waiting for the final signal from the TPS to finish the diagnostic routine. It's not getting what it expects, so it does not finalise the test and output the codes.

Check your TPS. See details how to do it here:
http://www.subaru-svx.net/photos/user.php?How-To|14267

Your TPS needs to be set to the correct voltage, Trevor's How-To shows a handy way to check that. If it is wrong, adjust it.

If you have adjusted it, then re-do the Trans codes. If the TPS is sorted it should give you results.

Be prepared though, that the TPS can be faulty and still have correct voltage setting. They sometimes are OK at min and max voltage, but are not even across the range.

Check that lot out and get back with some results.

Joe