C4 Picasso with Electrical faults, what would you try?

[stanners1980]

Hi everybody,

I have a 1.6HDI 09 Picasso with EGS gearbox. Over the last year, I've had Anti Pollution, ABS/ESP and Handbrake fault lights on the dash every time I drive. This deactivates the autohold on the handbrake, but apart from this the car is comfortable to drive and suits my family well. It's nearly at 100k mileage.

The issue is that the MOT is fast approaching in December, and I'm aware that yellow lights for engine and ABS are apparently now an MOT fail. As the lights come on every time I drive, I don't think I could risk deleting the faults with my diagnostic kit and the lights reappearing at the MOT testing station.

Also, we have no money. We'll be in the new outer London ULEZ zone next year, and I'm not in a position to throw lots of money to try to cure electrical faults on a car that I will have to scrap in the near future because it doesn't meet Euro 5 emissions. If the Picasso was in good health, I would be keeping it and paying the £12.50 each time to take it out. There just isn't any money for another car atm.

I've already replaced the brake switch, as I've read that this can cure the ABS issue, but this hasn't worked. I have just enough budget to renew all the ABS sensors and the oxygen sensor in the hope that this might cure the faults. But, apart from that, I'm at a loss to know what would you do.

Hence the subject: is there anything else I can try?

All thoughts gratefully received,

[GiveMeABreak]

Throwing money at replacing parts randomly is also not going to help financially either.

Unfortunately, it needs proper diagnostics to help determine possible causes. Clearing fault codes is useless - they will just return until the source of the fault is addressed.

As the ESP / ABS ECU controls the electronic parking brake, a fault with this system will affect automatic braking and other features like hill start assist etc. You will likely find cruise control will also be disabled.

There is no short way around this, it really needs to be diagnosed properly first as there can be multiple causes, especially as you have the piloted manual gearbox fitted too. All these systems are interlinked and rely on information from the ESP ECU to function properly.

[wheeler]

You will be wasting even more money if you just randomly throw parts at it. Have you had a proper diagnostic check done to at least give a hint at what is bringing the light on?

[RichardW]

Better than evens chance it's the EGR valve, but diagnostics first, just make sure the engine ECU is checked for any EGR related faults.

[Michel]

Which bit of London are you in? If you're West and fancy a drive up the M4 to Twyford near Reading, I'm sure I can borrow the correct diagnostic Lexia to scan it for you for nowt.

[Hell Razor5543]

Oi!

[stanners1980]

Morning all,

Sorry for radio silence. I've had a chance to put the Picasso on a fault code reader. Faults as follows:

P0405 Exhaust Gas Recirc Sensor A Low
P0409
P1351

I think these all point to the EGR valve. So, I'm going to try a replacement.

There's a massive difference in price between the valves on Ebay (£50) and Eurospares (£150+). Daft question, but has anyone tried the cheapies?

Thanks

[Hell Razor5543]

You can probably ignore P1351. This seems to be linked to the glow plug relay, and (unless it is VERY cold) the HDi engines hardly ever need to use them.