Limp mode after running low on fuel

[Ef2K]

Hi
I am a proud owner of a 2014 CITROEN C4 GRAND PICASSO II 1.6 HDi / BlueHDi 115 115HP/85KW (220000km).
I bought it used and I never had an issue in these 4 years and I traveled all across the Europe with my family (70000km)!

Sometimes used to deactivate the cruise control with a "gap" when it was increasing revs to keep let's say 120km/h. This stopped from happening after my first service (I didn't mentioned it to them as it was something rarely occurred and forgotten). Never happened again.

Yesterday I was forced to drive my car low on diesel. I never do that. Anyway I believe it almost run out of diesel (the gas lamp started blinking faster!).
I refuelled it and went to my business but then after almost 1km or 5min it went to limp mode (no more than 3000revs or something)!
There is no engine light or other lamp blinking but just a message telling me there is an engine fault and it need to be repaired (the red service lamp lights on).

If I stop driving and live the car alone it starts normal but after 500m or 1min goes in limp mode with same message again.
I used FAP app with an OBD2 OBD ELM 327 adapter and received the following errors P1445 and P1434. Erasing them with the app they come again up as soon as the car goes in limp mode.

Any ideas are appreciated!
Is it so dangerous to run out of diesel? I read the manual and there is no warnings about these. Just fill the tank and drive. I didn't have to prime the diesel filter/pump (although even when I did it nothing changed).

[RichardW]

Those are related to the DPF - one being DPF full of ash, the other an issue with the additive pump. Neither should cause limp mode. I'd be looking for something else, perhaps related to fuel pressure.

[Ef2K]

Hi RichardW and thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Do I need to upgrade my diagnostic tool as my current instrumentation doesn't give me any other clue.
Do you believe that the fuel pressure damage can be related to me running the car on really low fuel?
Any more info would be appreciated.

[merlin667]

Hi, had the eolys ever be refilled?
according your mileage it could be that this needs to be refilled, especially because it just happened after filling up.
Eolys is an additive to lower the necessary temperatures for FAP regeneration.
And its added to the fuel when filling up, so it makes somehow sense, that the error came after refueling.

Also the two errors you are position are related to additive system, not Urea.

[RichardW]

Sounds like a different tool is required. In the absence of anything else, I'd stick a new fuel filter on it. It's possible that the additive pump has developed a fault, and it is pulling the CAN network down leading to comms problems. Are you seeing the ABS / ESP warning lights as well?

[Ef2K]

Hi, had the eolys ever be refilled?
according your mileage it could be that this needs to be refilled, especially because it just happened after filling up.
Eolys is an additive to lower the necessary temperatures for FAP regeneration.
And its added to the fuel when filling up, so it makes somehow sense, that the error came after refueling.

Also the two errors you are position are related to additive system, not Urea.

Hi thank you for sharing your thoughts. I didn’t know anything about eolys to be refilled. I have to check it as I wasn’t aware of it (it didn’t occurred to me in 4 years ownership driving it more than 70000km). Maybe the mechanic that serviced the car knows more about it. I will ask. Thank you

[Ef2K]

Sounds like a different tool is required. In the absence of anything else, I'd stick a new fuel filter on it. It's possible that the additive pump has developed a fault, and it is pulling the CAN network down leading to comms problems. Are you seeing the ABS / ESP warning lights as well?

Hi

I don’t have any other problem, no lights or defects! Even the engine, Abs, esp etc aren’t light! I am planing to bleed, empty, the fuel filter tomorrow and change it my self (ordered service part).

I will try to speak with the mechanic who services the car to see his opinion. Sadly I am on another city now.

[Dustysweeper]

P1445 is the amount of additive injected into the filter has exceeded the filter threshold. The filter needs professional cleaning or replacing.

P1434 is a fault with the additive pump. Possibly been shut down because of the first fault.

Both will definitely cause limp mode.

This happened after fueling because the additive is injected after at least 11 litres of fuel is added. Running low on fuel didn't cause this issue. Many people regularly run their cars to almost empty with little or no issues.

[Ef2K]

P1445 is the amount of additive injected into the filter has exceeded the filter threshold. The filter needs professional cleaning or replacing.

P1434 is a fault with the additive pump. Possibly been shut down because of the first fault.

Both will definitely cause limp mode.

This happened after fueling because the additive is injected after at least 11 litres of fuel is added. Running low on fuel didn't cause this issue. Many people regularly run their cars to almost empty with little or no issues.

Thank you for your inputs. So you thing that it has nothing to do with the fuel filter. It seems that i ll need to bring it to the mechanic .
I am waiting for the part (new diesel filter) to arrive to change it.
Do you think is a big cost to fix it?

[Ef2K]

Update
I changed the fuel filter but the problem is still the same.
I start the engine, without any problem, but after 30sec it appears a message saying engine fault and need for repair, goes into limp mode and no other lamp or message appears.

[Dustysweeper]

You need the Additive and DPF looked at.

[Ef2K]

You need the Additive and DPF looked at.

I went to my local mechanic and he couldn’t solve the problem as his diagnostic computer wasn’t compatible to erase the fault after he fix it.

He told me to visit Citroen service. That means I have to make an appointment next week. Sigh

Anyway
He told me that he believes the fault is in the DPF because in the diagnostic program says that there are 0 Km available and that the DPF os 100% full.
He thought about Eolys but he told me that there was still enough available (something 400ml).

It’s seems that I missed it on the FAP app (screenshot)?
FAP life left 0km!

[Ef2K]

This YouTube video explains how to clean DPF!
Is it something that I should try ho Ping for the best or my DPF is dead?

[Ef2K]

It seems to be the DPF additive pump.
I am looking for the correct part to buy!
Any idea how to find the original part number?

[PaulC5]

Part number requests are usually done using your car vin in this topic viewtopic.php?t=69962