'Check Engine' message whilst in Austria

[Chiveroni]

Hi all

Car has behaved wonderfully all the way to Germany and then on to Austria. Also had a great trip over the Timmelsjoch to Merano in Italy. Then, today (2 days before we return home) the check engine message and light came on after a short while driving.

Have dropped it off at a near-by Mercedes dealer and have asked them to plug an OBD reader in and let me know what messages are being displayed. I'm awaiting their answer.

Up to that point there have been zero warning signs. Perfect temp, no weird noises or handling issues. Have not been driving crazy and no short journeys.

I guess it's too early for anyone to say but any thoughts about safety to drive home? Nearest Maserati dealer is 300km away. Only 2 in Austria and the 2nd is 500km away.

Guess I'm just panicking a bit!

Thx for any thoughts.

 

[allandwf]

If there is no change in performance I'd be tempted to leave it, it's a warning in amber, it would go into limp mode to protect itself if need be. I wouldn't want to drive 1000s of miles though. See what the codes reveal and make a judgement based on them.

 

[Bebs]

Hi all

Car has behaved wonderfully all the way to Germany and then on to Austria. Also had a great trip over the Timmelsjoch to Merano in Italy. Then, today (2 days before we return home) the check engine message and light came on after a short while driving.

Have dropped it off at a near-by Mercedes dealer and have asked them to plug an OBD reader in and let me know what messages are being displayed. I'm awaiting their answer.

Up to that point there have been zero warning signs. Perfect temp, no weird noises or handling issues. Have not been driving crazy and no short journeys.

I guess it's too early for anyone to say but any thoughts about safety to drive home? Nearest Maserati dealer is 300km away. Only 2 in Austria and the 2nd is 500km away.

Guess I'm just panicking a bit!

Thx for any thoughts.

Sorry to hear this, hope you get it sorted. These things always happen when you go to put mileage on a car, particularly if they are not driven regularly on long trips. It’s just the nature of the beast unfortunately.

 

[JitFD]

Hopefully it’s something trivial. I had one pop up a few weeks ago something to do with a secondary air pump or something. Reset it and hasn’t come back in over 1000km so I figure it might have been a rogue reading or something l

 

[Chiveroni]

Ok - panic over. Garage called and it's just the Lambda sensor that failed. They've reset the warning but I assume the warning will come back when I collect it tomorrow. Will wait and see.

But now some questions if anyone can help.

Am I correct that there are two sensors? Upstream and downstream? If so, I'd better check which is giving the error.

Anyone know of there is a lower cost version than the OEM from EuroSpares?

Is it simply the case of unscrewing the original and swapping it with the new?

Thanks

 

[cheshiremaserati]

If the lambda sensor fails, it will run with incorrect mixture, be lumpy and increase fuel consumption.

There is one either side of each CAT.
They can often be corroded in and snap when trying to replace them.

Not cheap either. On a Porsche Turbo, the PIWIS diagnostics can detect which of the four sensors are faulty, so no need to replace non-faulty sensors. Porsche Turbo lambda sensors are around £350 each. PIWIS hook-up diagnostic is fixed price of £150.

No idea about Maserati parts prices - but I'd guess they would be similar or dearer.

 

[highlander]

If this the first time i would not panic, these operate with such tiny, tiny tolerances that they can ping a warning intermitently just to check you are paying attention so guessing, again if this is first time this has happened and car not misbehaving you will get home ok.

 

[CatmanV2]

If this the first time i would not panic, these operate with such tiny, tiny tolerances that they can ping a warning intermitently just to check you are paying attention so guessing, again if this is first time this has happened and car not misbehaving you will get home ok.

This. From memory there's a Bosch replacement that's about £80

C

 

[Chiveroni]

I found the post in the forum regarding the Bosch alternatives and will order the required sensor when I get back home this weekend. Prices are very reasonable from Bosch. AutoDoc has even cheaper variants but I think I'll stick with Bosch quality.

 

[Ebenezer]

Could be fuel or fuel cap related. I had the CEL when I was on my aborted NC500 trip in May. Cruising up Glencoe in the unusually balmy weather, feeling groovy in my Maserati, and beep, beep, beep. Pull over, switch the car on and off. No change.
As the car was running fine I was advised to press on and a couple of days later the CEL disappeared. However, by that time, my **** had fallen out and we were hightailing it back home! Haven't had the codes read yet though.
Eb

 

[Chiveroni]

Hi everyone. Sorry for the delay in answering - got back from holiday and was hit by COVID Anyway - the fault reset by the Merc garage worked. Drove from Austria to Germany, stayed overnight and then drove back to the UK and the fault hasn't come back I was charged 91€ for this - I didn't find that so bad.

But full of adventure driving through Belgium. Their motorways are terrible. Went over a rough part for a few hundred metres and then the suspension warning light came on. Then some nasty knocking from the front. After a short while the knocking stopped. Pulled over - couldn't see anything. Restarted and the warning light disappeared! Got back to the UK with the car feeling OK. No warnings and no knocking. I'm thinking maybe a spring has snapped and then wedged itself somewhere.

I have booked her in with Shiltech and asked them to give her a look over. Looks like a new spring is about £70....

Will let you know how it goes.

BUT - what a thrill taking her through the north and south Tirol! Just so much fun. Handling was great and supremely comfortable on the long sections.

 

[m4700]

Hello , do you have skyhook or regular suspension

 

[Chiveroni]

Hello , do you have skyhook or regular suspension

Hi there. Skyhook.

 

[RoaryRati]

what a thrill taking her through the north and south Tirol!

Where did you go through the Tirol - we had found the Belgium motorways dreadful (but slightly better in early summer this year - maybe they use the same engineers as in the UK!)

 

[MarkMas]

Could be fuel or fuel cap related. I had the CEL when I was on my aborted NC500 trip in May. Cruising up Glencoe in the unusually balmy weather, feeling groovy in my Maserati, and beep, beep, beep. Pull over, switch the car on and off. No change.
As the car was running fine I was advised to press on and a couple of days later the CEL disappeared. However, by that time, my **** had fallen out and we were hightailing it back home! Haven't had the codes read yet though.
Eb

Your 'what' had fallen out?

I know you and MrsDrEb had fallen out by then, but that doesn't seem to fit.

 

[Ebenezer]

Your 'what' had fallen out?

I know you and MrsDrEb had fallen out by then, but that doesn't seem to fit.

A R S E !
Eb

 

[Chiveroni]

Where did you go through the Tirol - we had found the Belgium motorways dreadful (but slightly better in early summer this year - maybe they use the same engineers as in the UK!)

I spent 20.years living in Germany (mostly Wiesbaden) - unfortunately know the state of Belgium motorways way too well. So we started in Wiesbaden for a few days visiting our daughter and then drove to a favourite hotel in Niederthai (Õtztal) - North Tirol. We drove to Merano via Timmelsjoch. Rained non-stop from Wiesbaden to Niederthai. 5.5 hours journey became an 8 hour journey over the Fernpaß. Car behaved well - no matter how hot or cold it was or how long we were queuing in traffic jams it never went above 90c.

 

[RoaryRati]

I spent 20.years living in Germany (mostly Wiesbaden) - unfortunately know the state of Belgium motorways way too well. So we started in Wiesbaden for a few days visiting our daughter and then drove to a favourite hotel in Niederthai (Õtztal) - North Tirol. We drove to Merano via Timmelsjoch. Rained non-stop from Wiesbaden to Niederthai. 5.5 hours journey became an 8 hour journey over the Fernpaß. Car behaved well - no matter how hot or cold it was or how long we were queuing in traffic jams it never went above 90c.

A shame weather was bad - we've had a little play in that area - stunning (and we hope to go back for more next year) - good news your car was well behaved