Have you ever had a day when life felt a bit ‘uphill’ and your performance just wasn’t quite cutting it? Believe it or not, cars can have the same experience! It’s called going into ‘limp mode’, and the mechanics at A1 Diagnostics were recently presented with a Volvo XC90 pictured below that was having ‘one of those days’…
So what exactly is ‘limp mode’? This is when the car’s engine and/or transmission are protected from experiencing major damage by the reduction of power, RPM and speed. Essentially, the car won’t allow itself to build up speed or push significant power through the engine in case it causes significant damage. A warning is often shown on the vehicles dashboard called ‘engine system reduced performance’ or a turtle icon will appear.
There are several potential causes of this condition, and our expert team here at A1 Diagnostics were quick to review each possibility as they worked to identify this Volvo’s issues. One of the most common causes is fluid levels falling, either in the engine oil or transmission fluids. This can be resolved by a simple check and top up, though a check should be made for leaks in the system to prevent recurrence.
Another cause can be issues around turbo and boost functionality. Split hoses and jammed turbo vanes can also cause the car to pull back on its power deployment, and for the ‘engine system reduced performance’ warning to appear. Again, this fault can be rectified by a close inspection of all tubes and hoses to ensure none are cracked or broken. Replacement of faulty hoses is a quick fix and will restore full throttle next time the car is on the road.
In the winter, frozen fuel filters can also cause problems with the car’s power. This is most common in diesel models when the temperatures plummet and cars kept outside become more susceptible to temperature-related problems. Although a return to warmer weather can resolve the issue, it’s always worth getting the car checked over by professional mechanics after a problem like this to make sure that no other damage has been incurred and the systems are operating accurately and safely.
If you have any concerns about your car’s performance levels and would like a mechanic’s second opinion, get in touch with our team who will be happy to help!
A1-Diagnostics and ECU Repairs
64 Sloper Road
Leckwith,
Cardiff
CF11 8AB
Tel: 02920 220 380
Opening Times
Mon – Fri: 8:00am – 6:00pm
Email: info@a1-diagnostics.com