Engine management light and cooling fan coming on even when cold

[Paul Falcon Cars 3]

Hi All

Can anyone help please, We have a 2011 Citroen C3 1.6 petrol, the Engine management light keeps coming on, also the engine cooling fan comes on at the same time even when engine cool.

I have changed both camshaft sensors including Crankshaft sensor as camshaft sensor came up using my diag.

Would appreciate any help.

Paul.

[tradegirl 112]

Someone was telling me about Peugeots that with those symptoms it's the timing...? Not sure at all though.

[Paul Falcon Cars 3]

Thanks for your reply, the timing chain and settings have been checked and all good, when we bought the vehicle we drove it back some 300 + miles without a fault, sold the car and within a couple of day of the customer having the car the light came on.

[Row 71]

I think you will find the problem is the temperature sensor that fits into the thermostat housing with a clip, cheap part and easy to fit.

[BHM 994]

1 hour ago, Paul Falcon Cars said:

Hi All

Can anyone help please, We have a 2011 Citroen C3 1.6 petrol, the Engine management light keeps coming on, also the engine cooling fan comes on at the same time even when engine cool.

I have changed both camshaft sensors including Crankshaft sensor as camshaft sensor came up using my diag.

Would appreciate any help.

Paul.

Are there any messages scrolling across the screen?

22 minutes ago, Row said:

I think you will find the problem is the temperature sensor that fits into the thermostat housing with a clip, cheap part and easy to fit.

Is this a regular issue? I see plenty at the block with the fans doing an impression of a Jumbo Jet and usually with an Emissions fault message scrolling across the screen. Tbh anytime I detect any issue with these ‘delightful’ newer 1.6 petrols I run for the hills.

Edited September 29, 2019 by BHM

[Paul Falcon Cars 3]

47 minutes ago, Row said:

I think you will find the problem is the temperature sensor that fits into the thermostat housing with a clip, cheap part and easy to fit.

Really appreciate the help, you could be right, I will try that tomorrow and let you know. 

Many thanks. 

[MarkTVS 209]

As above will be a faulty temperature sensor, should be fairly easy to test with live data.

[Tony911 79]

53 minutes ago, Row said:

I think you will find the problem is the temperature sensor that fits into the thermostat housing with a clip, cheap part and easy to fit.

This 100%

[Grantlfc81 88]

Temperature stat normally. Brings on the DPF light normally

[Casper 272]

Ive heard of that too and tend to agree with the above 

[BHM 994]

2 hours ago, Grantlfc81 said:

Temperature stat normally. Brings on the DPF light normally

By the DPF warning do you actually mean the “emissions system faulty” message?

[Paul Falcon Cars 3]

44 minutes ago, BHM said:

By the DPF warning do you actually mean the “emissions system faulty” message?

Nothing about DPF on diag, only fault it came up with is Camshaft sensor which I have replaced, including Crank sensor. 

If I clear faults, drive for about 5 miles light and engine cooling fan comes on again. 

 

[Dealer 54]

It's a 1.6 petrol, hasn't got a dpf

[Paul Falcon Cars 3]

That's right no DPF 1.6 Petrol. 

[TangoVictor32 90]

2 hours ago, Dealer said:

It's a 1.6 petrol, hasn't got a dpf

 

[David Ayers 171]

Wasn’t there a free fix from Citroen on the temp sensor?

I recall having one done several years ago.

[Stalker 180]

I’d wager as already said it will probably require a new temp sensor......

 

Id also wager it needs a new timing chain with the cam sensor code 

[MarkTVS 209]

It’s all really speculation till you find out what the code is, yes it’s a cam sensor but does it then say short to ground or a correlation fault?

[CGF 3]

My money is on a stretched chain too...very common in these.

Don’t let the constantly running fan lead you down the coolant temp sensor route...they will default to a permanent ‘fan on’ if there’s an engine management issue.

[Paul Falcon Cars 3]

Really appreciat all your comments, looking into it further today. 

[Stalker 180]

9 hours ago, CGF said:

My money is on a stretched chain too...very common in these.

Don’t let the constantly running fan lead you down the coolant temp sensor route...they will default to a permanent ‘fan on’ if there’s an engine management issue.

Yes I do remember that. The battery goes flat whilst on the computer too unless you either unplug the fan or have it on a BSU. 

[Mark101 536]

9 hours ago, CGF said:

Don’t let the constantly running fan lead you down the coolant temp sensor route...they will default to a permanent ‘fan on’ if there’s an engine management issue.

I was going to say temp sensor early on in this post, it seems the obvious shout but, you saying this has jogged something in my memory about the engine going in to a fail safe mode - i.e constant running of the fan.

Re: flat battery:

Mercs (plus a few others) seem to go the other way with battery health and disable anything other than essential functions unless the battery is in a good state of charge.

[Paul Falcon Cars 3]

I think I'll try temp sensor first, less expensive first, will keep posted. 

Thanks. 

[Paul Falcon Cars 3]

Hi All

Just a update on the Engine management light, after changing cam, crank, temp sensors and still having the same problem, I have now disconnected the ECU connectors, cleaned, sprayed, I have now covered 150 miles + without a fault, fingers crossed its sorted. 

Thanks for all the help. 

[J.T 39]

I think everyone here overlooked the most obvious thing, it's French!