Finally corrected a problem with private message notification. Had 2 different emails. Learned I also had to reset my password. Did that & lost the ability to send PMs. Not sure why. Anyhow...

Was away last week & loaned the car (2004.5 X-Type Sport 3.0 with 92K miles) to my daughter. Was in a T-Mobile dead zone & wasn't available to get her call for help. The car had died & she had to get it towed home.

Came home yesterday & pulled one OBDII fault code- a 191: Fuel Rail Pressure Sensor. Interesting.

Figured I'd post this to the forum & find out what the usual suspects are- thanx in advance. Believe I'll be able to get notified now of any responses.

Tony

 

Was that a P0191? Typically a code would be B, C or P followed by a four digit number. If it is P0191 that refers more to a fuel filter restriction or an incorrect output of the fuel pump.

Any other symptoms when the situation happened? Car running well then all of a sudden would start with no prior notice? Or was the car running just fine and then just stopped running? Any lights on the dash? How much gas in the tank? Any way it could be out of gas?

 

It was a P0191 with a CEL. Car was running well & died on the highway with a full tank of gas.

 

I would guess you would check the fuel pump first. If you turn the key to the second position before actually starting the car do you hear that the fuel pump running? If not, that could most likely be the answer.

 

Like most anytime a vehicle goes tango uniform when I'm away, I came home & turned the key- it started right up & idles. I want/need to check/monitor the fuel pump pressure.

Made a fuel rail pressure tester for my 84 Volvo years ago just for giggles & grins as it was 25 years old. Need to locate it.

Looks like my PMs are back. Had to switch over to Google Chrome. While using Safari, was prompted to download what appeared to be a bogus update. Strange

Wondering if anyone here has experienced a P0191 fault & perhaps can share with me some more about it as it pertains to the X Type. I

 

Has your daughter reported that sometimes it takes a little longer to start than usual? If so, that might be another sign the fuel pump might be on its way out. If that happens and you turn the key enough to hear the fuel pump going and then try and start it that could be it builds up enough pressure to get the car started.

Now, it could also be something else as well, but if you do a search on here of that code the fuel pump seems like the logical place to start. Not the easiest or cheapest thing to replace in an X-Type, especially if you don't do the work yourself. With it being a 13 year old car it wouldn't be unusual for some parts to start needing to be replaced.

Good luck, I hope you get it sorted soon.

 

Apart from the pump it can of course be the other causes in the workshop manual (free download) such as sensor or wiring.

 

Thanks everyone for your help. Should of shared more information in my first post. Gomenasai

Car hasn’t shown any sign of a fuel pressure problem other than it dying the other day. The only thing I do wrong is not driving it enough.

Ordered a new fuel filter. Will be here tomorrow. Know I’ve changed it at least once. I’ll check the fuel rail pressure in a few minutes & will take action as required. Have a had number of other things on my mind the past week. Our 3rd floor Florida condo in Hudson is on the water (13 feet above sea level) & has hurricane shutters. Didn’t stop the wind-driven rain from almost flooding the place.

My daughter loaned me her Ford Focus to run out to Michigan to pick up a Doberman puppy last week. 50 gallons of regular gas with 33 mpg combined city & highway- mostly highway. A lot better than the X-Type. On Sept 1st, the price in PA shot up to $2.99 off of I-80. The Ohio Turnpike was still $2.49.

She’s a private pilot & knows to pay attention to the engine. She went to a racing school out in California years ago as a birthday gift to herself. She changes her own oil. Grease under her fingernails is a sign of pride.

We don’t have conversations about feelings, but things like manifold pressure in an aircraft engine vs automobile, or how the synchronizers work in a transmission. She’s also a competition salsa dancer & gymnast. <oops- doting father slipped out>

Just wrote a message & it disappeared. <expletive deleted>

The car is getting older beginning to show what I call life-cycle issues. Intermittent problems are starting & like with me. Strange errors can result due to contacts in connectors oxidizing after 10+ years. Doesn’t bother me. It’s kinda like doing a NY Times crossword puzzle.

This X-Type has run like a top. Can count all the issues on one hand. Two O2 sensors, battery, and a chipmunk. The O2 sensor heaters burned out. Could of easily put a resistor in the circuit, but the tree hugger wouldn’t let me. Opps- there’s also the interior. The fabric on the underside of the roof is starting to separate.

The airbag covers went first & were resolved with spray adhesive. Not sure if that can be done with the roof. This seems to be a problem with Fords. Imagine this is a topic for another thread.

Prior to the warranty expiring, took the car to the dealer to address an intermittent DSC Fault & other random error codes. They had the car for a week. The DSC module, radio/nav assy, & another module were replaced under warranty. They also washed the car.

A day after bringing it home, turned the key on: DSC Fault. The car started right up & after a 5-10 minutes, no fault. Okay, it’s my turn. Got the voltmeter out the next morning. The battery was maybe .5 volts low which was enough to disrupt the reference voltage. A new battery resolved everything. That was the last time the car went to a dealer.

In retrospect, should of just replaced the battery as it was almost 10 years old. I drive cars until they literally fall apart. Got 13 years out of the OEM battery in my 84 Volvo. All I did was clean it once a year & top off the cells. Having lived in very hot areas, learned maintenance-free batteries still need the cells topped off.

Speaking of batteries, anyone know a place to get a good deal on an X-Type battery? Just noticed a DSC fault message... <my change the battery indicator> Costco doesn’t carry them. Just read about Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries. Thoughts?

Speaking of good deals, Discounttiredirect.com. A friend of mine needed tires for his 2003 LaSabre. Costco wanted $543. Four 225/60 R16 Michelins on a $70 off sale. Mavis tires wanted $720. Discount Tire had a Labor Day Sale. Ended up getting four 100K mile Hankook tires for $379 (no tax & free shipping) with rebates totaling $185. Walmart wants only $48 to mount & balance all 4. $242 total ain't bad IMHO. Should probably get new tires for the 17” BBS wheels that came with the car. I put OEM 16” wheels on it shortly after getting the car. Never cared for low-profile tires, but they came with the car.

Around 2007 around this time of year, there was a rise in the chipmunk population. Seems the chipmunks liked bedding up in the engine or wherever it was warm. ‘Evicted' them once by blowing out the nest. About a week later was going to Lowe's. Started the car & got 50 yards away.

Got a red light & I think the temp gauge maxed out- don’t recall for sure. Knew it was bogus as the car had run maybe 2 minutes. The little bugger had nested again, this time chewed through the wires on the coolant temp sensor & left maybe 1/16 or less wire on the end of the connector. War was declared.

For the last 8 years, random 171/174 CEL errors only when it starts getting cold. They clear themselves. Replaced the intake manifold gaskets which cleared the errors when the errors were constant. Those things I learn to live with.

In 1992, had a 66 Valiant with an automatic transmission. When it started up in the morning & put it in drive, would have to wait about 10 seconds before anything happened. Drove it that way for years- until unleaded fuel resulted in the valve seats eroding & lost compression. It was time. Speaking of time, I will close.

 

Friend loaned me a scanner reader that provides live & freeze data. Fuel pressure is a steady 55/56 psi all day today.
When the P0191 was declared, the pressure had dropped to 11 psi.
Car is running fine- no hesitation or other symptoms.
New fuel filter arrives tomorrow.

 

Pulled #17 20 amp fuse while engine was running to depressurize fuel system. Filter replaced.

Old filter had some crud in it, not all that much. Pressure is 55/56 psi- about the same as it was. to be continued....