Hello


I have a 2002 X-Type, automatic. I bought it around five months ago. It's lovely, but occasionally it starts to lose power and shudders when trying to accelerate rapidly. This usually happens above 70mph.


I'm not used to automatic transmissions and I don't get to go at high speed often, but this doesn't feel right for such a car.


Does anyone have any ideas?


Many thanks.


BG

 

Is the MIL on? Are there any DTCs stored? What is the number of kilometres/miles on the vehicle? What is the size engine fitted?

 

Thanks for the reply.


The engine warning light comes on periodically for a period, then goes off for a period. The service carried out when I bought it couldn't find an issue. The light started coming on/off after that, and they suggested that I should ignore it unless things started happening (like now I suppose).


I don't know about diagnostic codes as I don't have a meter.


Mileage is around 68,000, engine size 2.5l.


I'll be booking the car in for a service soon to find out what's going on before it runs out of warranty, but I hoped I might get some more information here so I can at least judge things more intelligently. So thank you for the help.


BG

 

You may have one or more failing coil units that can be caused by engine oil getting into the spark plug wells.

I would be helpful if you can have someone obtain the stored DTCs so you can post them to this forum for other members to help with a diagnosis.

If the MIL is flashing, catalyst damage is occurring and the misfire(s) or vacuum leak(s) must be located and corrected.

 

You can go to somewhere like Autozone and have the codes read. Post them here and someone should be able to diagnose the issue for you.

If I am understanding your explanation it sounds like your car might be going into limp mode. That means that the power is cut when the RPMs reach 3000. That is so you can still drive the car to get to safety and still not cause damage to the engine. Is that when you lose power at 3K?

Also, when you say the check engine light comes on and goes off do you mean that at times it is on solid all the time and then after driving the car a few times it will go out for a while. Then you drive it a few times it will come on solid again? Or do you mean when it comes on it is flashing? If it is the former it sounds like you have an intermittent issue that isn't present all the time. That could be a simple vacuum leak. If it is the latter and the light is flashing, you need to get that addressed quickly before you damage the catalytic converters.

 

Many thanks for all your very helpful replies.


The engine warning light comes on solid; it doesn't blink.


And I think the engine does go "limp" at around 3000 rpm. So all your suggestions sound about right.


I'll put the car into service and get the diagnostics to share with you as soon as I can.


Many thanks for the help. Very much appreciated.


BG