please help!! etc engine failsafe mode in lsv8 03'

[cyates357]

I've got a 2005 LS V6........started throwing the ETC wrench light in Summer 2009 (bought used in Winter 2008).......very annoying......to try and accelerate to merge in traffic and have it lose power and go into "heat pump" mode......mind you not everytime.....just sometimes.

After all the research......I had read somewhere that Ethanol in fuel might be a bad thing for vehicles equipped with ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROLS......gums up the works......In ATLANTA metro all the fuel is 90/10 ETHANOL......So I've put a can of Fuel Injector/System Cleaner in the gas and now it seems to be running better......I've been trying to pop an ETC wrench by fast acceleration but so far it's running good......I'll throw another can in in April (that'll be on 3 month cycle) and see how that works.

ATLANTA has published that they're going to 85/15 ETHANOL soon......I'll be looking to drive to one of the outlying counties to buy fuel if that happens.

Maybe this will help some.......All of you LS experts what say you?

[joegr]

Originally Posted by golgi4321

...
Is this a recall that would still cover my car? It's '04 with 75K. My Lincoln dealer closed, but I'll call a Ford dealer this morning.

It's covered if the coil(s) fail the stress test. (For others that might be reading, the V6 is not covered, only the 2003-2005 V8.)

Some details on stress testing below...
http://www.stangnet.com/images/stori...Bs/04-16-1.pdf

[joegr]

Originally Posted by cyates357

.....I had read somewhere that Ethanol in fuel might be a bad thing for vehicles equipped with ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROLS......gums up the works........All of you LS experts what say you?

I don't see why Ethanol would be a factor, it should never make it to the throttle plate anyway.

The gas is all 10% Ethanol where I am. I have two LSes (an 04 and an 06), so far I've had no ETC problems with either. ETC issues on the LS are often related to a failing/marginal COP (Coil-On-Plug). Usually #3 for the V6 or #4 for the V8.

[golgi4321]

Well just got a call from the Ford dealer. The car did not fail the test at all for the coils (and you're right, it would have been covered). All of the hard codes were for the throttle body, so that's what they want to replace to fix it.

I just cleaned the butterfly valve last night but I guess the actuator must be going bad. Weird that it's only at low speeds though...

[jcoon10]

ADMINISTRATOR PLEASE HELP!!!
I just had my 2003 lincoln ls v8 in the shop due to it overheating which caused it to enter the "etc powersafe mode". The dealership told me I needed a thermostat and a cooling fan. They also tried to have me pay them 1000 dollars for them to do it. So I bought the parts I needed and did it myself. The dealership had previously reset the powersafe code so I could drive it home. Now after replacing the thermostat and cooling fan, and putting in almost an entire bottle of coolant directly into the thermostat coolant cap.............I reconnected the battery and turned the car on. It immediately went into "etc powersafe" mode. Can you reset this yourself or do I have to go back to the dealership and pay them another 100 bucks to diagnose.

I've read the other posts -- I have had 4 coils replaced and the throttle body replaced as well previously.

Please help I am running out of money and patience.

[danielsatur]

Make sure you do a proper coolant bleed procedure for both the block + heater core, or she will get hot again, see www.alldata.com .

What triggers Fords ''Failsafe mode'' ?

Heat
Transmission fault
A lost signal on a drive-by-wire system

[shorod]

You do not need to go to the dealer to reset the code, you just need to fix the issue and then clear the OBD-2 codes. Many of the chain auto parts stores will pull the codes at no charge, but get the code and not the counter person's interpretation of the code. Search this forum for the code.

-Rod

[Sheprock]

I just bought a 2003 LS and, within a month, had the issue with the Engine Failsafe Mode. I took it to my local Ford dealer, with whom I have had good service for many years. They told me the problem was water intrusion. They replaced the wiper cowl seal, all coils, and all plugs. They advised that Ford had extended the warranty covering this issue to 10 years/100,000 miles, so it didn't cost me a dime. This was about $1,100 worth of parts and service, so I was well pleased it was covered. It's running like a champ now.

[shorod]

That's great news! Sounds like you have a good dealership there.

-Rod