Hello,

I'm a Benz newbie in general so please forgive me if my issues have been covered already. I'm also in a country where benz specialists are not really specialists, and tools/parts are limited. So I could only get a generic code reader.

I'm getting a P0088 FUEL PRESSURE TOO HIGH error code.

Car won't rev over 3,000 RPM... mostly can't even get past 2,500 RPM.

Car starts up like a champ, but hesitates on acceleration... hardly goes over 50mph, and coughs and jerks at low speeds in traffic.

Oh, and this might be nothing but I'll mention it anyway... I've had black smoke come out of the exhaust twice in about 3 weeks. The last one happened when I was climbing up a hilly bridge and the truck struggled a bit.

There were more codes initially but they've been cleared after some work on a turbo leak and replaced 3 fuel injectors, also worked on injector pump. But I took my car back from the mechanic before he was done because I noticed my left rear air intake hose had magically disappeared, along with a screw holding a turbo hose which led to a frantic search for a substitute (like I said, crappy "specialists" where I live).

Any suggestions will be helpful, as I'm able to order parts from the US, but I would like to order them at once because international shipping is a killer!

Thanks in advance.

 

Diesel engines do not have "P" codes. Buy yourself a scanner.

 

Thanks for the reply.

I made it a point to mention that parts/equipment are hard to come by where I am, so all I have access to is a generic code reader. Hence the P code. Buying a scanner would mean ordering one from the US, which will take a long time to ship, so I'd rather do that when I'm ordering the necessary parts to fix my BT. Unless I can find a fake/clone scanner here somewhere.

So for now, all I have is this P code, and I'm sure someone somewhere has diagnosed a diesel MB with a P code.

Anyone with ideas or previous related experience, please share. Any ideas are welcome. Thanks.

 

Regardless of where you live, you can order a scanner type reader on the internet and have it delivered to you. Here is my recommendation.

 

I appreciate your suggestion, but you seem to keep ignoring the part where I mention the costs and time of international shipping. Like I said, I would rather order everything at once to cut shipping costs and time. This isn't a case of $5 shipping, free shipping, or 2 day shipping... I'm talking weeks and even months sometimes, and costs running into the hundreds of dollars in some cases when shipped separately. Should I wait weeks to get a scanner delivered, then scan for the code and then order parts and wait all over again? Hopefully now you get my point.

Anyone with ideas regarding P0088 please let me know. Thanks a lot.

 

Googling: bluetec P0088

I see these:
https://www.autoblog.com/2016/03/28/...0is%20detected.
(generic explanation)

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/i...threads/53191/
(in America, the MB hicube vans are called Sprinters, this thread is regarding similar trouble with a 2010 Bluetec - was suggested replacing the left hand rail (with incorporated Pressure Control sensor/valve might fix as had done before)

The CDI-generation of the OM642 had sensor on rail which could be replaced separately. Bluetec introduced need to replace the whole rail.

Here is at-length overview explanation troubleshooting for the system, It's been a while since I read the whole thing but if I recall correctly it covers the differences in the system design generations.
https://oregonfuelinjection.com/serv...l-diagnostics/

Hope these help!

 

Thanks a lot! The pressure control valve has been on my mind as well, so this is great.

However, I was able to find a shop with an Autel scanner that gave me 2 diesel codes. So here's what I got:

11BF00 - The control deviation during the rail pressure regulation via the pressure regulator valve (in closed status) is too high. (Stored)

13AF00 - The soot content of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) is too high. (Stored & Current)

So the first code has to do with the pressure regulator valve as you and I have suspected, so that's great. But it's a stored code, it seems... so I'm wondering if I should still start there?

The second code, on the other hand, seems to me like a regen is required, which should cost me considerably less so maybe start there instead? But after some Google searches, it seems this can only be done manually at a dealer? Other alternative is to drive at high speeds, but the car can't break 55mph or rev over 3,000rpm... so I'm not sure how to get the dpf cleaned by just driving if I can't speed. Any thoughts on this on as well?

Thanks!

 

Okay, so you have 2 codes.

With regard to the DPF code, this is something that 'should' clear itself if you drive the car long enough on a trip with a good sized part of it over 45 mph or so.
I understand this would be aggravating in limp mode.
Think, enough speed on an open road to at least be tempted to put it in cruise. And I think the duration should be round about 10 minutes.

Again, DPF regeneration/cleaning should just happen. That is, if other components are operating normally.

So, you have a fuel rail pressure control issue.
If you feel up to changing the left hand rail out, or having someone do it - then drive the car, even without using the scanner to clear the code.
The ECU should detect the change in conditions and then clear the fuel system fault (if this fixed the issue). If so, you would come out of limp mode.
Then, continuing on your hypothetical journey, the ECU would decide at some point that conditions are right to do a DPF regen/clean.
When that regen cycle is complete, or perhaps after another drive cycle wherein the ECU detects the DPF soot level to be normal again, ECU may clear the DPF code.
(Perhaps check engine light now goes out)

The DPF code might also involve other causes such as a blocked, stuck, or otherwise inoperative DPF pressure differential sensor. (These aren't terribly expensive, but a little awkward to access)
The overall soot load can increase as a result of too long running in limp mode, if the engine would rather be building boost (more airflow and cleaner burn).
You may have leak(s) in the charge air system, etc. - But first, I would address the fuel rail pressure issue.

If you see or get referral to a shop which works on diesel Vito(?) vans or Sprinters, they should be also able to work on your car.

Hope this helps.

 

**UPDATE**

Thanks a lot for your help! I was able to get referred to a mech who specializes on Sprinters, and he happened to have a Star scanner, which blew my mind considering where I live.

Anyway, he ran his own scans using star, ran a few live tests, and it turns out the fuel rail code isn't just stored... it's also current. After live scans on the different fuel pressure components, it turned out the high pressure fuel injector pump is bad... so that's partly the culprit (even after I had sent it off before to get serviced).

However, I insisted he initiate a DPF regeneration anyway, considering my gut was telling me that was the limp mode cause. Star refused to do a forced DPF regen at standstill, but triggered DPF regen for the next time I drive the car instead. Well, that was fine with me, so I took it on a spin around the block. I began to see black smoke coming from the exhaust, and after a few speedy trips around the block (30/40mph), the car literally felt unlocked!!!! OMG!!! So i took it on the high way and it's zooming off like a freaking hemi is under my bonnet!! Hahaha I'm so excited!!!

Now here's the part I'm still stuck on. So far, the CEL is still on, so I guess the HP injector pump is an independent issue and not just DPF-related. However, I'm wondering if the CEL might eventually turn off after I take this thing on a longer trip than I have, because the DPF was obviously the reason for limp home mode considering the car woke up after regen. I haven't scanned it since I took it on that short drive so I don't know the specific CEL that's still alive. Can't do that until the Sprinter specialist comes back around. So I'm just going to take it on a nice trip tomorrow to see what happens... to see of the CEL magically disappears. If not, then I still have the HP injector pump to deal with.

Thanks a lot.