Engine goes into reduced power mode

[powershift]

Driving on the freeway the other day the engine fell on its face for the first time ever and the yellow check engine light started flashing. I pull off and it seems like its running on 4 cylinders so I'm cruising to find a good spot to park and the yellow light shuts off. Then I park, pull the battery cable and then it starts right up and it runs on all 8. Strong as ever and it was like nothing ever happened.

Then that problem happened 2 more times so now I can't trust it on the freeway unless I'm driving with a light throttle in D. I tried pulling the codes but the SDD software crack failed and I didn't get it going again. Then that other company that everyone raves about wouldn't sell me their device because they thought I'd steal it. They refunded my money after purchase.

So today I tried O'Reillys and asked them what I needed to buy to read a code. They go out to your car, plug in a reader and give you a printout for free. It looks like I've got a serious expensive issue and some of the text on the printout is wrong and/or confusing. It isn't clear what the primary DTC is, but I think it is "P003E - "A" Camshaft Profile Control Performance/Stuck Off." and then there is a misfire detected. Any ideas on what could be the issue?

 

[powershift]

I have an old snapshot from 3k miles ago before winter that has a P003C code but the printout says the current code is different, P003E. Is it the same trouble code? The check engine light wasn't on when I pulled the codes on the laptop

 

[Al Pizzica]

When I was digging around on my P0016 issue I came across this on another forum. I don't pretend to have any idea what the final sentence means

TSB No: LTB00347 (ISSUE 1) 22 DEC 2010. Situation:
On vehicles with the 5.0-liter naturally aspirated LR-V8 engine only, the engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MI L) may illuminate intermittently with
Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P003C and/or POO3E stored in the Engine control module (ECM). This may be caused by the oil restrictor sealing
rings and u-groove being out of tolerance

 

[powershift]

I'll need to learn what parts its referring to. Thanks for that. I'm starting to wonder if the reduced power mode and the MIL are separate problems and not related. I was on the highway in January and the MIL illuminated. I panicked because it was the desert at 75 MPH and the first time I've seen it come on. Kept driving and it was fine so I unplugged the battery to try and **** the light. It came on again later on and I did another power cycle.

Then a week ago I was on the freeway driving faster than ever in 4th at WOT in Sport mode and boom it fell on its face and near that point it was doing 95 MPH on a slight incline. Plenty of pedal left and it was completely unexpected. But it was a graceful fail-safe. Brakes worked, steering worked, there was enough throttle to get off the road.

Then another time I was just doing a simple pass at low speed, floored it, the trans kicked down a gear and then boom it fell on its face again right on the on ramp and went into reduced power mode.

 

[Rover Range]

When I was digging around on my P0016 issue I came across this on another forum. I don't pretend to have any idea what the final sentence means

TSB No: LTB00347 (ISSUE 1) 22 DEC 2010. Situation:
On vehicles with the 5.0-liter naturally aspirated LR-V8 engine only, the engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MI L) may illuminate intermittently with
Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P003C and/or POO3E stored in the Engine control module (ECM). This may be caused by the oil restrictor sealing
rings and u-groove being out of tolerance

In my experience. For those DTCs. I replace the two cam profile solenoids at the rear of the cylinder heads.

 

[powershift]

I took the LR4 into the shop and at noon they said they couldn't reproduce the reduced power problem and would try again later. I told them what I was doing when the problem happened and got a call from them saying they swapped cam sensors because there was bad information on the CAN bus (or something relative) causing codes. I did see air bag codes in the printout and that was surprising. There is also the seemly directly related code that has identified a problem with the cam.

I found that odd at first and they said the sensors are in the head and they don't remove them when doing the timing chain work. So they wouldn't honor any warranty claim since they were the shop that did all my chain work in December.

The shop didn't ask me if I would approve charges to do the labor. They want $500 for the job after the fact. It was $180 for what I was asking for, a diagnosis. Aren't shops obligated to get approval to work prior to actually doing any work? I'd gladly pay $500 if they actually fix it. I pick it up tomorrow.

 

[itsaguything]

hmmm… not sure I entirely agree. A qualified tech did as you asked and investigated a situation that you describe.
That tech has ample training, requires special tools and works in an expensive facility... and your vehicle occupied a bay in that facility. You expect them to perform the work for free?? Do you work for free?

 

[powershift]

You don't agree with what? They didn't ask to do the additional labor, but either way it isn't a big deal. In the past when I've taken my car in they make a diagnosis. Then they cal and propose a solution and that it will cost $x and it will take about x amount of time.

 

[Rover Range]

It's kind of a grey area.
The tech had to swap the sensors to see if the concern was corrected.
IMO, that's part of the diagnostic charge. If they tried to sell you a senor, then the labor time is added.

 

[ktm525]

I agree with the shop. Time is money. The tech is in there and working and trying to confirm if the new part fixes the issue. To stop and then call the customer hoping that the customer answers immediately seems time wasting. I would say any total repair under $1000 should just go ahead. Customer needs to be prepared each time a vehicle goes in that repair will be $1000 and if it exceeds that then there would be a call. A compromise.