Still Got Fault Codes, Different again

Hi all,
I had some problems just over a week ago, the car was stuck in traffic and kept cutting out and misfiring, after a while the fault cleared and it was fine for the rest of the day. Missing Lincs said it was worth having a look at the battery department. After checking the battery, I found for the 2nd time I large pile of blue/ grey dust around the positive terminal. The previous clamp, the Citroen one had been damaged so much by the dust that it would not clip on anymore, so I had to cut it off and fit a good quality aftermarket one. The first time this cutting out happened I got fault codes P0203, P1327, 0420, 0116 and another fault, No permanent positive of the display. A few days ago I went to work on a 9 mile journey, the car was fine apart from a bit of misfire for about 2 seconds the same thing happened on my return, other than that it was fine. This morning I took the wife to work and the misfiring started straight away the EML came on, but the problem cleared and the EML went off. When I got home I plugged the Lexia in and I have got a now set of codes, P0300, 1152, 1336 and P1631, I also got the No permanent positive of the display. I tried to clear the faults and took it for a drive but it had gone into limp mode. I rebooted the car again and the faults of now gone and it drove fine. When I disconnected the battery I noticed in just a week the the blue/grey powder had built up again. When I checked the battery levels last week one of the the cells, the one closest to the possitve terminal was half empty, the other were fine. Whilst checking the battery the voltage was 12v but when started, went up to 14.5v. For a car that had just been running I would have thought that the voltage should be above 12.5v when not running. Because I am getting a nice little range of fault codes does anyone think that the battery need replacing. It does turn over fine, but I am wondering if this is why I am getting the powder. As Missing Lincs says the battery may be interfering with the sensors. Any Idea's. Thank you


Edit: Previous Post petrol-citroen-c3/fault-codes-any-ideas-t2262.html

hi outbound 1,
when you removed the battery terminal did the battery post look bright and shiny or a dull and matt?
If it was dull and matt, using a knife and gently scrape the dullness off so its shiny then do the same to the inside of the terminal then reconnect
and wipe petroleum jelly over the post and terminal.
Cleaning the battery post and terminal should give you a very good contact and the petroleum jelly will stop it corroding again and playing up.

most modern maintenance free batteries don't give you much warning when they've had it, fine 1 day, dead the next.
that half empty cell would drop the voltage a little, topping up with distilled water will help.

the corrosion on the battery terminal probably threw up the fault codes caused by voltage fluctuation, also check the main supply connection in the under bonnet fuse box that can sometimes get mucky too, also check earth points around and under the battery box they're probably ok, but best to check.

If the battery is loosing its acid and deposition it on the terminals, its going bad or getting over charged.

The battery should show more than 12v when idle and the terminals show over this while its charging.

Have the alternator output checked. You can check this with a meter, but check at different revs and loads on the alternator to get a good level of reading. Don't rely in the lexia reading for voltage.

Find the battery you need by using the reg too at Euro Car Parts (here) and they can also supply Alternators.

Thank you both for your replies. The battery terminal was matt, but I have just ordered a new one should be here tomorrow. The old battery was 4 years old and the gentleman who owned it before was only doing between 400 & 500 miles a year, so I don't think that would have helped the battery much. I will check the earths when I put the new one in. Could you please tell me roughly what range of voltage I should be seeing from the alternator?
Thanks again, Jeff

Hi, Just a brief update. I have changed the battery and fitted a better terminal clamp. Touch wood, over the last few days the little chap seems to be running very well.
Thanks again for your help