Suzuki Swift 1.5 GLX Mechanical Help

[Jono]

Hi,

I recently purchased a Suzuki Swift 1.5 GLX and have been having a few issues with it, luckily I have a snap-on diagnostic tool to hand though so hopefully will be able to provide you guys with a bit more information to help me diagnose my issue...

Whilst driving it home it would cut out randomly.. lights would appear on the dash, however when turning the ignition on and off again it would work. Leading on from this I also noticed the speedometer wouldn't reach above 40mph.

After scanning initially as I had the engine management light illuminated, the only code on was P0012 - Intake (A) camshaft position timing over-retarded. I checked the timing chain which seemed fine and wasnt slack, however I realised there was no oil in when I bought it, so filled that up... realised there was a leak from the camshaft seal, changed that and seemingly that issue is fixed..

However after taking it back out for a test drive, I'm still experiencing the engine cutting out, although the speedometer managed to reach 48mph! After scanning again a number of 'historic codes' appeared.. So I was wondering if anyone had any advice or could suggest where to go next...

B1017 - Power Source Voltage too Low
B1074 - Driver Forward Sensor Circuit Short to Power or Open

C1021 - Right Front Wheel Speed Sensor Circuit
C1026 - Left Front Wheel Speed Sensor Circuit
C1057 - ABS (ESP) Control Module Power Supply Circuit Failure

The 5 above codes are historic codes and not live, althought I'm going to take it for a test drive again tomorrow to see if anymore do flag up... Looking at the codes though do you think it'll more than likely relate to one thing? As for example it seems unlikely that both the Right and Left speed sensor would go at the same time..

Any thoughts?

Thanks - Jack

[fixkick]

what year car.?
how many miles on it.
when did it last run perfectly.
what does "no oil in " ,mean, and what does bought it mean (what was bought?)
the battery failed low, voltage, did you crank it near dead?
Does. the CAM have VVT? (variable valve timing device on cam front end?)
did you just buy a car that has huge problems? (history can matter)
try to know that low battery voltage will cause many things to fail, the newer the car the more there is, we have car here with 12 freaking computers on the CAN bus and if the bus dies, the engine can not do spark or inject, nasty business this is. like that. endless complexity.
I can tell you all the below is not bad, I bet. power is first in electroncs,#1 if the battery goes flat or weak tons of errors pop. all normal
so when going 48mph is that the real speed or the speed telling lies???? if the speedo lies, that is the Can bus acting up and can here speed data from PCm.
see?
good luck ! which I knew the year, vast years of swifts world wide and now gone from USA forever.

Hi,

I recently purchased a Suzuki Swift 1.5 GLX and have been having a few issues with it, luckily I have a snap-on diagnostic tool to hand though so hopefully will be able to provide you guys with a bit more information to help me diagnose my issue...

Whilst driving it home it would cut out randomly.. lights would appear on the dash, however when turning the ignition on and off again it would work. Leading on from this I also noticed the speedometer wouldn't reach above 40mph.

After scanning initially as I had the engine management light illuminated, the only code on was P0012 - Intake (A) camshaft position timing over-retarded. I checked the timing chain which seemed fine and wasnt slack, however I realised there was no oil in when I bought it, so filled that up... realised there was a leak from the camshaft seal, changed that and seemingly that issue is fixed..

However after taking it back out for a test drive, I'm still experiencing the engine cutting out, although the speedometer managed to reach 48mph! After scanning again a number of 'historic codes' appeared.. So I was wondering if anyone had any advice or could suggest where to go next...

B1017 - Power Source Voltage too Low
B1074 - Driver Forward Sensor Circuit Short to Power or Open

C1021 - Right Front Wheel Speed Sensor Circuit
C1026 - Left Front Wheel Speed Sensor Circuit
C1057 - ABS (ESP) Control Module Power Supply Circuit Failure

The 5 above codes are historic codes and not live, althought I'm going to take it for a test drive again tomorrow to see if anymore do flag up... Looking at the codes though do you think it'll more than likely relate to one thing? As for example it seems unlikely that both the Right and Left speed sensor would go at the same time..

Any thoughts?

Thanks - Jack

[Jono]

what year car.?
how many miles on it.
when did it last run perfectly.
what does "no oil in " ,mean, and what does bought it mean (what was bought?)
the battery failed low, voltage, did you crank it near dead?
Does. the CAM have VVT? (variable valve timing device on cam front end?)
did you just buy a car that has huge problems? (history can matter)
try to know that low battery voltage will cause many things to fail, the newer the car the more there is, we have car here with 12 freaking computers on the CAN bus and if the bus dies, the engine can not do spark or inject, nasty business this is. like that. endless complexity.
I can tell you all the below is not bad, I bet. power is first in electroncs,#1 if the battery goes flat or weak tons of errors pop. all normal
so when going 48mph is that the real speed or the speed telling lies???? if the speedo lies, that is the Can bus acting up and can here speed data from PCm.
see?
good luck ! which I knew the year, vast years of swifts world wide and now gone from USA forever.

Hi,

The car is an 07 plate with 81k on the clock - I didn't know I was buying a problem... but since I did then I've got to try and fix it ha! And it hasn't ran perfectly since I've got it... Well it runs fine until it cuts out mid-driving.

I believe the engine does have VVT yes, as thats one of the original error codes I had which I got rid of by topping up the oil (lubricant) in the engine and checking the timing chain was ok.

A couple people have suggested that it could be as simple as loose connections somewhere and that I could be losing voltage somewhere... which I'm guessing is leading to the cut-outs?

In terms of the battery... I had it for 2 days then it cut out as if it was dying... jump started it and it was good for another 2 days and then it wouldn't turn over again!

[fixkick]

so who low was the oil level the dipstick when you bought it or found it, with cam timing errors./?
sure it can be loose connections as can many other things. all are guesses .
ok so you did jump start it for reasons I can not know yet, but batteries died, so that is what B1017 means.

i guess what you mean by cut out, is total engine stalls? as the word cutout can also mean , misfire. (as in bad spark plugs)
reset the DTC errors, then start the engine, if it cranks slow the battery is did charged or charge system is bad or car sat for months and sure the battery is now discharged.
then drive it, and see what DTC show up first.? best is live scanning and driving. (2 persons doing this is best, 1 drives safely other looks at the tool for live errors)

The VVT can be bad, and is common I think.
Do compression test on this car? see if the engine if VIABLE? at all yet?

if this errror P0012 is the only code driving or in the PENDING codes, VVT is it. (chain is ok you said)

i guess 48mph is real and max, not Speedo lies, right? if 48 is max and only VVT errors , then its is VVT .
I think the engine starts with VVT retarded,

do not test the car with a dead battery, we charge that first or the electonic will not be happy, and a HUGE detraction to direct evidence and truth. power if first that battery tops list.

how it works tells you what might happen if it jams (VVT)
By retarding the camshaft’s timing, the engine achieves better high RPM torque, whereas advancing the intake camshaft’s timing produces better power at low RPM.
so seem stuck for High RPM no? stuck it cane be.

[fixkick]

2007, M15 engine, with VVT. "M15a 1490 cc DOHC 16v MPFI VVT (Swift/SX4 ) "
first would be get the battery fully charged, even load test to see if it is 1/2 dead , if battery is so week that the starter runs slows, and is charged, that means the voltage drops below, 10v and the PCm will see that and set code for that,
its a warning to you that the battery was weak, (it does not know why only that it is or was) So any errors you see can be wrong, that old add-age that computers do not make mistakes fails, with power too low., (voltage drop)
Check fluids. brakes and oil levels and if milky that water contamination (doom)
then tune up at least. (uses spec. parts, not 4J or surface fire plugs, use what the OEM specs, (Suzuki) The NGK catalog also shows these facts.
try new spark plugs, or even look at them?
VVT, yes they are known to fail in this car, if it keeps popping VVT codes, then VVT bad or chain bad or now this, the chains have special tensioner, and is OIL pressure actuated. (these like to fail too , and often. )
the problem is , that tension is slack with engine off. so a loose chain now, means nothing, if the engine is not running, Some cars have lock up device in this tensioning device, that holds the chain tight with engine off, Ill not pretend i can see which kind you have nor year.
The PCM runs a model of the crank and cams, it simulates this model to the actual real, cam and crank and if the sensors show the cam is out of time, from the model at any time, it throws code for that, and is never wrong (battery not bad is first)
The retarded timing smacks of (bad vvt or dead tensionor)
is 81k , 81,000 miles or 81 kilo meters. 81km is the way to say Kilometers) not k. sorry but 81km is 50k miles so is near new engine, (and most do not have a bad chain ever if oil is changed say ever 7k miles.
If VVT error pops, a bad tension-er or bad VVT device is suspected.
or keep and eye on CMP or CKP errors (DTC's) cam or crank, if yes, then best work those first.
the vvt also as VVT solenoid device. that fails.
we do not have this swift car in USA, for sure not the M15 (2Liters yes )
the vvt valve may be packed in sludge from the last owner never changing oil, low oil levels on the dip stick hinted to me the PO was a slacker on service.

here is 2009 m16a. 3 photos added to gallery now. even simple wire fell off this solenoid or is damaged wire/connector , only close looking at it works.


see the tensioner here.



last this. top down. view.

[fixkick]

the m16a is stroked M15a. they are sister engines. the vvt valve even has screens (rumors) that clog, with zero or poor oil service.
see that wire there, a very careful examination is warranted, as is re-seating it,
A shop many look at the chain and go, chain ok, then replace the valve. and the magic sprocket and tension-er all in one go (called the shot gun fix)
or do this is 3 very trips to the shop. easy to harder, (labor will dictate order)
good luck with VVT, it is hard to diagnose device. ( after all how can you watch it running, if you could use spark timing light to see if the advance retard works.

[Jono]

Thanks buddy - Really appreciate the effort you've put in to try and diagnose my problem!

I'm going to read through your latest posts properly over the weekend to try and work my way through my issue, then I've got the mechanic coming out early next week to look at it properly.

I'd love to think that it was something as simple as a new battery and a new speed sensor, hopefully it is but we'll wait and see... is it really possible though that a car could cut-out mid-driving though If the battery had gone?

Just as a side note though, when I plugged in my diagnostic tool, it did say that the battery was running at 7.3 volts... which I think sounds pretty bad... however this was after the car basically died and I couldn't get it to start again... so unsure if it will perform better when charged. I'll update as I know more though.

[fixkick]

the whole car runs off the alternator any time the engine is running, when it fails the gen lamp goes on fast(means ALT just died) then runs on battery for about 1/2 hour and then EFI goes dead at about 10v or even 9vdc. (way too low)
If the engine stalls first, for other reasons (say spark dies or fueling ends) the cluster gen light comes no last, see why?
that is why I told you to test the battery first, then charge it then drive it or start the engine and use voltmeter across the battery see over 12.5vdc up to 15vdc.
if below that , the alternator is DEAD(even at idle) all this is basics, and just power related, electric power is first, or EFI goes dead, if you ever lose your EFI power source, (bat or alt)

your mech will go like arrow to the problem I'm sure.