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smart142

Glow Plug/heater Circuit A Malfunction- Po380

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It looks like I'm due for new glow plugs too, I have 3 on order from Clubplug and may allow the MB dealer to do it.....they'll be responsible for snapping a plug off, ;) I'm really glad for my Webasto now!

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Well two weeks later & the dealer installed 3 new glowplugs that I supplied haven't solved the problem, CEL & P0380 on the Scangauge after a few days of running. Drat. I'll call them tomorrow but they will probably point to the NGK plugs I supplied. I wish it was a bit warmer out, I'd feel more like a DIY job.

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I just checked the used plugs that were removed & the resistance checks as good on all 3 so maybe it's a glowplug module/controller malfunction? So I figure the new plugs were good PM.....back to the dealer to see what's what.

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Glow plug light along with p0380 occurred for the first time yesterday. I am changing the plugs saturday.

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Well I got the car back yesterday after they said the engine harness had a broken conductor related to the glowplug circuit so for $1200.00 the harness was replaced and still the same codes....I had hoped the cel's would reset & go away after a few restarts but no, all that remains to be changed is the relay/controller.After that I don't know......

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[i would recommend that you check the glow plugs with an ohmmeter before you buy an expansive controller. A glow plug may have been damaged during install

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I just replaced all three glow plugs. Small flat screw driver , long needle nose pliers, long 10mm socket w extension and torque wrench. re and re took all of 15 minutes.

No special tools required.

no anti seize ( none from the factory )

I'd consider a 2 out of 10 for difficulty. most basic hand tools is all you require

Good luck!

I apologize, but I really didn't want to believe you. But I admit, it went exactly as your experience did. Not including spraying PB Blaster a couple of times over the last week, it took all of 15 minutes start to finish to re/re my glow plugs today. No very special tools used, though I do have a T-handle 3/8" wrench. It worked perfectly with a normal Motomaster deep 10 mm socket. I used a normal small flat screwdriver as a helper tool -- to pry the wire carrier out of the way, and to help reinstalling the electrical connectors. Any number of tools would work for removing the leads; I happened to use a very simple Lisle spark plug wire tool that hooks beneath the connectors and pops them off.

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I went for a good long highway run before tackling this. I hung my drop light on the roll bar, leaned in and slid the T-wrench down. Using judicious torque, the plugs slipped out easily. Two of the three plugs even came up with the socket when I removed it while the third came out with zero resistance using 4" needle-nose vise grip pliers. I decided not to ream the holes. A bit of paper shop towel in the socket and the new NGK plugs went in without issue. Because I did use a tiny bit of silver anti-seize on the new ones, I did some quick math to determine the final torque setting, and settled on 15 Nm. A quick turn with my 3/8" Motomaster torque wrench (on sale 50% off pretty much every third week) and they were in. The longest bit was popping the connectors back on; the passenger-side and middle one went on fairly quickly, and of course the driver's side one was a bit of a hassle. But just using the screwdriver to pry the wire carrier out the way works a treat, and the third connector popped on quickly. All in all, 15 minutes, start to finish.

Yes, it's mild today (+5°C), but after the engine cooled I did a normal start and it was very quick and smooth.

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Hi, Everyone. my smart fortwo 2005 check engine light was on in extreme cold weather. I came here to learn all the information. P0380 code. Ordered glow plug and used WD 40 for several times. When I got plug. I warmed car and moved wire to one side, changed plug carefully. I do not need repeat them. Just thank everyone in the forum.Cheers

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the same problem as others with glow plugs for a couple of weeks. I tried to check the plugs with a ohmmeter on the car and got myself confused. I ended up taking all three out. It wasn't that hard. the connectors came right out with the help of a long plier. I bought 3 NGK plugs from Lordco for $20/piece and told myself this is like changing spark plugs in my other car. But then i ran into a bit of problem. I could not put the driver side plug in no matter how hard i tried. The other 2 went in like a piece of cake, but this one didn't want to go in. after spending 15min i tried to put one the old one back in. it went in without any problem. I tired the NGK one again and the same problem. I decided to put one of the old ones back in. so i had to test them. I used my car battery to test them. I simply used a jumper cable to connect a negative to the body of the plug and used a voltmeter connect its positive terminal to the car's positive battery terminal and the voltmeter negative terminal to the tip of the plug. only one of them showed 12.5v. The other two were 4.8v and 10.5v. So i assumed the good one is the 12.5v and put it in. So far everything is good. I only drove the car a few minutes today, thoug. I'll take it out tomorrow to see if the glow light stays off or not. I still can't undrestand why the 3rd plug wouldn't go in. I may end up buying one from MB dealer and change it when time comes. the dealer price was $31.65. Next project is to clean the EGR valve on my CDI...again. I don't know about the rest of you, but mine is giving me such a hard time. I have to clean it every 3/4 months.Payam

Edited by 2Smart4

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Next project is to clean the EGR valve on my CDI...again. I don't know about the rest of you, but mine is giving me such a hard time. I have to clean it every 3/4 months.Payam

Blank off the exhaust inlet to the EGR valve and you will never have to clean it again,Lots of info on this site as to how to do it.Canman

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Blank off the exhaust inlet to the EGR valve and you will never have to clean it again,Lots of info on this site as to how to do it.Canman

Thanks CANMAN. I'll look it up. I remember reading about it before. By the glow plug replacement was a success. see if I get another 100K out of the new ones. :D

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So I didn't read many of these posts but Im going to chime in with an odd glow plug light issue I had for that same P0380 code. On the left side of the rear subframe there is a 5 pin flat connector. In that connector there is a white wire. If this wire breaks that code will set. I'll take a picture next time I have a 450 here but on the transmission side on top of the frame toward the front of the frame, check for chaffe marks and corrosion. Troy

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This is what popped up on mine this morning. The glow plug light stayed on a long time and then went out.Next start it did the same and then the check engine light came on. Scan gauge showed the code above.Thankfully the warmer weather has arrived and the starts are pretty easy. Not an urgent problem.Looks like I will be replacing the glow plugs in the near future.Am I the first to have this happen?

I just did mine. At 240000Km. It's fairly easy except you will need to make a tool or buy the correct one to remove the plugs. It's a tight fit and requires some force. I cut a 1/4 inch slot in a piece of flat bar and then bent it into the correct shape using my vice. It was easy, but necessary. They cost me $25.00 each from German Auto Parts in Concord Ontario. Great guys and they carry all OEM, at a substantially lower than Smart cost.

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I have another smart in the shop that I'm changing the glow plugs on, Paid $17.10 for the NGK glow plugs form Car Quest (not sure it included my business discount or not). I've done quite a few glow-plugs and the best thing I found is every day a week prior apply some penetrating oil (I use PB blaster) to the base of the glow plugs. After the week and on a warm engine they should come out no problem. A couple weeks ago I did it with the Brabus and it came out scary easy; 10mm deep socket and a screwdriver adapter it came out by hand no need for a t handle or wrench weirdly. As for the connection on top I use a pair of curved electrical pliers :)If you apply too much force then you risk cracking your glow plug off inside your engine and that's no fun, take it easy and if its being a PIA let it set and apply some more pentrating oil then go at it again when your back in the mood.

Edited by dmoonen

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You can not just grab the glow with pliers?

They're screwed in, once they're out you can grab them with pliers. The electrical connection on top its a tight fit so I use pliers to carefully pop them off.

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One word of advice, when you replace the glow plugs do all three of them. I replaced two of the three because one passed the test and I thought why bother. Guess what that one failed shortly after and I was going crazy looking at wiring and module, etc. Also have a tap and die set ready just in case.

Payam

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I'll say having a reamer is more important. Without reaming the bores it is tricky to get the torque right and the glow plugs may suffer what is known as a "black death" making removal next time almost impossible.

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Yesterday, I took my 2005 Cabriolet with 75,000 km on it on the highway for the first time in a long time yesterday.

 

After parking the car, when I restarted it, I noticed a heck engine light.. A scangauge check revealed P0380 which indicates a glow plug problem. I couldn't clear the code with the scangauge.

 

When I started the car today (no problem starting) , the check engine light came on and the glow plug light stayed on for over a minute, but then the glow plug light went out leaving only the check engine light on.

 

After reading this thread I was convinced that I needed new glow plugs.

 

Later on in the day, I started the car, drove 30 km and when I restarted the car again both the glow plug light and the check engine light were off and everything was behaving normally. 

 

I was hoping that someone who had experienced a P0380 problem could comment on the possible reasons that a code such as this can possibly fix itself.

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In my experience, there is a harness that runs from the ECU to the glow plug module that causes intermittent MIL. If the light is on, try wiggling that harness at the glow plug module a bit and see if it goes away; should indicate a connector/wiring issue in that region. That same harness will branch off to the front of the air box and there is a junction that's tucked away between the frame and the subframe. Usually, it is held in place by a plastic tab, but more often the tab is broken off due to poor repair. That section can easily get damaged as it moves around near the suspension area. Give that a try.

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