2016 Ford Escape 1.6L Turbo Underboost Issue, What should I know?

Seeking Advice
1

I’m new to car mechanics and recently had a check engine light (CEL) that came up as a turbo underboost issue while driving at high altitude (~7000 ft) with a fully loaded car. I was on a road trip with a lot of weight and drove slowly (20-30 mph), keeping the revs low when going uphill. After I got back to sea level, the CEL went off, and my mechanic said it doesn’t need fixing unless it happens again.

Now, I’m interested in learning more about what happened, so I bought an OBDII scanner to help me understand the readings. I’m looking at the freeze frame data and trying to figure out which values are important and what ranges are considered normal. What might have caused the underboost code, and which values should I watch in the future? Any advice is appreciated!

Code: P0299: Turbocharger / Supercharger Underboost

Freeze Frame Data:

  • FUELSYS1: CL
  • LOAD_PCT %: 61.2
  • ETC °C: 94
  • MAP kPa: 105
  • RPM /min: 3028
  • VSS km/h: 56
  • SPARKADV °: 10
  • IAT °C: 21
  • FRP kPa: 13070.0
  • BARO (kPa): 79
  • CATEMP11 °C: 815.4
  • VPWR (V): 14.497

Thanks for helping me learn more about this!

2

Nice work on learning more! Has your turbo or the turbo wastegate solenoid ever been replaced? By 150,000 miles, it’s common for one of those to need attention.

3

The MAP (Manifold Absolute Pressure) reading is essentially your boost pressure. If it’s lower than the ECM expects, that can set off the underboost code. So keeping an eye on MAP values when driving can help you spot future issues.