As a car owner or a driver, having car issues is paramount. It is something you must experience. What matters is how you tackle the problem.
Limp mode is something any driver can experience at any point in time. Therefore, if your car enters into limp mode, how do you go about it? Will disconnecting the battery reset limp mode?
Yes, disconnecting the battery will reset the limp mode if the battery is disconnected for 5 to 10 minutes. It will clear the error codes that may have caused the limp mode thereby resetting the problem.
What is a Limp Mode?
A limp mode is a situation in a car whereby the vehicle engine power is reduced to protect the life of the engine. It is a process whereby a car’s engine works at its minimum to avoid damaging other crucial parts of the engine.
Limp modes are caused by faulty sensors giving abnormal signals to the car, transmission problems, or low fluid levels. It’s more like a protective shield added by car manufacturers to protect and enhance the lifespan of their engines.
Will Disconnecting the Battery Reset Limp Mode?
Yes, it is possible to reset limp mode by disconnecting the battery for 5 to 10 minutes.
Once the battery is disconnected for a given time, it will clear all the error codes that may have caused the car to enter into limp mode, thereby resetting the car’s ECU and disengaging the car from limp mode.
However, it is important to note that while it is possible to reset limp mode by disconnecting the car battery, if the problem that caused the car to enter into limp mode is not fixed, the limp mode will come back after you drive for a short period of time.
For example, if the cause of the limp mode is bad spark plugs. Let’s say your car entered into limp mode because 3 out of the 6 spark plugs in your car were not burning very well, if you reset the limp mode by disconnecting the battery without replacing the spark plugs, the fault will remain there, and the limp mode will come back.
At first, your car may drive well but after completing a drive cycle, the problem will come back again. I’ve heard this issue before with my previous car, the Lexus IS300.
I replaced the 6 plugs with new plugs, after driving for not more than 5 miles, the car entered into limp mode and started making a knocking sound. It couldn’t accelerate as usual being a v6. I knew that it had to do with the plugs I just replaced since the problem was not there before the replacement was made.
It happened that I bought fake NGK spark plugs. 3 out of the 6 plugs were not good. I had to buy another one before the problem went away. Note that while this happened, I disconnected the battery before I was able to drive back home with it.
Therefore, disconnecting the battery will reset the limp mode but you need to fix the problem that caused the limp mode before disconnecting the battery, else the limp mode will come back.
How to Bypass Limp Mode
You can bypass limp mode by disconnecting the battery for 5 to 10 minutes. All you have to do is to:
- Get a spanner
- Open the car hood
- Lose the negative terminal of the battery and disconnect it.
Leave it disconnected for 5 to 10 minutes and reconnect the battery.
Does Limp Mode Go Away on its Own?
Yes, a limp mode can go away on its own if a false error code causes the problem, if you restart the car, the limp mode may go away.
Furthermore, a limp mode can go away on its own if the problem that triggers it is fixed. If for example, you have an extremely low oil and it triggers the limp mode, it should go away once you add more oil.
Is Limp Mode Fixable?
Yes, limp mode is fixable. All you need to do is scan the car, get the error code that caused the limp mode, fix the problem, clear the code and the limp mode should be fixed.
Can Limp Mode Damage the Engine?
Limp mode can damage an engine if it is not fixed as soon as possible.
The essence of limp mode is to reduce the workload of the engine to enable it to last long. You can still drive a car that has a limp mode problem, however, driving it for a long time may cause more damage to the engine.
What do you think would have happened to my engine the day the spark plugs caused my first-ever limp mode experience? I was already hearing a knocking sound from the engine.
Putting too much stress on the engine as a result of a faulty part can in no time cause more damage to the engine. So, yes, a limp mode can damage the engine if it’s not fixed as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Disconnecting the battery will reset limp mode if the battery is disconnected for 5 to 10 minutes. However, you need to fix whatever issues caused the limp mode before disconnecting the battery, otherwise, the problem will come back again.