How to fix P059F OBD2 code (Active Grille Air Shutter)

It is one of the most frequent OBD2 trouble codes you will witness. The P059F OBD2 code refers to the Active Grille Air Shutter Performance. Follow the complete article to know more about this code and get an idea of fixing it.

OBD-II Code P059F Meaning

The meaning of P059F OBD2 is code is that the chassis control module of the vehicle has been detected to have an improper airflow. This error has been detected in one or more active grille shutters.

Every time this problem occurs, a Diagnostic Trouble Code or DTC is stored and set for the technicians to recover or restore the functionality. 

OBD-II Code P059F: Symptoms, Causes & Diagnose

Symptoms

The possible symptoms of the P059F OBD2 code that will help you identify that there is a possible problem in the vehicle’s grille shutters are:

1. Engine Light Remains On 

The vehicle dashboard has an orange engine light to indicate some problem within the internal chambers of the vehicle parts. If that flashed continuously, you should stop driving it around and get it to the service centers as soon as possible. 

2. Rough Gear Shifting

Irrespective of whether you have a manual or automatic transmission car, if the gear shifting is rough and the vehicle is giving signs for the same, you can imply that there is some problem within the engine or its gearbox. It is a common assumption that every vehicle owner should keep in mind. 

Due to the improper airflow at the grille shutters, the gear engagement will lack the smoothness and power delivery potential. As a result, the respective pull of the gears will be rough, and you might have to tweak your clutch & accelerator combinations for stabilizing the smooth drive of your car.

3. Noisy Operation of the Vehicle

The most evident symptom that indicates a vital problem in your car is unwanted noise from the engine or during operations. When you observe an unusual sound emitted by your vehicle after driving it for a couple of hours, it indicates certain problems you should address for your vehicle. Take it to your authorized service center, and get the problem diagnosed. 

The professionals will have an idea of the causes for this noisy operation and will soon identify the P059F OBD2 code error. They will do the needful to fix the problem. 

4. Poor Acceleration or HP Performance

Just like the rough shifting symptom deteriorates the potential of your vehicle to accelerate from the rest position, the P059F OBD2 code will also hamper the long-running acceleration or HP performance. It means that you will feel that the throttle press and the vehicle response to it don’t match. 

Even with higher throttles, you will find your vehicle taking ample time to reach that HP. Hence, this indicates that your engine is demanding a proficient service on an immediate basis. 

5. Burning Smell from the Vehicle Vents

If you open your hood and get a burning smell, your instincts will hint you about something wrong happening within the operating parts. Therefore, don’t just take it to light and ignore the smell if it goes away after a while. It might be wearing out the critical engine parts slowly over time. 

Report to the nearest service center in such smelly instances and get the vehicle checked. You should report to the experts before the problem escalates to add more expenses to the repair cost. So, prefer early check-ups for your vehicle upon symptom detection at all times! 

Causes of P059F OBD2 Code Error in Vehicle

Now that you are aware of the symptoms, you need to hint at the causes of this P059F OBD2 code. Knowing the causes of this code will help you realize what you should not repeat with your vehicle in the future to experience the problems again. The causes include:

• Stuck or damaged Active Grille Shutter motor. 
• Damaged or loosened wiring and connectors. 
• The actuation wire embedded in the Griller Air Shutter Actuator is shorted or open. 

Diagnosis of the P059F OBD2 Error Code

The symptoms stated above might indicate other problems than the P059F OBD2 code. Therefore, a proper diagnosis mode will help the experts and vehicle owners identify this problem before approaching repair. The methods of diagnosis include:

• Scan for the DTCs with the use of the OBD2 Scanner
• Checking for damaged or loose connectors and wires
• Checking the actuation wires to observe if they are open or short. 
• If the wires are not at fault, then you can check the Grille Air Shutter Motor to see if it is operating properly or not. 
• After adopting the fixing methods, you need to check the DTC codes again with the OBD2 scanner. 

Common Mistakes that you Must Avoid When Diagnosing P059F

As stated above, the symptoms of this problem are an indication of major other problems. Therefore, here are some possible mistakes that the technician might make during the diagnosis process:

• Avoid checking the loose wires or connectors. 
• Avoid using the right kind of tools for diagnosis and bypassing the major requirements. 
• Avoiding checking if the damaged Grille Air Shutter Motor has damaged any other electrical components. 

How to Fix P059F OBD2?

The technicians adopt certain measures to fix this error and the P059F OBD2 code. The measures include:

• Replacing the Grille Air Shutter Motor
• Repairing the connectors or wiring that are the main cause of the problem. 
• Replacing all faulty components, such as shorted actuation wire or open wire. 
• Clearing the DTC codes to see if these errors are returning. 

Tips to Further Avoid P059F OBD2 Error

Here are some of the tips that you should follow to avoid the P059F OBD2 error:

• Timely maintenance and service. 
• Observing the unusual symptoms of all kinds. 
• Fixing even the minor internal issues of the vehicle. 
• Drive the vehicle with proper control over the clutch, gear, and brake use. Hasty use of clutch and gear for thrusting the vehicle’s power might end up hampering the engine. So, be aware of that! 

Conclusion

Hence, these are the things that you need to understand about the P059F code and the process of fixing it. If you own a vehicle, then this information will save you a lot of mechanical costs in the long run.