“Shutter Grille Problem Power Reduced” – Explanation

Active Aerodynamics is the newest automotive technology designed to revamp fuel efficiency.

The Shutter grille is one of the most promising of their features.

The job of this shutter grille is to control the front airflow of a vehicle to minimize aerodynamic drag. One of the common issues facing the shutter grille is the shutter grille problem power reduced.

Before we go further, we will explain how a shutter grille works and then talk about the shutter grille power reduced problem, its causes, and solutions.

How Does A Shutter Grille Work?

Since 2017 cars have featured the active shutter grille because it helps with the flow of air from the front of the car across the radiator to the car’s engine to help cool the engine.

Suppose the engine temperature is high and requires air to cool it off.

In that case, the shutter grille vents open up, and when the engine returns to average temperature, the shutters close and send the air to the sides of the car to reduce fuel consumption and aerodynamic drag.

When the shutter closes fully, the reduction in drag can cause a reduction in CO2 emission.

This shutter grille can also help the engine warm up to reach its most effective temperature during a cold start when it is fully closed.

Hence, reducing warm-up time. Even when the car is parked, the shutter grill can also retain engine heat when closed.

Whenever the PCM detects that the shutter cannot be operated, it reduces the engine’s power and alerts the driver.

While you contemplate getting a car with one, here is one of the problems you might face.

What Does Shutter Grille Problem Power Reduced Mean?

The shutter grille problem power reduced issue is a common problem with the shutter grille.

This problem occurs when the power control mode detects a condition that cannot control the shutter grille.

The way it works is that the shutter grille usually communicates with the power control mode on a LIN network.

The communication needs 12 volts to be completed.

If the voltage is not up to 10.5 volts, the communication will not be completed leading to the power control mode detecting a problem.

If the module cannot communicate, the power control mode will cause your engine to reduce power mode.

At the same time, a code for communication loss with the shutter grille will be stored.

This reduced power mode will save the engine and the automatic transmission, which has a cooler at the back of the grille.

When the engine enters a reduced power mode, you can look at the voltage value to determine if the problem with the shutter grille is electrical or mechanical.

A long crank can often make the system voltage go below 10 volts. You can determine these things by looking at the voltage value.

Causes Of The Shutter Grille Problem Power Reduced

Many people have stated their dissatisfaction with facing the shutter grille power reduced problem.

It has made them want to take out the shutter grills from their cars. If you’re one of those people, you’ll be interested in this section.

The most common cause of the shutter grille’s power reduced problem is the ability of the shutter grille to observe the ambient air temperature of its surroundings.

Based on the temperature of its surroundings, it will function properly or it will not. If the weather is too hot or too cold, this will cause it not to function correctly.

The surrounding temperature has to be at a moderate level to function.

The shutter grille will function adequately at freezing temperature.

Due to where the shutter grille is placed, snow and ice can build up and increase its temperature causing it to freeze.

At this point, the shutter grille will attempt to move a few times, and if it’s stuck, it will set a DTC.

The DTC will alert the other car systems to the temperature of the shutter grille, which will cause it to deactivate the system temporarily.

At this point, the shutter grille will enter a reduced power mode.

The shutter grille will also enter a reduced power mode when you are in a hot environment.

The lights will go off because the radiator coolant temperature is very high, making it very hot to function correctly (Cool the engine).

Since the engine isn’t cooling, this isn’t an ideal situation, and if you use your AC during that period, the engine would be under more pressure, which can lead to reduced power.

These are the primary causes of the shutter grille power reduced problem. When using your car, you notice the engine going into a reduced power mode.

Stop your car and check for any of these situations. You can look in the next section for a solution.

The Solution To The Shutter Grille Power Reduced Problem

You can run a self-diagnosis when the shutter grille failure has caused a reduced power mode as the shutter grille actuator offers that function.

You can check the smooth operation of the shutter grill by performing a calibration to command the system to open and close using CONSULT entirely.

To perform these calibration steps, follow this process:

• Start the engine.
• Go to Consult and set the Active Grille Shutter to Test Mode in the Mode of Engine.
• Select Calibration.

It will show you if the shutters are working perfectly or not.

After running your calibration and you find that the shutter grille refused to respond due to high temperature, follow these steps:

• Try to find a shade under a roofed building to park the car for the radiator to cool down.
• If you turn the car back on after it has cooled down and the lights are still on, you can contact your dealer.
• If the shutter grille has been obstructed by snow or ice while driving, you have to find a clear area to park, and you will need some water.
• Pour the water over the grill to remove the ice or snow. Then try to shake the shutter grill to remove any leftovers to turn off the light. If the lights remain on, then you need to visit your dealer.
• If the shutter grille is physically damaged, it will also show the power reduced sign. For this, you will need a new grille and shutter assembly.
• You can remove the damaged shutter grille and reassemble the new one onto your car chassis. If you cannot, get a mechanic to fix it up for you.

Conclusion

Almost every vehicle has its share of issues, and there is no car without its problems. There are now a variety of shutter grille systems available.

And if you face any of the problems that we have discussed here, you should be able to get something done with these ideas!