I recently went to autozone, and they ran the codes on my f150 1998 130K miles, and they came up with P1538, and P1537. Can anyone tell me what these two codes mean, and how I can go about fixing the problem. Thanks. John.

 

This info is from a pdf file that I have from The Ford Motor Company, Titled "2002 MY OBD System Operation Summary for Gasoline Engines"

P1537 – IMRC stuck open, vacuum operated, Bank 1

P1538 – IMRC stuck open, vacuum operated, Bank 2

The Intake Manifold Runner Control (IMRC) is a system which uses dual intake runners to supply air to each cylinder. The secondary runners are normally closed, but the PCM opens them under high rpm conditions when the driver is demanding additional power from the engine. The IMRC system can be actuated using a single electric motor or dual vacuum motors. The IMRC system is functionally checked by monitoring the runner control plates using switches. If the actual position of the runner control plates does not match the commanded position, a malfunction of the IMRC system is indicated.

As to where the vacuum leak is, maybe someone else can chime in here. Good luck!

BTW, welcome to FTE

 

John,did you ever get your truck fixed? Mine have the same codes.

 

Yeah I finally figured out what was causing these two codes. The smart people at Ford decided to run the vacuum hoses for these two solenoids directly behind the battery. When doing so they subjected the hoses to battery acid which is what caused one of my codes. Not sure which code that sparked, but it was one of them. I would definetly check these hoses first. Secondly, the other code was caused by failure of one of the actual solenoids. As for fixing it myself, I just couldn't do it. These solenoids are so far back behind the engine that I couldn't even locate them to inspect them. Broke down and paid a reputable mechanic to do the job for me in the upper range of $200.00. Good luck, and let me know how it turns out for ya.

John

 

John I was reading your post because I had the same code. I never did find the solinoids on the back of the engine but did find the vacum lines that lead to them. Sure enough where they run behind the battery there was some corroded rubber but nothing eaten through. I also found one of the lines stretched out where it joins into one of those hose fittings and not sealed properly. The solution: I cleared the code wrapped the entire section with a liberal amount of electrical tape to seal it put it back in the wire loom and zipp tied the works to another loom so it is not touching the battery. Sure enough the code didnt come up.

if that code comes up again I will know it is indeed one of those solinoids.

 

My check engine light was on with error code P1537 as well on my E-150/V6 and I fixed it. I was getting only P1537 (for the bank 1 IMRC), but in fact neither of the IMRC's were working. The problem was that they were not getting vacuum to them because the vacuum solenoid was bad. I replaced it (ford# F65Z-9H465-CA, about $60) and the IMRC's started working, and the CEL has not come back on since I cleared it.

I should say, on the E150 we are luckier I guess than Windstar etc. because both IMRC's are right at the in front of you when you take the interior engine cover off, and the bad solenoid is on the aft end of the right side intake- took 2 minutes to replace, without tools.



ALSO NOTE: my garage had estimated this job at $1000 and said the intake had to come off. Other people suggested the dampers themselves were corroded/stuck, or that the IMRC's were bad. None of this was true, and it was all diagnoseable with a vacuum guage, and by starting the engine and watching if the actuators closed on start up, checking if they were getting vacuuum, etc. They should be getting vacuum as soon as you start the engine- this pushes the actuator and closes the runner control. My understanding is that it then stays closed while you are driving, opening only when you exceed 3000rpms. Hence, when the IMRC's fail like this, the error code is indicating that the IMRC's are 'stuck open', because that is the actuators normal position until it gets vacuum at startup. Not sure why I did not get an error code for Bank 2 ever.

 

hi i read your article my problem is thaT I HAD AN ERROR P0401 LOW EGR FLOW I REPLACED THE EGR VALVE RELAY AND DPFE SENSOR NOW I STILL GET THE SAME 401 PLUS NOW A P1537, IT DIDNT DO THIS UNTIL I DROOVE AROUND WITH THE HOSES OFF THE NEW DPFE SENSOR I HAVE PUT ON THE HOSES AND REST THE PUTER BUT AM STILL GETTING THE CAME 2 CODES?