Ford Aerostar :: 2002 - Spit And Sputter And Check Engine Light Start Blinking
Dec 14, 2012
My 2002 Windstar SEL has been giving me a fit and I`m not getting any codes as to why. Here`s the 2 main issues. Clicking when i go to start up in a.m. if it`s below 50 degrees. ( Battery has been checked and all is o.k. or so I was informed). As long as it`s warm it starts fine every time. Also,it seems like the least bit of wet on the underside will cause it to spit and sputter and the check engine light will start blinking until it sits and dries for a while. (A very shallow puddle less than 6 inches deep at low speed or even the automatic car wash that sprays the undercarriage).
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I changed my plugs a few days ago on my 96' Taurus GL 3.0LI checked under my hood to check the recommended gap size and it said .42 to .46.. I went with .46. after putting them in i started the car up just fine, but later in the day i noticed when I came to a stop at a red light my car would sputter and my check engine light would start blinking. When I'd accelerate and drive it again everything would clear up and the light would stop blinking. I didn't change the wires, just the plugs in case you were wondering but I am unsure of how much that would influence my problem. Today after work i had a little trouble starting my car. After a few tries it started and my exhaust smelt rich in gasoline. Did i gap them too much? Should i get new plugs again and regap them? should i buy new wires also?Is my ignition coil going bad?
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2002 Passat GLS, 1.8T, 98K miles.
Was driving home tonight and nearly didn't make it. A few miles down the road I hit the gas hard going up a hill but the Passat kind of lunged a little and lost a lot of power and the engine emblem starting blinking. Coasted down a hill and it stopped and all was well again. From here on I am going careful up hills and not accelerating too fast.
I drive about 30 miles, 10 miles to go and I have to pull a tall hill. Going up this hill the light starts blinking again and I lose most of my power, engine feels like its not hitting on all cylinders and the turbo must be out. Barely make it home going about 40 mph. My check engine light has been on for quite some time, in fact I have had reset about 6-8 times with replacing sensors, air mass meters, etc. Could this be the timing belt?
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So I had a serious runability problem back in 2012 with code P0302 (misfire in cylinder 2) and the car was barely running. I changed the spark plugs, which didn't fix the issues. Then changed the coil, which fixed it. URL...But I was a little lazy back in September 2012, the old spark plug wires looked like they were still in great shape, so I left the old wires on. I think they were the original factory wires, they had the numbers of each cylinder printed on the side. Very nice wires!
Fast-forward to the present. Car starts running poorly with a blinking check-engine light. Not good! I check the code and it is P0306, misfire in cylinder 6. So my first thought was: OK, probably time to change the spark plug wires!I changed the spark plug wires. I purchased AutoLite Professional Series wires at Advance Auto Parts, part 97047. URL...Sure enough, the number 6 wire looked like it had a little corrosion inside the end that connects to the spark plug wire. It looked like I was on the right track! Changed the spark plug wires, and ran it. It still sounded like it might be missing on one cylinder. Just a quiet ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch at idle. I took it for a test drive. It ran OK at low RPM's, but had no power. When I tested some hard acceleration, sure enough the check engine light came back on. Tested the code and it was P0306 again. Conclusion: not fixed yet.
OK, maybe the spark plug wire was the problem, just the plug got fouled because the wire was bad. I purchased a replacement spark plug for that cylinder only. AutoLite Double Platinum as recommended elsewhere in this forum. Removed the old plug. I'm no expert, but the old plug looked fine to me. Installed the new plug. Tested it again. Still sounded like missing at idle ch-ch-ch-ch-ch. Test drive, OK with low RPM, no power. Tried hard acceleration, got the blinking CEL again. Conclusion: still not fixed - darn it!
Now remember, I just changed the coil back in September 2012. I had replaced it with a coil from AutoZone. The first coil had lasted ten years. So it couldn't be the coil again this soon, right? But... just to be sure, I went ahead and changed the coil again. I called AutoZone and happily it was still under warranty. The previous coil I had purchased came with a 24-month warranty, and I was on month 23 !!! Sweet!AutoZone also told me if I did a warranty replacement of the coil, the new one would come with a lifetime warranty instead.The part number of the coil at AutoZone was part C1312, Duralast Ignition Coil.
Before installing the new coil, I put a little Dielectric grease around the top inside of each connector on the new coil (7 total, six spark plug wires plus the electrical connector). I think this was recommended in my Haynes or Chilton manuals.I am a tall skinny guy with long skinny arms. So I was able to replace the coil without removing the cowl. Last time I had to remove the cowl (to do the intake manifold isolator bolt repair) the cowl had cracked, also some of the clips holding it down broke. So I didn't want to remove the cowl unless necessary. It turns out with my long skinny arms I can lay up over the motor and reach back around both sides of the intake manifold to reach the coil. It is a reach, but it was possible for me to do the job that way.
I removed the three bolts holding the old coil in place. Then I was able to slide the new coil back in there, around the driver's side of the intake manifold. I transferred over the spark plug wires one by one from old to new (as recommended by another poster) so I wouldn't get confused which was which. It worked well to transfer the rear three first. That hold the new coil near the correct location, and gave me more slack to move the old coil further out of the way.Next step was to remove the wire connector from the rear of the coil pack. It didn't want to release. I looked at the old part (from 2012!!!) and there was a little plastic nub back there to lock the connector in place. It looked like there was room to work in a small screwdriver back there to release the lock. So I wiggled a short flat-head screwdriver in back there (with a wide head) and it released. Then I was able to easily remove the connector.
Then I had more slack to move the old coil further out of the way, toward the drivers side and front of the vehicle. And then transferred the last three spark plug wires to the new coil.Then to secure the new coil in place, I carefully installed one bolt by hand, leaving it loose to allow for final adjustments of position. Installed the second and third bolts loosely. Tightened the three bolts finger tight using a short (3") extension and 7mm socket (1/4" drive). Then snugged them very gently using my small 1/4" rachet. The small 1/4" rachet was a perfect fit using the 3" inch extension and the small 7mm socket. Remember you just want the bolts snug, do not over-tighten them.
When I went back to AutoZone to process the warranty return, they had to do some fancy work with their computer to get me the lifetime warranty on the new coil. By default it would just assume the rest of the original coil warranty from 2012 - which was just about to expire. So they made it right for me - but only because I specifically asked about it. By default, the guy had already rung it up their "normal" way, which would not have extended the warranty for me.Another thing that was strange was back in September 2012 when I replaced the original coil, it had worked well for ten years or so! Also, the bottom of it was clearly cracked, so it was easy to see that it had deteriorated and needed to be replaced.
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i have 1992 v6 olds cutlass ciera. it likes to spit and sputter sometimes. no matter if it's hot or cold, up a hill or on flat, slow or stop?
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So the Ex is starting to behave badly again in the morning! From time to time, when starting first thing in the AM cold the Ex will spit sputter and die all while puffing black smoke. Total time is under 3 seconds.
Start it again and it is fine. I have not had this issue before. There are absolutely no codes what so ever! And since it is such a short time sputtering nothing really shows up on the ScanGauge 2.....
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I have a 2000 acura tl with almost 200,000 miles on it. When I drive it for more than an hour, park to run errands then get back in after say 15 minutes the car will spit and sputter and die. In order to leave I have to hold my foot on the gas and break to force it to stay running. I run premium gas and in the winter I use seafoam additive with every fill up but it doesn't seem to work. This problem is more prevalent during the winter months; my mechanic is telling me the fix will cost 1200 for a full ecu reflash to fix it.
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So, my check engine light has been on for months. I knew that I needed a new oxygen sensor (block 1-pre-cat), so I replaced it today after the car began to sputter and misfire. Well, I thought that would fix the problem, but it hasn't. Some of the hesitation is gone, but the sputtering is still very bad. I'm going to replace the spark plugs tomorrow and see if that works. I was also told to clean out the catalytic converter, but I don't know how to take it off. It wouldn't hurt to just bang out all the debris. Any DIY on taking off a catalytic converter for a 2000 VW Golf GTI 1.8T?
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78,000 miles on odometer. The van starts and runs great. Always has. No change in performance since check engine light went on. Took it to local parts store here in California. They used to run codes here but can't any longer for the usual reasons. I replaced the EGR valve because I knew it was due and disconnected the battery and started the van. Light was off. Drove it a few times and it came back on again. Still runs fine though. I heard the Aerostar may kick a code off simply because it's due for a plug change. I think the plugs are original so I'm going to replace them. Plug wires too.
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My car will drive fine, then @ 60 mph or above sometimes it will sputter and the check engine light will blink on. I brought it to my mechanic and plugged it in. Miss-fire on some spark plugs. They replaced all spark plugs and wires. The car is sill doing the same thing. My mechanic plugged it in again and now just a miss fire on #2 plug. (even after new wires and plug) Only seems to happen once the car is warmed up. If left sitting for 15 hrs the check engine light goes off completely. Only to come on again, after driven 25 or more miles. What could be wrong?
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I drive a 1992 Mazda Protege. Recently had an oil change and put in new air filter. Recently the check engine light has been coming on. Sometimes it will run rough and sputter a bit when the light flips on and then runs normal after the light flips off, sometimes it seems to run fine when the light comes on, but the light does go off and the car runs fine after it has been running for a few minutes. Shortly before I had my air filter and oil changed I did have an incident at a stop light where the car died and did not restart for a full five minutes, at which point it sputtered for a bit and then got me home.
I took into the local mazda service center and dealer (they were the only ones who had the right kind of connector to pull the error of a car this old), and they said the only code coming up was a p69 which indicated a bad thermoswitch. I have already paid for it but the parts won't be in until Saturday. I have until then to cancel the repair and just pay restock and the original diagnostic fees. Should I go through with this repair, or do the symptoms described indicate something else?
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My mechanic said one cylinder isnt working though we havent done any checking beyond wires. It's not worth putting money into but I cannot afford to get anything else. Will driving on just the 5 cylinders create increased damage or other issues that will get me stranded? it starts right up, is rough but levels out after a couple minutes It is smooth driving under 40mph, but acceleration above that creates shaking and check engine light flashing, no ominous ticking noises but can tell not firing on all cylinders. Problem is I will have to drive it highway speeds at some point-tried it before and made it-was able to eventually baby it up to the required traffic mph with the shaking diminishing and smoothing out but rattling started up again every time I had to hit the accelerator to increase the speed. What can I expect by continuing to drive it?
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Intermittently blinking check engine light in a 2003(?) Ford Escape. I received a call from my fiance, who's about 45 minutes into a two hour drive. On the interstate, her check engine light started blinking, so she pulls off the interstate to a gas station (the light was blinking for maybe five minutes before she could stop, according to her). After she was off the interstate, but before she had turned the engine off, the blinking stopped.
She called me, and I looked up and directed her to an AutoZone about a half mile from where she was. Told her to drive there, and have them to try to read any codes from the engine. She drives over, engine light stays off the entire time. They hook up the reader, and there aren't any codes. My question is, if the check engine light stops blinking, and there aren't any codes for the reader, is the car safe to drive, or will she destroy the cat if she keeps going? Also, it's raining, if that matters for any reason.
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I have an '02 Tracker and I've noticed if I have several accessories running, that my engine will start to sputter and come to the verge of stalling when I come to a stop. It happens if I have the heat/air and radio or charging my phone on together. What is the cause and/or remedy for this? I've changed the alternator a few yrs. back, but it still continued.
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I've got a 1992 Ford Ranger 2.3L with about 240,000 miles on it. The check engine light started blinking on and off pretty regularly so I pulled the OBD1 continuous memory codes and came up with this.
327 - EVP/EPT circuit below minimum voltage
328 - EGR closed valve voltage lower than expected
334 - EGR closed valve voltage high
I can't say these codes mean a whole lot to me besides I've got issues with my EGR valve and possibly the EGR valve position sensor. I was thinking I'd start by replacing the EGR valve.
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1. About march 1, my check engine light came on- took it to oreileys for a scan and said Speed Sensor A (cannot remember code), I was not overly concerned to fix it very very busy.
*Drove about 800 miles no further issues except the annoying CE light*
2. ABS comes on a few days ago
3. Today the truck, 4 miles from home decides it wont let RPM's get above 2500, and 40mph. It slightly hard shifted once.
Truck has 97000 miles and is a 1999 V10 has NEVER had any tranny shifting issues or engine issues....
4. Check tranny fluid when we get home it does not smell burnt and is red- its not even that warm...
I have read a couple places that a VSS can cause this? But I never noticed my speedometer acting up EXCEPT for the day the CE light came on- which there was a lot of ice and tires were spinning and speedometer said 0.
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I have a 2001 Ford Windstar Sports SE with 155K miles. I did a tune-up eight months ago. With the tune up I had to replace the fuel pump because it was defective. Later, I found that there were misfires occurring since I was getting slow acceleration. I had the spark plugs on the guilty cylinders replaced again and the spark plug wires.
Periodically, I have had to return to the shop to have the vehicle checked. I sometimes get a blinking check engine light while trying to accelerate, which now occurs only while it is raining or I am exiting the car wash. The shop is at a loss as to what it is (spark plugs and wires are fine, no lose connections noticed). I am wondering if I should take it to someone else. Of course, taking it somewhere else will cost me $100 to check on someone's else work.
The shop replaced the ignition coil. Distributor cap is fine. They keep saying that the engine is running fine while in the shop and do not get any codes. I had them drive it while it was raining and they discovered that cylinder 4 is misfiring. They worked on the cylinder. The vehicle runs well, until it rains or I wash it.
My questions to the group, "If everything is OK, how come it is misfiring? What are they missing? What is the connection to the moisture?"
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2 or 3 years ago my airbag light started blinking. 120,000 miles, only owner. The code changes daily. Then the car started reviving at highway speeds. Then cruise control wasn't reliable. Sometimes when I hit a bump, the cruise goes off. My mechanic said the reviving felt like it was going in and out of overdrive, so he rebuilt the transmission. No change. This past month, the car started to pull to the right. It felt like I was driving with the brake on, couldn't get up a small hill. Before I could get the car home, the brakes went to the floor and the car stalled. I had it towed to mechanic.
After 10 days, he couldn't duplicate problem, so I took the car back. A few days later, after 4 hours of errands in the hot Texas sun, it did it again for me. Pulled to the right, driving with the brake on feel, brakes to the floor. This time it smelled like something was burning, either brakes, belt or something, and the rear ABS light came on for the first time. Latest mechanic says it is probably a brake booster, but that doesn't explain the reviving does it? I've had it to 2 dealers, 3 mechanics, and no one has a clue what to check apparently. I am a senior, so I can't really start replacing everything. What should I tell them to check, and in what order? I love my Aerostar....
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The car died on me the other day at a stoplight but started up again (It resisted for a sec but then caught). Now it's taking a bit to start and sounds very faint when it finally catches and the turn over is slow. I'm no mechanic but I can replace parts. I'm just wondering if it's the fuel pump or injectors, maybe low fuel pressure. I haven't had a chance to do anything to it. Where to start?
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It's a 2010 vw jetta. Check engine light is blinking and the epc light is on the car is not paid off yet have no.
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My Girlfriend just got a 2003 Hyundai Elantra and everything was running great on it the first month she had it BUT the check engine light was on.. After about a month she called me up while driving and said that the check engine light was blinking and the car would hardly move. So I got to the car and looked at it and I noticed the oil filter was a little loose so I tightened it good this time and added a little bit of oil. It actually moved but it would hesitate. So we had it towed to a shop and they read the codes from the check engine light and told us it was leaking oil from the motor some where (not specific) and it also needed a new O2 sensor.
So I replaced the catalytic converter underneath the car and also a new sensor along with a new set of spark plugs. It ran alot better and I left it at that. Now about a week later she was coming home and noticed that when she turned left or right that the battery light and brake light on the dash came on. She drove it home and when she turned in the driveway the car went dead. It started right back up and we got it to the house and left it over night. I went out this morning and again it started right up. but when I lifted the hood I noticed the belts on the pulleys were all spinning very slowly. I'm not sure if it could be a timing chain or if it just needs new pulleys.
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