"Check Engine" idiot light on AGAIN

[tezz]

With only 1500 miles on my GT, the check engine light has come on again. I haven't touched the engine or even taken out the baffles from the airbox (yet). The first time (2wks ago) I took it in to the local dealer and they kept it overnight because of "unusual tech codes" . I did get it back the next afternoon with the explanation that they had reset some codes and re-attached a hose at the throttle inlet (?). No charge.
Like last time, the oil pressure idiot light came on first, then resets when I shut down and restart. (Plenty of oil). The airbag light has also been known to intermittently come on, then stay on until I retart. THEN comes the check engine light, which doesn't reset.
I'll take it back in again Monday - but does anybody else have the same problem and or know of a solution?
thanks, tezz

[MX-5]

You need to read the codes and post them here.
Turn the key from off to on 3 times quickly. The odometer will display the codes.
Look for P0171, P1188, P0401, P0300, etc...

[bobs turbo pt]

i had the oil light do the same thing then i got the engine light and the car ran like crap , the dearlership said the ccode was for the cam sensor the replaced it and two days later i had the thermometer looking like on the dash on shut it of and restarted it it stayed of but then the engine light was on and car was in " safe mode" tach will not go above 2,500 rpm's so dealership has had car since wed and they are replacing the main computer hopefully tomm or tuesday at the latest keep us posted but your car sems to have a bad computer also

[tezz]

Thanks for the code tip - I'll do that this morning - right before I take in in to the shop. It'll be interesting to see what your code faults say vs what the service tech tell me.....
tezz

[tezz]

Okay - it's back at the shop - in the meantime - the only code that came up was "P0016" - any idea what it means? The service tech/intake guy didn't....
tezz

[Dalite]

quote:Originally posted by tezz

Okay - it's back at the shop - in the meantime - the only code that came up was "P0016" - any idea what it means? The service tech/intake guy didn't....
tezz

P0016 - Crank and Cam out-of-sync


Set Condition: No Crank Sensor or CAM Sensor Electric DTCs present.

If the CAM Signal is in the Low State: No CAM Sensor polarity charge between 17 and 40 crank teeth.

If the CAM Signal is in the High State: No CAM Sensor polarity change between 77 and 100 crank teeth.

*********************************

From the 2003 Powertrain Diagnostics Manual Page 28. Your dealer failed the test.

[tezz]

Thanks - I'd posted it under turbo performance as well as I was afraid it would get lost. At least I have ammo when I go back in there to pick it up. I didn't buy from these guys because they couldn't match even close to other quotes. When I bought my sway bar, they tried to charge me too much and didn't even get all the fasteners. They knew NOTHING about the Stage 1 kits in the parts dept. Now this......what exactly is 5 stars supposed to stand for again?

[PRIMOX]

the first car i had did the same thing, not even 24 hrs after i bought it the cel came on going on safe mode. tech said it was some solenoid in the tranny (autostick)they changed it and it didnt help.they traced it down to a bad computer and they had one on the way from DC that when i had a coronary and demanded a new car.got the new car and oil light comes on also sometimes,lots of oil in the pan!!. also the water/temp light comes on when the car is butt cold!!and plenty water in the tank and rad. but no cel with this one. ??. i thought i was the only one so i never said anything. so whats up???

[tezz]

I talked to the service guy this morning. They found a faulty temperature sensor, and are having it delivered/installed today. I said fine, that should fix the intermittent temp idiot light ( which it only did when - to borrow from above "butt cold" - have you been sleeping with my wife again?- and reset when I restarted) but what about the cam/crank code? He thinks the two are related - the temp sends the code to the air/fuel mix which alters the cam/crank timing. hmmmm - not sure I'm buying this but they promised it would be fully checked before returning it to me. It's 4pm and no calls yet......

[Dalite]

Tezz,

I will make a prediction. The problem only occurs when the underhood temps gets high enough for the metal in the contacts for the cam sensor, where it plugs into the main harness, to expand or contract and have a partial loss of connection. The PCM sees this as a bad sensor, or incorrect cam timimg - due to the loss of signal.

A P0116 code is is a Engine Coolant Temperature Performance error. It happens after a set amount of cooldown time, and the PCM compares the Coolant temp, Intake Air temp and Ambient Air temp sensors. If the Coolant temp value is not within the "calibrated" temp range determined by the data from the other temp sensors, an error is detected. This is a Two Trip Fault, meaning that this error has to be detected on 2 separate occaisions before the code is illuminated.

If it was in fact a P0116, then the temp sensor replacement will probably cure it.

Again, if the problem persists after the sensor replacement, it may lead back to the contacts in the connector flexing under heat and sending false (or incomplete) data to the PCM which senses an error. In the case of the temp sensor, being a 2 trip fault, it is less likely that this would be the case, as compared with a sensor that would show a code at the first instance of bad data - or data out of range.

Just a thought....