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The O2 sensor will do nothing for you.
The alternator seems okay because once it’s started the car run fine with full headlights, etc.
This past Sunday, after having sit for two days, there was nothing when I turned the key, not even a click.
I replaced the battery Sunday night with a new Die-Hard and Monday morning it started fine and cranked hard.
Now this morning, (Tuesday) the battery is completely dead.
Anyone have any ideas what could suddenly be draining my batteries?
Thanks in advance.
~David
I am having the same problem. But recently I have figured out how to find out what's doing it. Something has grounded. To test and see what it is,,,hook a test light to your battery,,,,inside your fuse box(inside the car) remove each fuse,,,the one that keeps the light on the tester is the problem. A wire has grounded. Trace that wire and you've got it. It was my horn wire.Had a tiny worn spot from aging and vibes on a bumpy road. This problem drove me nuts for three months.
Your help is very much appreciated.
It should read 30 - 36 psi with the fuel pressure regulator connected and 39-45 psi with the fuel pressure regulator disconnected.
This test would tell you if the fuel system is substandard in some way. If it reads okay, you go on to other areas such as ignition or sensors.
I would start by checking the battery and then the alternator. You are likely not on the original battery but might be using the original alternator. If so, the alternator becomes the more likely suspect.
It might be wise to find a garage you trust and have them check out the car for you. You may find that there are other problem areas (example: spark plugs) and the garage may suggest a schedule for their replacement/repair.
Sometimes when I make a sharp turn, doesn't matter if it's a left or right turn, my car stalls out. It doesn't sputter, it's more like someone flipped a switch. I'm able to turn my car right back on and it runs normally.
What could this be?
About how much will it take to replace a power steering pump?
But hopefully you had good luck and no engine damage and so you need to look for the source of your overheating problem.
Overheating is caused by a complex range of possible issues and has to be approached methodically, going from the simple to the complicated, and from the most likely to the least likely.
The reason you have no heat is that you have low or no coolant in the system.
But to the diagnosis:
1. A leak somewhere -- this can be tested doing a 'pressure test' on the cooling system with a pump
2. Stuck thermostat -- remove, test and inspect
3. inoperative electric cooling fans -- test and observe
4. clogged radiator -- this can be "flow-tested" by a radiator shop
5. air in cooling system -- when new coolant was added, system was not properly purged of air with bleed screws or using approved filling methods
6. bad head gasket or cracked cylinder head -- tested with pressure testing pump, and look for coolant on spark plugs or air bubbles in radiator.
good luck with it! Hope it's one of the simple ones.
Visiting Host
From what you say I'm thinking the cooling fans cut out perhaps. If you had a chronic overheat you'd never have made it home. When at freeway speed, you don't need the fans as much, if at all, to cool the car down.
So the general rule (with exceptions) is:
low speed overheat/traffic---cooling fans or other air circulation issue
high speed overheat-- coolant circulation issue
very fast overheat within 5-10 minutes of driving --- head gasket/blocked or stuck thermostat
Thanks
Car: 98 Protege ES, 1.8L, Manual Trans
Symptoms:
Rough idle - when disconnect clutch, the engine goes below normal idle.
Check Engine light is on. OBD-II code P0240. Light may turn off for some time.
Problem:
Main air intake is leaking between air filter and intake manifold.
Solution:
Replace the plastic pipe OR
Use medical gauze to wrap the pipe in between ribs to close air leaks. And on top of that wrap tightly with flexible duct tape.
The light should go off after 3 full cycles (car fully cools off - warms up)
How it works:
The code P0240 Suggests that it is one of these:
1. your catalyst is not working (O2 sensors before and after the cat read the same).
2. Main vacuum leak
3. Something terrible in the engine with the valves.
I had new OEM O2 sensor up front installed earlies same year for fuel economy issue (BTW-it worked!) so I didn't think that was an issue.
I drove alot and didn't see catalyst overheat.
I checked all vacuum hoses for leaks and found cracks in the intake. I decided to fix that and magically it fixed rough idling and check engine. Enjoy!
everything up to my catalylic converter has been removed
i have done minor repairs on my car but i am hard up for money so i am going to be doing this myself
i have the new muffler and i am going to get the piping for it
what i am looking for is information on how to put it all together
it is a sohc
and it is split piping
sorry if i am not using the correct mechanics language i am new to this
i just dont want to do it myself without any advice and have it fall off or not work correctly
but i am open to any suggestions
im trying to get this done as soon as possible because i am moving to california and i have to have it in tip top shape to not only pass emissions but to also be able to hold my own against the never ending traffic in la
This morning I did the booster pack thing and got the car started. When I walked to the front of the car one of the belts was squeeling. This is when I noticed my power steering pulley barely turning. It was like the ps pump was frozen. My question is how can a ps pump freeze??? Ps fluid does not freeze!! I don't care how cold it is.
I can see how the pulley not turning would cause my hard starting especially in the cold but what would cause it to do that.
I had this problem last winter too but didn't realize it was the ps pump slowing everything down. I have never had any problems with my power steering whatsoever. It doesn't leak, there's no water in the resevoir, and it steers fine.
Has anyone else heard of this kind of problem and what the solution might be?
If your engine temperature drops too low, the thermostat should close again to raise the temperature to operating level.
Here's a description of how it works;
Thermostat Function
Your thermostat is in a housing at the end of the LOWER radiator hose, where it enters the cylinder head.
When installing, the "jiggle pin" on the thermostat points toward the top, and the sealing ring on the gasket faces the cylinder head.
The part is about $18 and the book says it takes a mechanic about 1 hour. You'll have to drain your coolant beforehand and probably take off some parts of the air cleaner for access.
Good luck!
Have you tried setting the controls to "feet only" and maximum heat? If no or low heat is coming through on the passenger side and the driver's side is fine there could be some blockage or a closed flap on the passenger side.
It started a month ago when my car started having problems accelerating. I would hit the gas but the car would just crawl. If I pumped the pedal, it would eventually accelerate. Once the car was moving, I had no more problems. The check engine light came on and I took it to a mechanic. The reading from the computer was a random misfire, and further inspection of the vehicle revealed that my coil pack boots deteriorated and allowed excessive moisture in which shorted the spark plug wires. My engine would not accelerate because the plugs were misfiring. They put new plugs, plug wires, and boots in. Engine light off, car ran fine
This past week I started having this problem again. And today it got much worse. The car hangs on accelerating...in both forward and reverse. The engine, in both drive, idle and even more so when breaking, starts rumbling and I hear the sound of something slipping very faintly. The transmission (which was what I thought it originally was) shifts gears just fine. Again, once the car is moving it stays in motion. No stalling, no rumbling. But it is getting harder and harder to accelerate. And when I try my engine sputters and sounds like its going to stall. The engine light came on and when I pressed the gas to try and get it moving, the engine light flashed about 5 times and went solid again. I popped the hood once I made it home to see if I could find anything making a weird noise and found nothing (I have had this car for over 5 years and know what it sounds and feels like). When I killed the engine I heard a whooshing sound (similar to wind through a cracked window) coming from the air filter and vaccum hoses. I restarted the car, and killed it several more times and heard this noise every time. Now, I have never noticed this noise before so I don't know if this is normal or not, but I know it can be the sign of a cracked hose or something with the air in take. But I'm no mechanic. The car starts just fine and seems to run in idle ok, but once I try to drive it the problems start.
Sorry this is so long but just to summarize:
little to no acceleration unless I really work the pedal
Car runs perfectly fine once it gets going
rumbling in the engine ad very rough vibrations once I slow down and go back to idle or just have my foot on the brake while in any gear
whooshing sound when I kill the engine for several seconds
transmission shifts just fine. No grinding or clanking noises when shifting.
new spark plugs, wires, and coil pack booots installed a month ago
car has 97,500 miles (approx)
If anyone could give me some ideas of what might be wrong it would be appreciated. Im "cartarded" and am really trying to learn more about cars, maintenance, and how to diagnose problems. Thanks!
All the stuff you are talking about is good stuff to do. We had all that and more done. At the end the car was really sucking gas - do you have the problem - and running rough. If yours is doing the same have the fuel injectors checked as this was the final solution to our problem. One bum injector and possibley three more. Mechanics also asked if we had been using cheap gas as that will gum up an injector. Have you been using cheap gas?
Five months later and the car is running like a young hot rod after the repair. Good luck and let me know.
PROBLEM:
The guage on my car will go to H (all the way up) UNLESS I am running my heater all the way on 4. The mechanic says I have no radiator issues, fan issues, or gasket issues. He says "the thermometer might be sticking". Does that sound right? If it was "sticking", wouldn't it stay "stuck" instead of moving up only when the car is moving? I am worried that I am somehow damaging my car by continuing to drive it while that needle is on H.
QUESTIONS:
If anyone else has this problem and have continued to drive on H, has it damaged your car?
If it actually "stuck" how can I get it fixed so it works properly? The mechanic didn't offer any options there.
Thank you,
CH
Curious. Didn't the mechanic suggest a new thermostat? You may want to take it to another garage for a second opinion.
You're right to be concerned about driving when the temperature is H. Don't do it!
Have the thermostat replaced, it should not be expensive. A new thermostat is <$20, some coolant will need to be replaced, and <1 hour labor.
I recall the problem was with improper sealing around the heater blower, and the repair was fairly involved.
I took your advice and did a band aid fix by filling the tank and putting fuel injector cleaner in. The car, once warmed up, ran fine but engine light still on. But no acceleration problems.
Took it to the same mechanic and they could not figure it out. The code on the computer gave a random misfire at 0 mph (engine light went off while attempting to accelerate). He said that in order to figure it out without going in and tearing everything apart, they would need to see the engine cold and advised dropping it off and leaving it sit overnight at the shop to be reviewed in the morning. He said they got nothing telling them it was an o2 sensor or lean fuel mixture. But couldnt be certain unless they ran it cold and tried to duplicate the problem. they cleared the codes, engine light off, car ran fine for a week. i allow my car to fully warm up before going anywhere, especially with the cold nights and mornings we have had here in NJ.
A week goes by and car starts acting up again...but not nearly as bad. one time since, the car was in idle warming up and i felt it shake periodically, very gently but noticably, for a few seconds and then stop. i will get an occasional hang in acceleration, but by gently working the gas, the car seems to overcome it and resumes normal acceleration. and it occurs less than half the time i drive.
however, its very interesting to note that i seem to have the problem more often and worse when its wet or very moist out. for example last saturday it snowed very lightly and my car was out in it for 3 hours since i reached my destination that evening. started fine, but a few miles up the road it started hanging on acceleration again. i got home and didnt drive again that night. next day car worked fine. and for the past few days, again, a few minor periodic hangs in acceleration. however the engine has not been violently shaking when slowing down and going back to idle like it did last time. and the engine light has not come back on.
as far as bad gas is concerned, i dont know what you mean. nor would i know the difference. i usually get gas at the lukoil up the street. however for about 3 years strait at my old residence, i would always stop and get wawa gas as it was the cheapest around and on my way home from work.
im not sure if my fuel economy is struggling. its hard to tell since my commute to work and back is less than 4 miles round trip. and i havent been driving the car that much in fear of having a problem and being far from home. im actually still on the same tank of gas that the injector cleaner was mixed into.
I wonder if condensation is affecting your spark plugs as the car warms up.
the engine has not been violently shaking when slowing down and going back to idle like it did last time. and the engine light has not come back on.
My 2002Protege 5 had a serious shaking problem when the EGR valve failed. The EGR issue is a common problem of Proteges, according to my mechanic.