robert0001

Hi Everyone, My car suddenly stalls on the high way today at high speed!!! It almost have caused a file-up accident. Please help!!! I really like this Acura Cl, but this problem is too scary for me to continue to drive this car!!!

I have been driving this 1998 Cl 3.0 for the last 2 years. When I bought this car, the check engine light was on. But the private seller who had the car for many years told me that it was a cat converter problem. For the last 2 years, I did not have a single problem with this car till recently.

It all happened about 1 month ago. While driving on a highway going 60 miles/hr. The car stalls suddenly out of the blue, without any warning sign!!! The engine shut itself!!!The green light on the right of the dash came on as if I have just put the key in ignition, but didn't turn it yet.

Everything like radio, heat, and lights was on and worked perfectly. The experience was really scary!!! The car started again right after I pulled it over,parked it, restarted it.

After readings from this forum, I learned that the ignition switch was a recall. Then I took the car to a local Acura Dealer. They were supposedly have changed the ignition switch and other things and fixed the recall problem on this model. It was free.

But after having the car back for a week, the car stalled again. This time it was on a local street. I restarted it,drove it back to the dealer. After checking the check engine light code, they quoted me $1700 for replacing the ERG value and Cat converter. I told them I need to ask a local mechanic before coming back to them. They charged $130 for reading the Check engine light codes.

I bought a new ERG value for $90 and a Cat converter for $100 online . Then I have a mechanic put them in for $200. The check engine light was off for about 1 day and back on again the next day!!! But I thought the problem was probably fixed.

Today, the car stalled again on a highway. There was no place to pull over this time. The folks behind me almost hit me!!! I got stuck at a curve and it was hard for the drivers behind me to see me. I put the car in park, turned the ignition switch. But it would not turn on. Tried again and again,but the engine would not stay on. It was really really scary; I really freaked out...kept looking at the rear view mirror and prayed that the other drivers would see me and stop on time or pass me via the other lane...I kept turning the key...Then after about 20 tries, the engine was finally back on and stayed on. I drove the car home with fear.

Please tell me what to do...The car now has 132k miles. When I got it, it was only 87k. It still drives like a new car...

Please advice what to do? Should I go back to the dealer? How can I be sure they have fixed the recall items? Should I take it to another mechanics? Please help!!!

Thank you, Robert

asianspec

iTrader: (1)

how's the tranny?

robert0001

Thank you for replying, the tranny seems fine, smooth, never a problem. Can a bad tranny have caused this??? The check engine light codes was readingegr valve and cat converter, but they were both changed. Now the check engine light is still on. I think the mechanic told me it still reads the converter, but he put a new one in for me already...

fliplyricist1

iono, kind of seems more like a 'short' issue to me...like there's a bad ground or something somewhere. I know I had a nightmare of a time with my car just completely dying randomly when my positive battery terminal connections weren't seated properly...but then again you have a check engine light on. iono dude...good luck though

robert0001

thank you, but all the electronic equipments in the car like lights and cd player were working, just engine shuts off out of the blue, took it to dealer and they have supposedly done the ignition switch. But how would I know if they ready do it right? Would I just get a new ignition switch and have a mechanic put it in???

AznX TL

well the egr valve isnt the problem, its the pipes that connect to it that need to be cleaned to get rid of the check engine light.
check your battery contacts to see if they're corroded.

Germ

dude this happened to me a few times. aznx is right. you gotta check yer battery terminals. if it happens to you again, pop the hood and press on the positive terminal wire and it should start. i mean press down on it as if you were tightening the terminal. thats what i did and my car started all the time. of course i havent changed it (cause imma lazy ass) but that was my prob. my car would just die in the free way but would start again after 1 second of moving.

(thats probably not going to make any sense to you cause i feel like im rambling. hahah)

TexasHonda

This has all the earmarks of a keyswitch issue. Are you certain the dealership replaced the keyswitch? When car stalls, do you notice whether dash lights (alt, oil pressure, CEL come on? If they stay off, keyswitch seems very likely. If they come ON when engine dies, this suggests a possible fuel supply problem. I'm pretty sure the 3L V6 has Coil over Plug (coil for every plug), so there is very little that will kill the engine on the ignition side, except keyswitch opening power to the ignition system.

The fuel supply can also kill the engine quickly. Problem could be an intermittent fuel pump that is dropping out. Pretty rare, but not unheard.

An intermittent problem can be a real pain to resolve. I rigged a "tell-tale" light to the fuel pump to verify power was getting to the fuel pump when no-start occurred.

good luck

robert0001

Hi guys, thank you all for replying. The battery contacts are somewhat corroded. Just cleaned and tightened them this morning. Going to drop it offer at a near by mechanic to see if they can help me clean the pipes connected to the EGR valve today.

The engine just shut off by itself at high speed without any warning sign!!! Only the green ignition switch light came on the dashboard after the car stalled. The dealers were supported have updated the ignition switch for free last time I took it in there. But how can I check they really did do it right?? Could a defective EGR valve or could clotted pipes could have caused this problem???

bRunCL

iTrader: (1)

I got the same p0420 code for my catalytic converter and i replaced it with an aftermarket one. My check engine light came back on too Now i think i possibly have an exhaust leak. Search for P0420 and a bunch of stuff will come up. As far as the stalling problem i don't think its related to the egr or catalytic converter b/c they are just emission components. good luck