I have a 2003 Acura TL Type S A-spec with 255000 km. I'm located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

My check engine light turned on the second time I started it on a really cold day (-30 C). VSA and the ! triangle also turned on about a second after. Restarted car and only the check engine light remains. Got codes read, machine said P300, P304, P305.

I just bought this car not long ago, the previous owner has a 2 inch stack of dealer maintenance records, every single service has been complete. I looked through and noticed that changed all the spark plugs and the cylinder 5 coil pack after the check engine light turned on at around 160,000km.

I have swapped the cylinder 4 and 5 plugs with cylinder 3 and 6. Reset the light with the code reader and CEL came on the next day again (still -30C outside), same codes.

Then I swapped the cylinder 4 and 5 coil packs with cylinder 3 and 6. Reset light and poured in a double dose of fuel injector cleaner. Drove for a few days. Today (much warmer about -5C) the light came on again. Got codes scanned, same codes.

I can't access the cylinder 5 injector but the cylinder 4 one ticks normally when I listen to it.

The engine runs perfectly fine, even when it was really cold outside, no vibration or obvious miss, no power loss before or after the CEL has come on. The only one thing I noticed is right after the CEL is cleared, when I stop at a red light the idle drops to a bit below 500 rpm and then goes back up to normal. It only happens once or twice after a reset and everything is fine afterwards.

I'm really lost for ideas now. If anyone can give me some tips on where to look next. I have gone through all the diagnosis steps in the service manual, except for checking injector 5, back probing the ecu connections and swapping the ecu.

 

hey man, did you treat a compression test yet or a vacuum?. Also what does the spark plugs look like? brownish? check the gap and the resistance and see if its with in spec? Alo what type a gas do you fill it up with? Cause on my Tl if i put some ghetto cheap shit ill get a misfire when i start the car. Just trying to help and throwing out ideas. What i think that is wrong is that you might have a leek maybe the valves but what do i know right haha. number 1 test is a compression i think ahha. Let me know when you find out whats wrong.

 

Spark plugs look perfect, I also moved them around and didn't move the misfire.

I don't have anything to do a compression test, but wouldn't a leaky ring cause engine miss or roughness, the car is smooth at idle and very throtle responsive. There's no valve noise or pinging.

I've been using the same gas forever, maybe i'll switch and see if that helps.

 

what gas are you using? a name brand with `tier 1` quality rating?
91 octane MINIMUM,,if they sell 93/94 thats what you should run
dont run 87,,there will be problems

what fuel cleaner and what amount to how much fuel?

how did the plugs look perfect?
they have approx 105km- or 60kmiles,,right where many of us go ahead and replace them
Sure, the book says longer but I bet the severe service schedule for extreme cold Canada drivers calls for them at 100kmeters

NGK iridium IX or ngk Iridium,,better than the ngk platinum that were stock
that big tire/parts store can get them for you
someone will pop up with the correct # for the plug== or look up on here

reset the ecu with the CLOCK fuse on passenger end of dash- open car door to see.
thats the secret backup power for the ecu = will clear all codes and force a relearn --like when you move coils around - so it sees if the problem is fixed

thats a start
did you do the coil unplug to test rpm change yet?

other rpm at idle probs can be dirty IACV idle air control valve inside TB, at your kms I would remove the TB and flip over to access iacv system for cleaning

other odd but true- the egr ports and passage system inside the intake manifold clogs up badly--will cause strange running problems
needs to be removed and serviced every 75kMILES..figure you are overdue.
not something the dealer would normally suggest as service- its not in any book as required..but ziners have learned based on millions of miles of experience

 

look in the receipts for `valve adjustment` ,,maybe as part of the last major service which inlcudes water pump and timing belt,,due every 105kmiles in normal service
60kmiles in severe service
You may want to run `1 step hotter plug` for winter too, ck owner manual for cold weather operation
info avail online too,,register with acura care of canada online

If no valve adjust- do that,,will make car run better (listen with stethascope for differances in sounds to know it needs work)

codes are clues, not actual diagnosis--you have to put together symptoms, codes, and test to get the real answer

 

I've been using the same gas since I bought the vehicle, It's Superstore gas, delivered by Mantei's, processed at our local Esso Plant. I always use 91 octane. Been using the same gas since I started driving.

I put in two doses of Motormaster fuel injector cleaner in half a tank of gas, been using this in all my vehicles for a long time

Plugs have been changed after the 160k CEL, the ones now only have about 20k kms on them. I just mentioned that was the last time a the light came on and the coil was changed.

Canada severe service schedule, puts plugs at 160k but you have to do the timing belt at 100k km. My 99 TL still had nice plugs at 160k when I changed thoes.

I just use factoy plugs, our part stores don't carry the ngk double platinums and iridiums cost over $30 each. Honda plugs still cost around $25 each. (Welcome to Canada )

How do I do the coil unplug to test rpm change?
My rpms are normally fine and after each reset rpms dip when I stop, it happends twice everytime and it never happens again.

I will check/clean the IACV and maybe order a gasket (hopfully won't cost too much) and do the egr cleaning. (but the last time I took apart my 99 TL with 180k km the erg ports was pretty much clean)

 

Valve adjustment was done at 160k km, timing belt, water pump, tensioner was done second time at 205k km

We only get maybe 4 weeks total of -30C in an entire year. The Acura dealer doesn't even know how to get the hotter plugs. But it pretty much warm now, today it was 0C (32F) and the misfire is still there, so I don't think it's temperature dependent.

As an aside, Acura Canada's website provides nothing, we don't even get manuals (it says they're avaliable at the dealer), I had to use someone else's VIN on the US site to get access.

 

If your IACV, intake manifold ports and EGR valve are all clean, then your issue is most likely related to either a coilpack or a fuel injector that is erratic but not totally dead.

At that mileage, it is wise to have an extra coilpack and fuel injector at hand because they do behave erratic or fail completely. You can easily swap them out in the trouble cylinder and check. Buy them from an online US store and save tons over the Canadian ripoff market.

 

I should pick up some spare parts the next time I travel down to the states.

Regarding the possible failing injector I'm assuming the engine would run rough when the injector is not working?

Oh and I noticed it's using a lot of fuel (I think), I got a little below 200 kms on half a tank of gas. I know the gauge isn't very accurate cause half a tank of gas cost only $30 (@1.20/L = around 25 Litres (6 gallons)), isn't the fuel tank closer to 65L?

Thanks everyone for their contribution.

 

The engine will run rough (misfire) when the injector or coil is not working. But in many cases, these parts may be faulty and still work intermittently,.....especially at certain rpm's or temperature/humidity/barometric pressure levels. Too many variables can affect them. For instance, an injector may NOT spray at full volume/duration/pattern in such specific cases. Injectors and coils are easier to diagnose if they completely die. But in many cases they don't. If you exhausted all other avenues, then this where your next logical step should lead you.


You can order from many US online parts stores like rockauto.com at very good prices. Even the US Acura dealers will give you better prices than the Canadian ones. I am in Toronto and I always get the pricey parts from the US. I just bought a 5-piece OEM timing belt kit for $200 from the US. The Acura dealer here charges over $700 for these 5 parts.

Good luck, and let us know how you solved your problem as this will help the community.

 

Problem went away during the summer months, first cold day this winter and it's back. This time with only a P0304 code.

I started a new thread (then happened to stuble upon this one while searching for more answers)

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?p=14084640

 

I've been experiencing basically the same symptoms here in Toronto for the last 2 or 3 winters with my '03 TL-S. No CEL, but i get the low RPM when stopping (seems to come on after having battery disconnected). And always in the winter. Last year my engine would die on start-up, rpms just dropped to 0, and it would take me 30 mins just to get it running. Would stay running with foot on gas only. Until finally it would start normally and stay running by itself.

I asked my mech to clean my IACV, but he ended up just cleaning the TB... Irritating.... yes looking for a new MECH now.


Maybe I should go to the dealer and look at getting the valve's adjusted ??? Any thoughts?

 

Hi

I am new i brought this acura 2003 3.2l TL-S car 115K milage on it

as this is my first car I am not sure how to maintain it dose any guide me for optimal performance what gas should I use and for low maintenance what precautionary measures I should take ?

thank and regards
Srikanth

 

You should start a new thread for a new topic. Lots of information on the forums use the search feature. Always use premium gas, at lease octane 91

 

Find someone to clean your IACV, it's on the bottom of the TB. Two Phillips screws (hard to get off). That should cure your problem. What's your mileage? Do your rmps sometimes go up and down randomly when your idling?

 

Was there a response to this? Experiencing these symptoms plus, cold weather issues and just today: engine temp. gauge keeps going up very quickly (within 5-10 seconds) when at idle, then drops to normal upon driving with intermittent spikes and drops.

 

Replace idle air valve controller unit will solve your problem. You will have to remove the throttle body to get to it.

 

You probably have a faulty engine coolant temperature sensor, I would start with that first. Then try cleaning/replacing your IACV.