qwestfor70

Manual calls it the "Malfunction Indicator Lamp" p.51 see page 243. Dealer said that they have no clue why this is happening and to keep and eye on it and let them know if it happens again. It has - four times total, twice when I took it up over 5000 rpms and then took my foot off the gas and twice when I kept it just above 4000 rpms for about 15 seconds or so. Light would flash for about 10 seconds and then stop. Manual clearly states that you sould not drive the car - "continued operation may cause serious damage"

I already heard from another TLer that he delt with this problem and finally had to print out the lemon laws for GA and take them into the dealer to get action. Read my other thread on 2004 TL Problems - Do Consumers Have Rights if you want to read this.

Any information would be a great help...

acur8ly

iTrader: (1)

This is a simple fix. My dealer updated my ecu. Ecu reports a misfire, tolerance was adjusted. No more light.

GaleForce

Thanks for the info. I am going to tell my dealer to update the ECU when I bring it in this weekend... that is if it wasn't the gas cap causing the light to come on.

rets

GaleForce, what're you talking about? I thought you're gonna pick up your new car on Monday... for the new car with new VINs, your dealer would always tell you its ECU has new software/firmware already.

If you're the believer of Break-in, you won't be able to know this MIL ON issue until you rev high after the break-in.




To qwestfor70, what's your VIN? Please check with your dealer... it could be the easy fix as acur8ly said above.

qwestfor70

Thanks for the response - I had it in to the dealer for this about two weeks ago and they said that I had the latest SW release - would this not inculde any change to the ECU?

Thanks again for the help.

dougpt10

Leaving it unplugged for about 5 minutes resets all of the memory so it can "re-learn" your driving style etc.. It may clear all codes as well only leaving a low voltage code as it was unplugged. Doug

qwestfor70

How is that done?

elessar

Is that all it is? Phew... I noticed this once, about a week ago, when I really gunned it while merging onto the highway. Went away after a few seconds, but it gave me a bit of a scare. I was waiting to see if it ever happened again. Guess I'll just ask them to update the ECU when I take it in for the first service. Thanks for the info!

dougpt10

The TT however I do. You guys need to find the CD manual the dealer used. It breaks down every part on the car with diagrams as to how it all comes apart. It will show the ECU location(which is usually under the windshield wiper cowling) and how to unplug it which is usually just a harness. It should be farely accessible. When I get myTL it will be the first thing I locate. Doug

GaleForce

It has something to do with an emissions malfunction. My guess is that when you gun it you get poor MPG so it starts bitching at you.

dougpt10

It is for the TT ECU removal but it will give you an idea what I'm talking about. http://www.goapr.com/Audi/support/ec..._gti_jetta.pdf

Sherlock

It sounds like the grand ole Misfire issue that has plagued the TL's from day one, I should know, I got mine day 2 and it happened the minute I drove it off the lot.

Luckily I got a real fix on mine, they replaced the faulty part, instead of flashing the ECU to tell it to ignore the faulty part.. Baaaaad Honda.

Best you can do is get the firmware fixed now. Unless you know a good certified waranteed shop, ask them to replace the Crank Angle Sensor for ya, that will fix it good, and not pollute your 3 Cats with unburnt fuel, costing you $800 each down the road.

qwestfor70

Very interesting - would this cause the car to have a hard time starting as well. About 30-40% of the time that I start the car - even when it is warm, it behaves like it is choking on it guts for a few seconds - can't be very good for the engine. I never put the two together, but it like like it may be the same problem leading to the two symptoms.

qwestfor70

Thanks for the info - I asked the dealer about this - the Fixed Ops Director that is working my issues said that they are going to go back to Acura to get the answer for this - de did not like the idea of just unplugging the ECU because that would just lead it to "ignore" the problem.

Now if I can just get him to do the same on the interior issues - which got worse again today - I would be back to feeling the way I did when I drove off the lot. It may be time to call Acura myself on that one. Has anyone had to call the Cust Serv line to get answers?

rets

MIL ON is famous since Day 1, I agree this... Firmware upgrate is the basic for early-built 04TL, and any MIL ON issue could lead your dealers to do this upgrade in your first checkup although your 04TLs are new VINs.

Crank angle/shaft position sensor or coil packs could be the next things they're gonna check/replace if your ECU stores the problematic codes or the firmware upgrate couldn't fix your problems.


For the engine's hard starting, this is another famous issue for 04TLs. Due to the ULEV emssion confirguration, you should wait for a few seconds in Ignition II ?? prior to turn your key to fire, this will ease your issue.


If you pay attention, these two topics you brought up are always discussed once per week... :o You would find more answers if you do the search...

Sherlock

ditto with Rets.. the hard starts are just the car, it does stumble, then recovers, no biggy there.

They "might" not see the crank position sensor issue if they are only reading the OBDII when the car is at the dealership. Tell them to get their portable unit, hook it up, take the car out and floor it and hold it in 2nd like when you see it. The C.A.S. error is not an OBDII "stored" error but rather an Instantaneous error, so they will never find it sitting still.

Good luck.

Ron A

I would have posted this sooner, but I needed to check out my info before posting.

I am ashamed to admit I tried regular gas in the last fill up. Not really cheap, just wanted to see if gas mileage suffered and didn't intend to push it hard, which I don't usually do.

Anyway, I forgot about the regular gas and tried to downshift from SS 3-2 about 50mph (I think), and it wouldn't let me. So I slowed down to 50, and downshifted to 2. Now it wouldn't go over 4000 rpm, the 2 blinked, and the MIL blinked.

Finally got the tank low enough to put premium 93 back in. Problem solved. 2nd gear all the way up to the redline, no MIL, no blinking 2, just raw power and a wonderful sound.

I am posting this so others can learn from my dumb-ass mistake.

Also, and this is not uncommon, if you have this problem and used premium, are you sure it was premium (I mean the place where you got the gas could be cheating, not that you don't know the difference between the two when you fill up)? Of course, if you fill up again at a different place and it does it again, then it is not the fuel so it needs to be corrected.

rets

This is good one... I have to say this could make the outcome difference...

qwestfor70

A thousand thanks for this one. I was in a hurry when I talked to the dealership today as I headed out of work - they have already ordered a part that the "Tech Line" diagnosed as the culprit based on my explanation of what made the light flash on. They aslo said that it was an error that would not be stored, that it is a part that is bolted on the the engine and I am pretty sure that it is in fact the C.S.A. Just like the wiper switch that is on national back order for the rattle in my dash, so is this part.

Thanks again and I will update this thread as soon as I get the work done.

TLJohn

I had the exact same symptoms only my MIL would stay on a few days, then go off, then come back on the next time I reved above about 4500. Finally found the time to get it to the dealer, mentioned flashing the ECU as a fix I read about. They checked the car and found the Crankshaft Position Sensor is bad. The problem is it is backordered with no ETA available. They cleared the code and said that it would be no problem driving the car for a week or two until they could get their hands on one.

Since it is backordered it must be a common issue or defective part from their suppier. Mine really started on day one and progressively got worse.

qwestfor70

TLJohn - Yup, I am in the same boat on this one - I have been waiting two weeks already and they have no clue when it will come in. Looks like a lack of effort on the dealers part to get answers. I deal with these types of issues in my line of work and we can always get an ETA on backordered parts if we are willing to esclate for our customers. Maybe the ETA is bad and they don't want to give me more bad news!!

TLJohn

They probably could find out if I pressed the issue. I view it as minor. If it was something major (like I could not drive the car) I would be calling everyone's bosses, boss and continue up the chain until I found an answer. I could really care less if it takes two weeks or two months, just as long as I eventually get it fixed. I figure they have to deal with pissy people every day, I don't need to be another one over this.

My MIL was staying on for days at a time, but recently I have been driving it hard and it either doesn't come on at all, or it just flashes. Maybe it will fix itself