Hey guys,
Hope someone can answer this for me, I've searched other postings for about an hour but so far no straight answer. I have a 2005 TL AT 51000 miles.
I was going home after dinner and first thing I noticed was my check engine light when I started the car (first time this ever happened). It was pretty late so I decided to get home first to inspect it. The car was driving well for about 10 minutes until the check engine light started flashing. At this time, I felt the car vibrate softly so I kept the car moving at a low speed (40-50mph) on the highway. However, the vibrations would increase when coming to a stop or at lower speeds and lost of power. When I finally got home, I could smell something funky coming from the engine (not a burnt smell tho). Now I want to bring the car to a mechanic or the dealership, but I don't know if I should keep driving it. If you guys can provide some insight I would be grateful. I'm pretty new to all this and still learning. Thank you.

 

did your cat fail?

 

A flashing CEL means the car is misfiring on one or more cylinders. That is why it felt like it was vibrating.

Check your plugs and wires to start.

 

CEL means MANY things- misfire is only 1, but my first thought reading this thread was bad coil

doesnt gen3 have the 6 coils on 6 plugs setup?- same as my gen2
not plug wires off 1 coil and distributor cap like 90s cars

Get to a parts store for a free code reading then report back here with those
If it says random misfire or multiple misfire cyclinders- you probably have a bad coil
That MAY be covered under SMOG parts to 80kmiles (the cat has that coverage)

most parts that will cause a CEL (and not allow it to pass smog) are covered to 50 at least- due to federal smog laws, and 80 on certain parts

you can ck acura.com for your years details on warranty, then we can help you DIY a coil change or send you to the dealer for a freebie

You did the right thing coming here!!

is the smell like unburnt fuel? thats a coil--replace the spark plug on the failed one if thats the problem--and at 80 you are ready for plugs anyway
use NGK Iridium--8 bucks each at parts stores everywhere
came stock, and is best plug for the car

 

Cat failure often smells like rotten eggs- an overwhelming smell of rotten eggs~
in the usa, muffler shops will run a heat and flow test to see if cat is ok
They have to document what failed on all replacements under 100kmiles

 

A flashing CEL doesn't mean many things, it means misfire. It's standardized in OBD II. Flashing CEL = car is currently misfiring.

 

Flashing CEL= misfires.

Vibration= misfires.

Loss of power= misfires.

Smell= raw fuel through the exhaust= misfires.

 

I really appreciate the help guys..Acurazine is by far hands down one of the most reliable places for me seeking information on my ride. My friend just gave me a scanner so I'll check what the codes are and report back.

 

Okay, the code is P0306 (Cylinder 6 Misfire Detected). So you guys are right about it being a Misfire. However, today I tried turning on my car but it decided not to start up. Is this related to the misfire or a completely different issue? I'm thinking about getting it towed to the mechanic.

 

Most likely a coil pack, IMO.

 

Check the coil on the #6 cyliner and make sure it didn't pop off half way, or is damaged.

 

Okay. Since I have never really handle what's under the hood, do you guys have any suggestions. Where is the #6 cylinder and any DIY on how to change the coil if it is damage? Any autozone should have coils right if I need to buy them. I never bother learning about engines or their problems before, but I guess it's better late than never. Thanks guys.

 

If you've never done any car work at all, this might be a bit advanced for you. Is there someone near where you live who knows about car repair that can help you out?

FYI, if the CEL is flashing, the only appropriate action is to pull over and turn the engine off. Continuing to drive when it's misfiring can cause all sorts of (expensive) damage.