I have a 2004 Acura TL with 145,000 miles on it. In the last 4 months the check engine light has come on, and stayed on. When the car is idling at a stoplight, or in park, the engine light flashes. The car has been running slightly sluggish.

I have already spent about $1,500 at various automotive shops (including a dealership) and no-one has been able to figure it out. First, we changed the spark plugs and checked all the coils and that didn't work. The dealership ran a diagnostic and said the codes were for misfire detected in a cyclinder (even though I had checked all of them). They said they had no idea what it was and proposed leaving the car for the day and they would "try to figure it out". I left because I can't drop $2,000 if they can't guarantee to fix the problem.

One time, I got the oil changed and the light went off for about 3 hours and then came back on.

The only info I have been able to find on this issue, people have referenced the coils. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Tom

 

any chance you fill gas at sams/costco?

 

what kind of shop doesn't know what a cylinder misfire is?

i would find a more reputable place to take. further, any auto parts store can run the obd2 codes - you should see if you have one or multiple, get the specific code number, and go from there.

 

I had a 2004 TL before and when the transmission started going bad, it triggered the engine light. It was about the same mileage as yours too. Had the tranny rebuilt but that only lasted one year before going bad again. Ended up selling the car.

 

So because your transmission went bad at a mileage similar to the op his is also likely going bad? Um no. The op needs to read the codes

 

Read the codes, and than we can proceed to help you.

 

No. I never said that. Just running something by him that it could be one of the many possibilities.

 

Flashing CEL is a dead giveaway for a misfire, get a code reader and figure out what codes its throwing. If the ignition system has already been tested and isn't showing any kind of failure it leads me to think maybe the problem is fuel related. Could be a bad injector(s), fuel pump, clogged fuel filter, etc. Based on what you're describing it sounds like its not getting enough fuel.

First, get a code reader and let us know what you find, then we can try to help you. If you get a code reader that can read scan data, check what the o2 sensors are doing, if they're showing a lean condition then it's most likely fuel related.

 

The codes that came up a few months ago at the dealer was PO300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306. That is why I initially checked all the plugs and the coils. I do not fill up at Sam's or Costco. Usually Exxon, Shell, etc. Transmission was replaced around 110k. Should my next step be to check the O2 sensors? Sounds like that Wolfgang recommends that.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

P0300-P0306 codes are all misfire codes, if those are the codes you got from the car, then you have misfires on all cylinders. We don't really have much to go from here. I just had a thought, you're at 145,000 miles, has the timing belt been changed or inspected? When it was at the dealership did they check the timing? If the timing belt is stretched or the teeth are worn, it could jump a tooth and throw off the timing. This can cause the misfires and lack of power you're feeling, is it hard to start? Do you smell fuel at all from the exhaust? If this is what's wrong, a worn out belt tensioner would be the cause.

But like I said, without knowing exactly what diagnostic tests were done by the dealership, we're flying blind here. Don't know if you have the knowledge or tools to check the timing yourself, but that would be a good place to start I think.

 

I was always taught that when the check engine light is solid it means to get it dealt with soon, but it's not going to destroy anything if you don't do it today. A flashing check engine light is more serious and is meant to get your attention and tell you to stop driving it and get it fixed immediately.