Engine Light Won’t Go Out, Engine cuts out
03-20-2024, 04:37 AM
#1
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Engine Light Won’t Go Out, Engine cuts out
After not running for a few months I started car ok but engine light won’t go out . Runs ok for a short time and then cuts out. Anyone with a similar experience? What could I try. Engine was great until the rest over the winter - garaged and dry. Thanks all. Scotty
03-20-2024, 04:39 AM
#2
Pull the code?
03-20-2024, 05:13 AM
#3
Shutdown is concerning. The light less so.
Some really bad fuel, maybe with lots of water in it?
As for the light:
The Check Engine Light (technically a Malfunction Indicator Light but no one calls it that 
) will be triggered by a loose fuel cap. This is apparently so common that Honda put a text message "Check...Fuel...Cap" notice on the dash in my 2006. It can take several days of driving before the CEL goes out.
-- Chuck
Some really bad fuel, maybe with lots of water in it?
As for the light:
If this indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem.
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem.
) will be triggered by a loose fuel cap. This is apparently so common that Honda put a text message "Check...Fuel...Cap" notice on the dash in my 2006. It can take several days of driving before the CEL goes out.-- Chuck
03-20-2024, 06:30 AM
#4
Shutdown is concerning. The light less so.
Some really bad fuel, maybe with lots of water in it?
As for the light:
The Check Engine Light (technically a Malfunction Indicator Light but no one calls it that ) will be triggered by a loose fuel cap. This is apparently so common that Honda put a text message "Check...Fuel...Cap" notice on the dash in my 2006. It can take several days of driving before the CEL goes out.
-- Chuck
Some really bad fuel, maybe with lots of water in it?
As for the light:
The Check Engine Light (technically a Malfunction Indicator Light but no one calls it that
) will be triggered by a loose fuel cap. This is apparently so common that Honda put a text message "Check...Fuel...Cap" notice on the dash in my 2006. It can take several days of driving before the CEL goes out.-- Chuck
Scotty, first thing you need to do is have the codes pulled and we can likely help you narrow in from there. Keep in mind, the codes may not tell you exactly what is wrong, but they tell you what the ECU sees as out of spec. And it could be multiple codes too so make sure to list them all. Some autoparts stores will pull the codes for you for free, but you can also get a cheap code reader for $20 or so. The readers most of us have will only pull generic codes (The manufacturer can have other codes only accessible by their software) but 99% of the time the generic OBD2 data will give you what you need to troubleshoot further. You have a CEL and a running issue (car shutting off) so first thing is to eliminate any codes that may be pointing to the issue. The code will not necessarily tell you what is wrong, but it will point to data points that the ECU reads as out of spec and can point your troubleshooting in the right direction. It is also possible that the car can stall without setting a CEL but since you know at least one code is set, step one is to pull those codes. This is what any reputable shop will do as step one as well.
Last edited by engifineer; 03-20-2024 at 06:33 AM.
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windhund116 (03-20-2024)
03-20-2024, 09:13 AM
#5
Yeah, Ignore my my earlier post. And ignore your owner's manual too which is where that information came from. Check engine light -- in every car -- is mainly an emissions malfunction. Not something to be ignored but no cause for panic. But in this case the engine shutting down is the real issue.
Emphasis added.
-- Chuck
And ignore your owner's manual too which is where that information came from. Check engine light -- in every car -- is mainly an emissions malfunction. Not something to be ignored but no cause for panic. But in this case the engine shutting down is the real issue.
If this indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may feel no difference in
your vehicle’s performance, it can
reduce your fuel economy and cause
increased emissions.
...
If you have recently refueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be due to a loose or missing
fuel fill cap. Tighten the cap until it
clicks at least once. Tightening the
cap will not turn the indicator off
immediately; it can take several days
of normal driving.
...
If you keep driving with the
malfunction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control
systems may have a problem. Even
though you may feel no difference in
your vehicle’s performance, it can
reduce your fuel economy and cause
increased emissions.
...
If you have recently refueled your
vehicle, the indicator coming on
could be due to a loose or missing
fuel fill cap. Tighten the cap until it
clicks at least once. Tightening the
cap will not turn the indicator off
immediately; it can take several days
of normal driving.
...
If you keep driving with the
malfunction indicator lamp on, you can
damage your vehicle’s emissions
controls and engine. Those repairs may
not be covered by your vehicle’s
warranties.
-- Chuck
03-20-2024, 09:27 AM
#6
Yeah, Ignore my my earlier post. And ignore your owner's manual too which is where that information came from. Check engine light -- in every car -- is mainly an emissions malfunction. Not something to be ignored but no cause for panic. But in this case the engine shutting down is the real issue.
Emphasis added.
-- Chuck
And ignore your owner's manual too which is where that information came from. Check engine light -- in every car -- is mainly an emissions malfunction. Not something to be ignored but no cause for panic. But in this case the engine shutting down is the real issue.Emphasis added.
-- Chuck
You also seemed to forget to emphasize that AND ENGINE part in your reply there Chuck.
Emissions issue can be ANYTHING AFFECTING THE WAY THE CAR RUNS. I guess my father, who has run his own shop longer than I have been alive, and has more OBD2 test equipment than I can list here and who taught me everything I know about working on modern cars, just is wasting his time and money cause he should just say "oh that must be your gas cap!!!" But crazy him, he uses the thousands of dollars of software and manuals to actually diagnose issues. I guess he should just go look in the owners manual to troubleshoot lol. Your owners manual is for the average joe owner (Aka knows not a thing about fixing their own car) and is simply saying to check the gas cap first to make sure it is on tight. It is not saying that is all that can be wrong.
I guess all those codes about coolant temp out of range (which affects the AFR which affects how the car runs), cam sensor codes, misfire codes, crank sensor codes, MAF/MAP codes, IAT, etc area all just there for no reason and should just be ignored. Or we could be like actual mechanics and say "hey the car is not running correctly and there is this light on telling me the ECU sees things out of range" and actually take it seriously. Simply go google a list of OBD2 codes and tell me how all of those others are something you typically should not worry about.
Seriously, the codes are set for a reason and real shops pull those codes first thing to see what the ECU is trying to tell them.
Sorry if I sound rude or snippy here but you are leading people astray and telling them completely incorrect information. You do not know how to diagnose these issues. There is nothing wrong with that, but dont just read a blurb from an owners manual and start telling people that their CEL is nothing to worry about.
Oh and have you read the SHOP manual for this car? Cause it literally has chapters of information about all the various OBD2 codes and what they mean and how to use them to troubleshoot the possible issues they relate to. Mine is sitting right here on my shelf if you would like any information from it. Cause a shop will be referencing that, not the owners manual, when diagnosing.
Last edited by engifineer; 03-20-2024 at 09:30 AM.
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03-20-2024, 09:38 AM
#7
Pick the low hanging fruit first by verifying the fuel cap is tight and checking the fuel for contamination. If the fuel tank was not full when the car went into storage there can be enough water from condensation in the tank for the car to shut off when the bad fuel finally gets up front to the engine. While these are unlikely to be the issue it's best to eliminate them as step 1.
-- Chuck
-- Chuck
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NecroFIesh2K (03-20-2024)
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03-20-2024, 09:41 AM
#8
How much fuel was in the tank when you put her into storage? Fuel can become unstable over time, more so if there is headspace in a 3/4 empty tank. If the tank was low you may be misfiring leading to your CEL. The most important thing about this indicator is if it is blinking. If the engine light blinks shut it down! As previously noted a solid engine light is usually associated with emissions. I concur with others to check the codes is key,if you can. P0300-P0304 would indicate the misfire. Add some fresh gas. If the car was stored with a full tank I officially crawl back in my Honda hole. Again get the codes! Lots of folks here to help….
Utah
Utah
Last edited by Utah S2K; 03-20-2024 at 09:44 AM.
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SheDrivesIt (03-20-2024),
windhund116 (03-20-2024)
03-20-2024, 10:27 AM
#9
You also seemed to forget to emphasize that AND ENGINE part in your reply there Chuck.
Emissions issue can be ANYTHING AFFECTING THE WAY THE CAR RUNS. I guess my father, who has run his own shop longer than I have been alive, and has more OBD2 test equipment than I can list here and who taught me everything I know about working on modern cars, just is wasting his time and money cause he should just say "oh that must be your gas cap!!!" But crazy him, he uses the thousands of dollars of software and manuals to actually diagnose issues. I guess he should just go look in the owners manual to troubleshoot lol. Your owners manual is for the average joe owner (Aka knows not a thing about fixing their own car) and is simply saying to check the gas cap first to make sure it is on tight. It is not saying that is all that can be wrong.
I guess all those codes about coolant temp out of range (which affects the AFR which affects how the car runs), cam sensor codes, misfire codes, crank sensor codes, MAF/MAP codes, IAT, etc area all just there for no reason and should just be ignored. Or we could be like actual mechanics and say "hey the car is not running correctly and there is this light on telling me the ECU sees things out of range" and actually take it seriously. Simply go google a list of OBD2 codes and tell me how all of those others are something you typically should not worry about.
Seriously, the codes are set for a reason and real shops pull those codes first thing to see what the ECU is trying to tell them.
Sorry if I sound rude or snippy here but you are leading people astray and telling them completely incorrect information. You do not know how to diagnose these issues. There is nothing wrong with that, but dont just read a blurb from an owners manual and start telling people that their CEL is nothing to worry about.
Oh and have you read the SHOP manual for this car? Cause it literally has chapters of information about all the various OBD2 codes and what they mean and how to use them to troubleshoot the possible issues they relate to. Mine is sitting right here on my shelf if you would like any information from it. Cause a shop will be referencing that, not the owners manual, when diagnosing.
Emissions issue can be ANYTHING AFFECTING THE WAY THE CAR RUNS. I guess my father, who has run his own shop longer than I have been alive, and has more OBD2 test equipment than I can list here and who taught me everything I know about working on modern cars, just is wasting his time and money cause he should just say "oh that must be your gas cap!!!" But crazy him, he uses the thousands of dollars of software and manuals to actually diagnose issues. I guess he should just go look in the owners manual to troubleshoot lol. Your owners manual is for the average joe owner (Aka knows not a thing about fixing their own car) and is simply saying to check the gas cap first to make sure it is on tight. It is not saying that is all that can be wrong.
I guess all those codes about coolant temp out of range (which affects the AFR which affects how the car runs), cam sensor codes, misfire codes, crank sensor codes, MAF/MAP codes, IAT, etc area all just there for no reason and should just be ignored. Or we could be like actual mechanics and say "hey the car is not running correctly and there is this light on telling me the ECU sees things out of range" and actually take it seriously. Simply go google a list of OBD2 codes and tell me how all of those others are something you typically should not worry about.
Seriously, the codes are set for a reason and real shops pull those codes first thing to see what the ECU is trying to tell them.
Sorry if I sound rude or snippy here but you are leading people astray and telling them completely incorrect information. You do not know how to diagnose these issues. There is nothing wrong with that, but dont just read a blurb from an owners manual and start telling people that their CEL is nothing to worry about.
Oh and have you read the SHOP manual for this car? Cause it literally has chapters of information about all the various OBD2 codes and what they mean and how to use them to troubleshoot the possible issues they relate to. Mine is sitting right here on my shelf if you would like any information from it. Cause a shop will be referencing that, not the owners manual, when diagnosing.
One of the best diagnostic tools invented. Can save a lot of time.
03-20-2024, 10:55 AM
#10
If the car shuts down quickly, then my guess is a P0106. If it is, you'll need a new map sensor.
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engifineer (03-20-2024)