Check VSC, check engine and traction control lights keep coming on
05-03-08, 06:39 AM
#16
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When u turn engine off and back on, it still keeps fault in memory, but computer don't go into "emergency" mode, till it notices same problem again. If same problem don't occur anytime soon, it erases fault from it's memory, for problem being just occasional.
Don't say it is with lexus ECU, but it is just the main logic used in most computers.
Best solution: see dealer.
Possible problem: some kind of bad fuel (expl. water in fuel)
05-03-08, 07:17 AM
#17
I finally got a tech out by calling Lexus Customer support. They said fuel was present in the oil. They did an oil change and said the oil filter quote reeked of gasoline. I had the oil filter changed march 17th and this was on April 9th. They blamed this on the fact that I take "short trips" under 2 miles "cold trips" they called it. The shortest trip i take is to work, and i only go to work once a day, btw. From start-up to arrival at work, ranges from 8-12 minutes depending on traffic its about a 1and 1/2 mile drive with 4 intersection lights. Once I start the car I always sit in my car for about a minute before driving off. I live in South Orange County CA and its never cold when i leave for work. All other trips i take are longer then that. Does this sound like it should be happening? Lexus is trying to take no blame here and i just want the problem to go away! I drove my old car for 7 years with the same driving habits and it had no problems. -rpms stay at around 750-800 in park if that helps. When i arrive to my destination the needle is always in the middle of the cold hot thingy (sorry dont know what its called)
any help / advice? Thanks!
any help / advice? Thanks!
05-03-08, 07:46 AM
#18
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I finally got a tech out by calling Lexus Customer support. They said fuel was present in the oil. They did an oil change and said the oil filter quote reeked of gasoline. I had the oil filter changed march 17th and this was on April 9th. They blamed this on the fact that I take "short trips" under 2 miles "cold trips" they called it. The shortest trip i take is to work, and i only go to work once a day, btw. From start-up to arrival at work, ranges from 8-12 minutes depending on traffic its about a 1and 1/2 mile drive with 4 intersection lights. Once I start the car I always sit in my car for about a minute before driving off. I live in South Orange County CA and its never cold when i leave for work. All other trips i take are longer then that. Does this sound like it should be happening? Lexus is trying to take no blame here and i just want the problem to go away! I drove my old car for 7 years with the same driving habits and it had no problems. -rpms stay at around 750-800 in park if that helps. When i arrive to my destination the needle is always in the middle of the cold hot thingy (sorry dont know what its called)
any help / advice? Thanks!
any help / advice? Thanks!
Still, there should not be fuel in the oil. We've heard this off and on since the 250 was introduced, and the fix has been reflash the ECM and change the oil. I've also heard there are issues with the intake valves coking on the 250's - likely because they don't have a port injector spraying on the intake valve as the 350's do - and this is causing quite a few CELs in the 250s. If I were betting, this is what I'd bet on being the problem with this car - too much low engine speed operation, so the intake valves are getting gummed up with fuel being spit back through the intake valve, causing them not to seal well. Primary cause is driving cycle combined with GDI - no doubt your previous car did not have GDI, so it was able to suffer the abuse with minimal pain. The Lexus needs to see some full throttle operation - like getting on a clear freeway ramp and hitting it - to help clear up this issue.
05-03-08, 08:37 AM
#19
Insane? No, they're telling it like it is. Driving your car 1.5 miles is the worst possible thing you can do to your car. Should it have the problems it is having? No, it should not, but this driving profile is the worst possible profile you can imagine. The engine never gets to full temperature - yes, the cooling system gets up to temp, but the oil never comes close, so it builds up water and blowby. The only solution to this is to drive farther to let the oil get fully to temperature. Unfortunately, there is no oil temp gauge, and there is no indication when the oil has reached normal operating temperature.
Still, there should not be fuel in the oil. We've heard this off and on since the 250 was introduced, and the fix has been reflash the ECM and change the oil. I've also heard there are issues with the intake valves coking on the 250's - likely because they don't have a port injector spraying on the intake valve as the 350's do - and this is causing quite a few CELs in the 250s. If I were betting, this is what I'd bet on being the problem with this car - too much low engine speed operation, so the intake valves are getting gummed up with fuel being spit back through the intake valve, causing them not to seal well. Primary cause is driving cycle combined with GDI - no doubt your previous car did not have GDI, so it was able to suffer the abuse with minimal pain. The Lexus needs to see some full throttle operation - like getting on a clear freeway ramp and hitting it - to help clear up this issue.
Still, there should not be fuel in the oil. We've heard this off and on since the 250 was introduced, and the fix has been reflash the ECM and change the oil. I've also heard there are issues with the intake valves coking on the 250's - likely because they don't have a port injector spraying on the intake valve as the 350's do - and this is causing quite a few CELs in the 250s. If I were betting, this is what I'd bet on being the problem with this car - too much low engine speed operation, so the intake valves are getting gummed up with fuel being spit back through the intake valve, causing them not to seal well. Primary cause is driving cycle combined with GDI - no doubt your previous car did not have GDI, so it was able to suffer the abuse with minimal pain. The Lexus needs to see some full throttle operation - like getting on a clear freeway ramp and hitting it - to help clear up this issue.
I understand what you are saying but then what do people that drive this way on a daily basis do? I understand that its not good for them but the gas getting into the oil is what throws it off. You are by far more knowledgeable then I am hands down...Just doesn't make any sense to me?? A car should be capable of any kind of driving IMO to be able to fit every life style or need. The longevity based on how you drive or use your car would make more sense to me.
05-03-08, 10:31 AM
#20
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A mile and a half commute? Seriously? Dont' drive a car. Get a moped, ride a bike, rollerblade, or walk. It's just not good to drive a car on a short cycle like that. Another alternative - find a route that takes 15 - 20 minutes and has some 45+ speeds on it to help clear out the crap. Sure there's a trade off, but in terms of service life, you'll be WAY ahead.
I used to have a crap car just for this reason - my commute was about 2 miles. I rode my bike when the weather was good, and drove the '88 Corsica when it was bad. I left the Supra at home unless I knew I was going to be driving somewhere else in the day.
I used to have a crap car just for this reason - my commute was about 2 miles. I rode my bike when the weather was good, and drove the '88 Corsica when it was bad. I left the Supra at home unless I knew I was going to be driving somewhere else in the day.
09-14-08, 11:44 PM
#21
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Well this just happened to me again and this time its seems like its permeant because last time I turned the car off and back on and it was fine now its still there. I'm almost at a 100k so I'm out of warranty.......I'll just take it to Autozone in the morning and have them run a check on the OBD II. O yeah I'm about 2,000 miles overdue for an oil change.
Lobolux?
Lobolux?
09-15-08, 04:40 AM
#22
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Well this just happened to me again and this time its seems like its permeant because last time I turned the car off and back on and it was fine now its still there. I'm almost at a 100k so I'm out of warranty.......I'll just take it to Autozone in the morning and have them run a check on the OBD II. O yeah I'm about 2,000 miles overdue for an oil change.
Lobolux?
Lobolux?
Last edited by BounceNY; 09-15-08 at 04:44 AM.
09-15-08, 08:18 AM
#23
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Typically speaking, for your assurance is that if the problem occurs WITHIN the warranty time, you can have a warranty claim on it even after warranty is over. Say you have a 60000 mile warranty and the problem occurs at 59999 miles and you bring it in at 60101 miles, you can claim that the problem occurred within the warranty period and they will still fix it.
And also I've had the exact same problem where my lights came on and off all the time. The dealer checked the codes and they read off unrelated codes. My question is did the dealer take apart the dash or anything with wiring in any way? After taking my vehicle to the dealer several times, they found out when they took apart the dash to fix a creaking noise that they pinched a wire in the reinstallion of the dash. This pinched wire started reading off weird codes that caused the lights to go haywire.
Maybe you can have the dealer look at that.
Also, each time you bring your dealer to have something "fixed", whether its resolved or not it'll be in your vehicle history under warrantied/unwarrantied work. Whatever work you have with the dealer, they typically give you up a year of warranty on that specific problem. So say you at 180,000 miles you had the entire exhaust system replaced due to a faulty cat, you will have another year or certain amount of miles of warranty on whatever that was replaced and/or fixed.
Hope it all works out and keep us updated!
And also I've had the exact same problem where my lights came on and off all the time. The dealer checked the codes and they read off unrelated codes. My question is did the dealer take apart the dash or anything with wiring in any way? After taking my vehicle to the dealer several times, they found out when they took apart the dash to fix a creaking noise that they pinched a wire in the reinstallion of the dash. This pinched wire started reading off weird codes that caused the lights to go haywire.
Maybe you can have the dealer look at that.
Also, each time you bring your dealer to have something "fixed", whether its resolved or not it'll be in your vehicle history under warrantied/unwarrantied work. Whatever work you have with the dealer, they typically give you up a year of warranty on that specific problem. So say you at 180,000 miles you had the entire exhaust system replaced due to a faulty cat, you will have another year or certain amount of miles of warranty on whatever that was replaced and/or fixed.
Hope it all works out and keep us updated!
09-15-08, 10:39 AM
#24
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I'm at the dealership right now changing my oil and I noticed this morning when I left for work the lights were off until 20 mins into driving and it came back on so I'm hoping its just the oil needs to be changed.
09-15-08, 02:35 PM
#25
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This is what came up when I took it to Autozone.
P0031: Definition is AF sensor heater control circuit low: 11
Probable causes
1. Open or short circuit condition
2. AF sensor heater relay fault
3. Failed AF ratio sensor
P0031: Definition is AF sensor heater control circuit low: 11
Probable causes
1. Open or short circuit condition
2. AF sensor heater relay fault
3. Failed AF ratio sensor
09-15-08, 07:35 PM
#27
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Thats what I was hoping it was but its not. Anyone know anything about bank 1 circuit 1? That was another thing that came up on the OBD II the guy said something about the first O2 sensor.
10-08-08, 10:42 AM
#28
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A few months later....
I had the P0172 come up on mine using a scanner tool, dealership said they reprogrammed the ECU and changed the oil. Anyone have any idea what they could have reprogrammed the ECU to? Looking at my gas mileage it seems to be a bit lower then it used to be. Weird thing is that when I used the scanner I got only one code, on my dealership invoice it also showed the P0175. When I asked the service advisor what the problem was he wouldnt say, just said they reprogrammed the ECU and changed the oil.
I think with the combination of recent low temps and my short commute (I know, I should walk/ride a bike...) is clearly causing this to happen. My car is now out of warranty (ODO: 53k miles), so I'm left to wonder if I can still bring it in under warranty since the first time I brought it in, it was under warranty and it was the same exact issue.
My other question is, I'm going on vacation in 2 days, and wont have time to change the oil. Will this be an issue if the car sits with the fuel mixed in the oil for 1.5 weeks?
In any case, from now on, I will be taking the long way to work, oh well...
Last edited by BounceNY; 10-08-08 at 11:24 AM.
10-08-08, 02:24 PM
#29
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Last time i saw this problem on my car it was because i moved something in the harness right behind the drivers side headlight. Once I wiggled it again the light went away and has stayed away....but i wonder if i wiggle the harness again if it will come back.
I wiggled the relay and/or fuse box right behind the drivers side headlight and the big wire harness box next to it. I actually took the covers off and pressed everything back in again. Nothing was loose...but just tried it and it worked.
try it out it might work for you also.
I wiggled the relay and/or fuse box right behind the drivers side headlight and the big wire harness box next to it. I actually took the covers off and pressed everything back in again. Nothing was loose...but just tried it and it worked.
try it out it might work for you also.
10-08-08, 07:03 PM
#30
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Last time i saw this problem on my car it was because i moved something in the harness right behind the drivers side headlight. Once I wiggled it again the light went away and has stayed away....but i wonder if i wiggle the harness again if it will come back.
I wiggled the relay and/or fuse box right behind the drivers side headlight and the big wire harness box next to it. I actually took the covers off and pressed everything back in again. Nothing was loose...but just tried it and it worked.
try it out it might work for you also.
I wiggled the relay and/or fuse box right behind the drivers side headlight and the big wire harness box next to it. I actually took the covers off and pressed everything back in again. Nothing was loose...but just tried it and it worked.
try it out it might work for you also.
Also, I did not mess with anything in the engine bay, nor do I have any engine mods. Additionally, this is the second time these two OBDII codes came up for me. The first time, dealer just changed the oil/filter and reset the ECU. Thats it...so now I'm not sure if I should still take it in since I'm outta warranty, or do it myself (reset ECU via fuse pull & change oil/filter). Any suggestions? Lobux? Anyone?
