So, for a while now I've been experiencing a low idle so yesterday I put some Seafoam in my gas tank to help clean my fuel system a little. This morning as I was trying to head to work I got to a stop sign and got ready to take off but the car didn't budge. The Check Engine and VSC lights came on. After tpying with the pedal a little I realized that if I push it in almost to the floor then the car with then start to get a little fuel. I managed to get home like that which was only about a half mile away. Once I got home I turned the car off then turned it back on and the problem was gone. Did it again and again and after a couple of times the accelerator would not engage again. Turn the car off then back on and now it's engaging again. I'm going to try to get it scanned later today if I can make it to Advance auto but I'm curious has anyone seen this before of could lend some advice. Thanks in advance!

 

as cliche as it is i'm tempted to say that you mucked up your gas or fuel filter with the seafoam...how much seafoam did you use? iirc using too much (ie- a full can with <1/4tank of gas, or something like that) will basically make the car run like crap

 

I put about 3/4 of a can while close to E then filled the car up with 17 gal of 93 octane before turning the engine on. I'm starting to wonder if it's the TPS because when I turn the car off then back on it runs fine for a while and then the prob happens again. then I have to repeat the off/on routine and it seems like that is resetting the car to run right.

 

You know the saying...Leave well enough alone...it applies to seafoaming your engine....You wouldn't believe the stories I've heard about it.

In general I would say it usually does more harm than good.

It's really a hit or miss treatment.

Lots of people end up with a car running far worse than it was running before.

Good Luck!

 

not on this forum they don't many many members have used it and had great results. I personally have used it in 3 of our vehicles and never had a problem.

i'll withhold comments until you get the CEL code.

 

I ran seafoam (5.5oz) through the brake booster couple days back, and it the results have been great so far.

 

Ok, I pulled the cel and got P1128 - Throttle Control Motor Lock

 

sounds like a coincidence, this is a drive-by-wire issue with the throttle body, i would take it off the intake, clean it carefully, and run the operational test after reassembly

 

Ok thanks. I'll pull the TB this weekend. Are there any step by step instructions for the 98-00. I keep finding instructions for th earlier models.

 

Well that is good news. I've heard on some other makes(Ex Volvo) that the seafoam eats through some of the seals.

 

Ok, here's a new twist to the story. I was looking under the hood last night and realized that I had build up around my positive battery terminal. I took the connector off of the post and cleaned it. I then realized that the connector was corroded and broken. It would not tighten back up and when I tried to it started to bend and break apart. I put it on the battery post as good as possible to at least be able to start the car. Well, I drove her into work this morning and it drove just fine. No check engine light and it stayed idle around 600 rpm. I'm going to pick up a new battery connector from the dealer (PN: 90982-05037 $25) and hope that this helps out my problem.

 

Keep us updated!

 

So far there are no more issues. Before changing the battery terminal I had both VSC and Check engine lights on. Obviously disconnecting the battery reset everything but they have yet to come back on. Also the car has not given me any accelerator issues which were happening pretty frequently. I don't know how this would be linked to eachother or how a bad connection from the battery would cause me to idle around 200, throw a cel and completely disrupt acceleration but that's what it seems like happened. At 230,000 miles with no issues prior to this... I'll take it though!

 

ecu's and sensors all work within a specified voltage range, low voltage=bad signal from sensor. a bad battery connection can cause all sorts of weird problems. hopefully you have it settled now.

 

Still seems to be doing ok. I haven't gotten a cel again. The car does idle really low apon start up. It takes about 5 mins of driving before it gets to slightly below normal. I'll clean the TB and hopefully everything will straighten itself out.