so i was driving along yesterday and all of a sudden my check engine lite starts flashing and my idle is real, real ruff - the entire vehicle is shuddering...lt's like she is not firing on all cylinders or something...this happened to a friend of mine on his honda but it was because he had cleaned his engine and water got on something (spark plugs?)...he dried everything off and it seemed fixed. i'm not sure if the same thing is happening here...i had gotten my car washed earlier in the day but i didn't have my engine cleaned as my friend had before, tho...it was driving just fine at that point...i went out later that day and as i was coming out of a parking lot, i drove thru a big dip in the parking lot right before this happened...i didn't hit anything but it was a rather large dip in the road...anyways, today when i start my rx the check engine light isn't flashing, it just stays on - and i can smell something funny from the exhaust...like it's too rich maybe...any ideas?

 

yea my rx has its engine light on too sometimes i get the ruff idle. but hte worst part is sometimes when i fill up gas the car starts ad then turns back off so i have to try to start it again. no idea wat the problem is, i thought it was the loss of vaccum pressure in the gas tank so i change the gas cap, the light went off but a couple days later it came back on. u gettin that same problem?

 

Based on your description, I'm guessing a loose spark plug wire. One of the cylinders isn't burning. So the engine runs rough, and you can probably smell gas vapor from the exhaust.

 

thanks for the advice ima go check it right now.

 

Sounds like your MAF sensor from your intake is giving the engine erroneous readings. Definitely get the CEL checked out with a scanner.

 

Actually my advice was for StrmRdr23. Not sure about your case. I assume you already know to get a few "clicks" when you close the gas cap?

 

thanks for the input, man! the ride's at the shop now so i'll keep ya posted on what they say...pray it don't cost $$$$ boooo

 

ok, the service guy at lexus just called me back...it's the #4 spark plug...it died and coil for that plug shorted out too...not too bad, $300+