Help! My Engine died today in traffic =(
Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,282
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From: CA
Help! My Engine died today in traffic =(
Well I hope someone can help me out here
my '95 SC400 with 95K (with full 90K service) died today when I got off the freeway
I was making a right turn, and had to stop and i turned my AC off the check engine light flashed on and the car just died, I tried to restart it and it didnt even turn now lights no starter no nothing.
I tried a few seconds later and it started right up!!
hope someone can help me out with this!! I love the car and I dont wana be scared driving the darned thing out in traffic
I tried to reproduce the situation the whole day stop and go traffic this and that and it didnt reoccur but i've been worrying like crazy about it ever since... I havent enjoyed driving the car since
my '95 SC400 with 95K (with full 90K service) died today when I got off the freeway
I was making a right turn, and had to stop and i turned my AC off the check engine light flashed on and the car just died, I tried to restart it and it didnt even turn now lights no starter no nothing.
I tried a few seconds later and it started right up!!
hope someone can help me out with this!! I love the car and I dont wana be scared driving the darned thing out in traffic I tried to reproduce the situation the whole day stop and go traffic this and that and it didnt reoccur but i've been worrying like crazy about it ever since... I havent enjoyed driving the car since
I don't know if this would help, but my car used to just shut off on me on the road, then it worked after i restarted it. Then the next morning, the car didn't start up at all. It took me the whole day to figured out the problem was the faulty electrical connection at the ignition coil. The connectors didn't have good contact. Basically, i am pretty sure this is an electrical problem. Just check on the ignition system first(connectors, wires, coils...).
Also, the alternator is another threat. My previous car also died on me on the road due to the stupid defected alternator. The alternator is a generator to supply the electricity to run the car and charge the battery. When the alternator doesn't work or at it's full potential, it doesn't charge up the battery and doesn't supply enough "juice" to run the car. Soon "lights out". There is one way you can do to detect this by letting your car idle and turn on every electronic device in your car(stereo, defogged, lights, fan...) for about 20 min(not sure about this time period). If later, the headlight turn blur and the indash gauge cluster isn't bright, then consider your alternator isn't working right.
These are the best to my knowledge, goodluck..
Also, the alternator is another threat. My previous car also died on me on the road due to the stupid defected alternator. The alternator is a generator to supply the electricity to run the car and charge the battery. When the alternator doesn't work or at it's full potential, it doesn't charge up the battery and doesn't supply enough "juice" to run the car. Soon "lights out". There is one way you can do to detect this by letting your car idle and turn on every electronic device in your car(stereo, defogged, lights, fan...) for about 20 min(not sure about this time period). If later, the headlight turn blur and the indash gauge cluster isn't bright, then consider your alternator isn't working right.
These are the best to my knowledge, goodluck..
Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,282
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From: CA
thanks guys I'll check it out... haha I'm a DIY mechanic but something I realized haha i'm more attuned to modding than fixing and this totally baffled me its got symptoms of everything electrical, alternator...
I'm searching sorry I didnt think to search haha never heard of an SC doing this
I'll run the codes and check the alternator then see what i can do thanks
I'm searching sorry I didnt think to search haha never heard of an SC doing this
I'll run the codes and check the alternator then see what i can do thanks
Rookie
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: fl
same exact thing happened to me last wednesday. I was going about 50 when the car just shut off...brakes pretty much locked up...power stearing went out and when i turned the wheel it locked. Only thin is my car wouldnt Restart. Had to have it towed to the toyota dealer (no local lexus dealer in tallahassee) Anyway i thought i was screwed and it would be expensive. In the end the only problem was that a fuse in the fuse box just popped out of place. The mechanic said he has seen that happen before. He just popped it into place and no problems since then. I got out cheap.
Although $65 just to push my old fuse back in isnt too cheap...but all things considered I was happy
check that
Although $65 just to push my old fuse back in isnt too cheap...but all things considered I was happy
check that
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Florida
Your in Tally? I'm in Panama City!..... We should get up sometime... Anyhow.. I had that same crap happen to me, but when I was coming to a stop at a red light with my air/con off... The check engine light came on and the engine was off... I put it in park and it started back up again... Weird
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Thread Starter
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,282
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From: CA
has it happened to any of you multiple times? I'm gona try to figure out whatsup and see what i can do about it and where i can get a new Fuel Pump ECU for cheap 
so I hope it doesnt happen again for awhile
so I hope it doesnt happen again for awhile
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has it happened to any of you multiple times?
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 928
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From: Florida
Originally posted by ChrisK
Yes, usually in the hot weather when shutting the AC off. It happened to me while sitting at the lights, AC off, the car stumbles to 200 RMPS and dies. Also, the AC off when driving, stop at the lights, the car dies.
Yes, usually in the hot weather when shutting the AC off. It happened to me while sitting at the lights, AC off, the car stumbles to 200 RMPS and dies. Also, the AC off when driving, stop at the lights, the car dies.
The Toyota dealership said that it is from the IAC (Idle Air Control) valve sticking, but i'm not sure if thats it.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 928
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From: Florida
Originally posted by ChrisK
Yes, usually in the hot weather when shutting the AC off. It happened to me while sitting at the lights, AC off, the car stumbles to 200 RMPS and dies. Also, the AC off when driving, stop at the lights, the car dies.
Yes, usually in the hot weather when shutting the AC off. It happened to me while sitting at the lights, AC off, the car stumbles to 200 RMPS and dies. Also, the AC off when driving, stop at the lights, the car dies.
If so, thats what mine is doing too.. Hendricks Lexus of Charlotte had NEVER heard of the problem, and of course I could not get the car to do it when I brought it to them...
P.S., don't try getting your throttle plate cleaned, it won't help.. I've had mine cleaned about 5 times now, and it didn't fix the problem.. I alos had the feul pump changed, the Feul Filter changed, my injectors cleaned, then replaced and still had the same problem..
I might just replace the IAC to see if that fixes it...
DO NOT REPLACE THOSE PARTS I MENTIONED, THEY DON'T FIX THE PROBLEM!
Last edited by 2Lexus430s; Sep 17, 2002 at 03:31 AM.
Here is my take on this.
I got my Idle Air Control and Throttle Position Sensors replaced about 2 years ago, and I've noticed the problem about 6 months ago. I hope it is not a problem with IAC because it would be very expensive to replace it every 1.5 years. By the way the IAC is controlled by the ECU, so I personally believe it is the glitch in the ECU programming. In my opinion the ECU closes the IAC to quickly and can not adjust it back on time. I believe this because many times I've seen car idle at 200 RPMs when at the stop while turning the AC off. A lot of times it rebounds back to 500 RPMs (normal idle speed), but sometimes, especially in hot weather, it just dies.
P.S. I also had my fuel filter changed, injectors and throttle body cleaned. My dealer also can not trouble shoot the problem, and most of the time they even can not recreate it.
I got my Idle Air Control and Throttle Position Sensors replaced about 2 years ago, and I've noticed the problem about 6 months ago. I hope it is not a problem with IAC because it would be very expensive to replace it every 1.5 years. By the way the IAC is controlled by the ECU, so I personally believe it is the glitch in the ECU programming. In my opinion the ECU closes the IAC to quickly and can not adjust it back on time. I believe this because many times I've seen car idle at 200 RPMs when at the stop while turning the AC off. A lot of times it rebounds back to 500 RPMs (normal idle speed), but sometimes, especially in hot weather, it just dies.
P.S. I also had my fuel filter changed, injectors and throttle body cleaned. My dealer also can not trouble shoot the problem, and most of the time they even can not recreate it.
Last edited by ChrisK; Sep 17, 2002 at 09:50 AM.
TealLexusSc400,
The part you circled on the picture is the thermostat housing. The IAC is that black part in the front of the intake manifold, right on top of the plastic peace covering the ignition cables.
By the way, how did the dealership adjust your idle speed?
Yes, or when sitting at the light right after I turn the AC off.
The part you circled on the picture is the thermostat housing. The IAC is that black part in the front of the intake manifold, right on top of the plastic peace covering the ignition cables.
By the way, how did the dealership adjust your idle speed?
When your car does it, are you just slowing down to a stop an then the car idles very very low and the engine dies?
Last edited by ChrisK; Sep 17, 2002 at 09:58 AM.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 928
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From: Florida
Originally posted by ChrisK
TealLexusSc400,
The part you circled on the picture is the thermostat housing. The IAC is that black part in the front of the intake manifold, right on top of the plastic peace covering the ignition cables.
By the way, how did the dealership adjust your idle speed?
Yes, or when sitting at the light right after I turn the AC off.
TealLexusSc400,
The part you circled on the picture is the thermostat housing. The IAC is that black part in the front of the intake manifold, right on top of the plastic peace covering the ignition cables.
By the way, how did the dealership adjust your idle speed?
Yes, or when sitting at the light right after I turn the AC off.
I'm not sure how they adjusted it... Call them, i'm sure they can tell you.. THey seem to know alot more than other service centers i've been too.
Does your car sometimes spudder when you are driving? feels sorta like a vacume leak? but very intermintant.. mine does.
Hendricks Lexus (Charlotte NC): 704-568-4122 (Ask for: Preston Caldwell; Assistant Service Manager)
He will remember if you tell him about the guy with the 96 Lexus SC400 from Panama City Florida that was visiting there when I got my car fixed... He might be able to tell you the mechanic that worked on the car..