Post strange car problems!

PizzaMan5000 · Apr 3, 2014

Hey guys, I've noticed that NOBODY is ever in the automotive section on this site. I am a self employed mechanic, but I really just buy cheap cars that have hard to diagnose issues and get them running. When I worked at a shop they called me Scooby, because I was always stoned and I loved solving mysteries! Im not claiming to know everything by any means, but I believe there are enough people on this site to chime in and get anybody's car troubles solved if the owner is willing to give every possible detail and willing to follow people's instructions on how to diagnose the true culprit. So please folks, post your moto-woe's! And give us stoner car guys something to ponder!

stoned-trout · Apr 12, 2014

no issues as I am master mechanic.....but great idea..when I went to school for automotive the school was donated whack vehicles from dealerships with problems they couldn't or didn't want to deal with . I am sure it was tax write off or something...intermittent problems were the worst and hard to track down .. the snap on scanner helped sometimes....

PizzaMan5000 · Apr 13, 2014

It's fun finding a car somebody else has given up on and find out it only a broken solder etc isn't it?

dropabomb · Apr 13, 2014

well hell, i ll post my wierd issue. I have a 2010 F150 with around 51,000 miles on it. It has the strangest situation. While driving and at no specific time, but all the time my dash panel and clock/radio, and heat/air go out and dont function. the lights dont come on for any of those instruments and they do nothing. i also at the same time get some wierd errors on my speedo instrument display. i get everything from ABS flashing, to the tire pressure error, to the Emergency brake light, traction control error, all or any of these lights also light up. Now, the stranger part is when i hit, not hard but hit or slap my steering wheel, in no specific spot, and not every time but sometimes it will all come back to full working. other times some of the stuff starts to work and other functions dont but usually my only fix is hitting my steering wheel and hoping for the best. I have to say though i worry a bit as i figure while these errors are going on my airbag prolly isnt working. anyway, ive been kinda to broke to take it in so ive been living with it like this for about 6 months.

I figure it has to be some sorta loose switch/connector but again i dont wanna mess with my steering much as im afraid ill engage my airbag and hit myself in the dumb mellon. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

doneit · Apr 13, 2014

Check the main connection that go threw the fire wall... they have a 8/10mm bolt that can be loose if serviced or missed at inspection.. controls everything inside the vehicle..

Mknasty32 · Apr 13, 2014

sounds like ignition switch, outta sync..
fords do that

stoned-trout · Apr 13, 2014

the area where airbag was makes a good hiding spot....lol

dropabomb · Apr 13, 2014

i agree, it has to be an ignition problem as thats really the only part that seems to 'shake' when i hit my wheel. Any idea if its something i can try and fix myself of you think its gonna have to be a dealership issue? Doh! Thanks for the help!

PizzaMan5000 · Apr 14, 2014

I agree, Ignition switch is your MAIN culprit. It could trick your truck into thinking it isn't in the "run" position and have ALOT of things not work.... don't wait till your wipers don't work in the rain!
Don't go to the dealership. It shouldn't cause any computer problems, worst case you would have to go to the dealership to reprogram a key or something.. but the process is in the owner's manual too. I would go to the lowest bidder and get it done with aftermarket parts, no real benefit to most OEM parts.

dropabomb · Apr 15, 2014

Thank you pizza man and everyone else who have given ideas. Finally did my taxes today so hopefully I can afford to fix it. I'll let u know what find out!

PizzaMan5000 · Apr 15, 2014

You can also bypass the ignition switch for convenience. This has less relays and switches to deal with.
I used an inline fuse and speaker wire directly to a hearty positive wire off of the battery to make my power windows and sunroof work independently of the ignition switch... Very handy if you park your car with the windows down etc. I also disabled my daytime running lights by simply pulling the fuse, I really do want to put a basic on/off switch to connect to my rear lights and daytime running light circuit. So I can control my daytime running lights without making my tail running lights come on, and also disable my brake lights at the flick of a switch. Sorry about the rant

PizzaMan5000 · Apr 22, 2014

dropabomb said:
well hell, i ll post my wierd issue. I have a 2010 F150 with around 51,000 miles on it. It has the strangest situation. While driving and at no specific time, but all the time my dash panel and clock/radio, and heat/air go out and dont function. the lights dont come on for any of those instruments and they do nothing. i also at the same time get some wierd errors on my speedo instrument display. i get everything from ABS flashing, to the tire pressure error, to the Emergency brake light, traction control error, all or any of these lights also light up. Now, the stranger part is when i hit, not hard but hit or slap my steering wheel, in no specific spot, and not every time but sometimes it will all come back to full working. other times some of the stuff starts to work and other functions dont but usually my only fix is hitting my steering wheel and hoping for the best. I have to say though i worry a bit as i figure while these errors are going on my airbag prolly isnt working. anyway, ive been kinda to broke to take it in so ive been living with it like this for about 6 months.

I figure it has to be some sorta loose switch/connector but again i dont wanna mess with my steering much as im afraid ill engage my airbag and hit myself in the dumb mellon. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Any news on your car? And were we right? :eyelash:

blastfrompast · Apr 22, 2014

Pontiac Montana...regular model not AWD..
2003...407K miles

3 months or so when passing and hitting the RPM's in the orange...the check engine light flashed...and the engine missed tho the vehicle didn't lurch, lose power, or experience any of the typical issues I have seen when a car misses bad..

I've tried your usual fuel injector cleaner, had my mechanic do a checkup like usual, only thing he could find was a dirty air filter. Not sure what else he tested but he said it wasn't the coil, he changed the plugs, plug lines were fine...

So it happened again today....120km/h...passing....all of a sudden I notice check engine light is flashing...ugh...

My mechanic wrote down which cylinder missed last time, so I will get him to read the codes again...see if it is the same one.

blastfrompast · Apr 22, 2014

Oh we bought the vehicle with 40k....90% of the miles are highway doing 100km/h on cruise.

PizzaMan5000 · Apr 22, 2014

If you could let me know which engine it has that would be good... not a big deal however. So was the misfire "random multiple" or a specific cylinder? I don't like that the plus were changed and not the wires. Some times a wire can conduct electricity very well, but also have a crack in the rubber insulation around it causing it to short against the body or engine. Find out which cylinder is misfiring and switch the wire from it to another cylinder and vice versa. Clear old codes (you can just unhook the battery, but you may lose radio presets). Drive it around until the code comes back. If the misfire follows the wire, it's the wire that's bad. Also if it only happens on humid/rainy days that's another clue.

You said it only happens when you are passing, which means that the engine is working harder..... Have the engine mounts checked out, they could be letting your engine rock around too much and possibly causing a plug wire to short out, or causing a broken/loose air intake to create air leaks while the engine is rocking around. This generally causes an air/fuel problem, but this sometimes manifests as a misfire.

To recap, try to find out which cylinder is misfiring. If it's only one cylinder, swap it with another wire. Reset codes. Inspect air intake for cracks (in the accordion looking parts most often) and also just make sure that the hose clamps and all of the sensors are connected properly- oil change places can sometimes leave these loose while they are trying to upsell overpriced air filters. Also check the engine mounts, or more specifically the rubber parts of them.... Shallow cracks are ok really, but if the rubber is torn all the way through- its bad. These cause exhaust leaks, intake leaks, undue transmission stress, and other bad shit. They are a basic hand tool repair and SHOULD NEVER BE AN EXPENSIVE PART OR REPAIR!!! They have an important sounding name, but don't be fooled. They are simple.

stoned-trout · Oct 4, 2014

I got one...if my cars sits for 3 days in a row ..upon starting it stumbles and miss fires then smoothes out after several minutes....if I start it before 3 days sitting all is fine...checked everything I could think of....screeming demon coil,live wires and platinum plugs...all fine... I am getting diagnostic software for my laptop and cable to see what I can come up with...it only made a code once misfire cyl#1.....

dddaver · Oct 5, 2014

I've had a few strange cars...Oh...NVM.

stoned-trout · Oct 6, 2014

407k miles???? damn blast that's a shitload...I think your engine wants to move to florida and retire ....lol...

Dropped Cat · Oct 7, 2014

276K on my '93 Accord. Had an ignition switch go bad and witnessed the
strange symptoms that created!

The symptoms were so specific that the answer was clear once I looked into it.

Stoned-Trout, any closer to an answer to your issue? It's the intermittent
stuff that stumps me, I'm an armchair mechanic, so to speak.

noyd666 · Oct 7, 2014

and,lol;.

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