Help ! Car is losing its "mind"
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Louisville Ky.
Help ! Car is losing its "mind"
Last weekend after filling up with fuel upon starting the car (97 cp 32000 miles) I got the message Low fuel and the gas guage read empty. It stayed this way all the way home.I then shut it off and restarted and the fuel gauge went to full and the message went away. Last night upon starting I got the messages "Service traction system" and "reduced power" and the check engine light was on.The idle felt slightly rough. I shut it down and upon restarting the idle was smooth the service traction and reduced power messages were gone but the check engine light stayed on. All the systems and gauges looked normal so I took it for a short drive, stopping once for 10 minutes and letting it sit then restarted. No other messages but the check engine light stayed on. It ran fine.I have had no problems at all with this car.No electronics mods. I am concerned. Any thoughts are very much appreciated. :confused:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 1
From: San Jose CA
Re: Help ! Car is losing its "mind" (CingRed)
The fuel gage problem is a reoccurring problem for many of us but the other problem you mentioned sounds pretty weird.
Many C5 owners had problems with a leaking battery where the acid ate the underlying cable harness and PCM
If you still have the stock Delco battery , you should check this possibility asap.
Hope this helps
Roger
Many C5 owners had problems with a leaking battery where the acid ate the underlying cable harness and PCM
If you still have the stock Delco battery , you should check this possibility asap.
Hope this helps
Roger
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,731
Likes: 1
From: Bay Area CA
Re: Help ! Car is losing its "mind" (rhoeven)
I've never had the fuel problem before but one time I encountered the reduced power, service traction control, and engine light coming on. If I remember correctly the engine light staying on continously means there is an emissions problem, possibly bad gas or fumes leaking from gas cap. I checked the cap and made sure there was no gas spilled there and the light went off. The reduced power/service traction control problem happend after I washed my car. I am guessing that I got my filter wet and might have sucked in some water. When it says reduced power, it is not kidding. It ran like my Civic. I took out my K&N filter and cleaned it. Put back in and let it dry, about an hour later, it was all fine. Only happened once.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,831
Likes: 0
From: Corvette, It's a state of mind Anywhere, USA
Re: Help ! Car is losing its "mind" (CingRed)
Just curious, but do you have a Delco (DelCrap) battery? If so, get rid of it ASAP! These pieces of poopie of known to leak and when they do they usually take out the PCM which sits underneath of it and all of those weird messages can starting coming out of the DIC. It's the first thing I'd check just to eliminate it as a cause. Peace. :cool: T-Bone.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,668
Likes: 849
From: New Jersey
Re: Help ! Car is losing its "mind" (T-Bone98)
Also check for water damage of the BCM (Body Control Module) located behind the passenger side toe panel. Water leaks from the AC evaporator due to clogged drain tubes, and drips down the harness wires into the BCM.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Louisville Ky.
Re: Help ! Car is losing its "mind" (CingRed)
Thanks to all for the help. You guys saved me some bucks again. I would have been off to the dealer soon if it weren't for you. It was the GAS CAP. There is even a warning by the cap that I had never seen before that warns of this. Tightened it and the check engine light went right off and no more problems. I will be replacing my delco battery though after reading your comments. THANKS !! :cheers:
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