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Hello,
Can someone please try to help me figure out why my check engine light comes on. The car has been in shop 5 times the past year and they still can't figure it out. It's a 2007 Lexus IS 250 and so far I have had top end engine carbon cleaning twice, new plugs, new oxygen sensors. The strange thing is that whenever codes get reset the car runs great then vsc / check engine light comes on and car is non driveable. Latest codes are 0303 and 2237. Can somone please try to help me, check engine is starting to drive me crazy. Thank you
Mine comes and goes. The only thing i can put a finger on is me triggering the VSC in the wet. I heard fuel lid censor can trigger this Check Engine VSC as well.
P0303 Cylinder #3 Misfire
"This diagnostic trouble code (DTC) is a generic powertrain code, which means that it applies to OBD-II equipped vehicles. Although generic, the specific repair steps may vary depending on make/model. A P0303 code means that the the car's computer has detected that one of the engine's cylinders is not firing properly. In this case it's cylinder #3."
P2237 O2 Sensor Positive Current Control Circuit/Open Bank 1 Sensor 1
"This is a generic diagnostic trouble code (DTC) and applies to many OBD-II vehicles (1996-newer). That may include but is not limited to vehicles from Mazda, VW, Acura, Kia, Toyota, BMW, Peugeot, Lexus, Audi, etc. Although generic, the exact repair steps may vary depending on year, make, model and powertrain."
I'd start by looking at the spark plug condition and coil pack on cyl #3.
Thank you, the plugs were changed 4 months ago and I am not sure about coils. The strangest thing is that when vsc light is not on the car runs great which makes me think it does not have faulty plug or coil. Thank you
Many things can trigger the light. Things that disable power are the lack of valid *critical* inputs.
Critical inputs are ones the ECM can't just make ***** up and fill in. Like a failed CPS, MAF, or TPS.
A misfired plug is not a show stopper. Nor is the output of an O2 sensor. That said it won't cripple the engine or lock the transmission into a couple of gears. No it won't run well but it shouldn't run on dumbed down self protection defaults that cripple it.
Thanks, that is freaking crazy, not even a top dealership can figure it out after multiple visits. I ordered maf yesterday and will start with that. Thank you.
I got maf today and will try this weekend. Something else worth noting is that all lights will be on such as vsc, traction, warning signal, and yellow engine light. Sometimes yellow engine light blinks and sometimes not, car only runs bad when yellow engine light blinks. Thanks
I got maf today and will try this weekend. Something else worth noting is that all lights will be on such as vsc, traction, warning signal, and yellow engine light. Sometimes yellow engine light blinks and sometimes not, car only runs bad when yellow engine light blinks. Thanks
That is often a sign of a misfire in progress (blinking light).
Get a code reader in there and you should see a misfire code. Also look at the pending codes for the conditions under which it happens.
Bad coils, often fail as they warm, get moisture or oil on them and exclusively while working under load. For example the engine is hot and running leaner, it has shifted to a higher gear like 4th, 5th and the trans is in lockup and you press on the gas a bit further like to crest a hill... You might feel it buck and shake...
I have action and get 3 things, no code car runs great, vsc yellow check,engine light car runs great, vsc blinking yellow engine car is non drivable under load going up hill sometimesI I put on my hazards. It baffles me that car runs great at times, could that be a coil? Wouldn't the car always run bad if it was a coil? Thank you!
I have action and get 3 things, no code car runs great, vsc yellow check,engine light car runs great, vsc blinking yellow engine car is non drivable under load going up hill sometimesI I put on my hazards. It baffles me that car runs great at times, could that be a coil? Wouldn't the car always run bad if it was a coil? Thank you!
No, they are load dependent until really bad.
Battery side is bank 1 (B1), front to rear of engine is
B1 - 1, 3, 5
B2 - 2, 4, 6
Swap coil and plug from B1#3 with B2#2. If the code follows the plug and coil, replace the plug. If position 2 throws code P0302, replace the coil.
Let's say at idle the engine makes 18hp. Now lets say you loose one cylinder when a plug doesn't fire. In this case the dead hole just became an air compressor and the loss is like 3X greater than the math equation of 3hp x 6 cylinders.
Hence the crazy shaking and lack of response.
So, with B1S1 misbehaving and a misfire on B1 you have double header of problems. I would inspect the wire harness connectors for O2 sensor B1S2. A cheap fix might be to swap B1S1 with B2S1 which are right on the exhaust manifold by the rear of the cylinder head. That said, that is not a typical failure mode for a sensor.
Take picture of the plug out of cylinder #3 and keep in mind that even new $8 plugs fail occasionally
I been having intermittent coil pack issue. Slight misfires at idle. My live readings were slightly rich bank 1 -3.2 Bank 2 -.8 I'm assuming I wasn't getting good spark. At times on hard freeway pulls I could smell strong sulfer smells every now, and then. Again assuming it was not burning all the fuel on hard acceleration.
I never got a cel as they're load dependent. DMM is worthless way of checking too. I decided to put all 3 new ones on bank 1 last night. So far this morning I can tell the car has more power for sure. I will continue to monitor my LTFTS to see where they sit at driving at a steady pace. Also before idle slightly revving to redline would crap out at 5K hot engine, and back fire.
Under load the path for the secondary coils voltage does not always reach the tip of the spark plug. In short the insulation breaks down the coils voltage that should have been delivered to the plugs gap jumps to ground (valve cover) or back to the primary side of the ignition coils windings.
This may not be spot on for this engine but late 90's Yoda's and others did not report a misfire unless the there were 300 consecutive misfires. Mind you Yoda looks at crankshaft velocity (did every cylinder contribute to accelerating the crankshafts velocity??) and what did the coils output look like. Notice the coils have more than 2 wires. Those other wires feed data back to the ECM which is the ring back signature which examines if combustion happens and was a spark delivered. It is that complex!!
That said and to your point, an ohm meter will only tell you if the coils ohms meet spec. This does not help us know if the insulation of the coil and boot will contain 20/30,000 volts and deliver it to the plug.
Lean conditions take more spark energy to fire a plug than rich ones. Pulling hills in high gears take more spark energy than lower gears. In short the greater the load on the engine, the more energy is needed to jump that gap at the plug. Think all accessories off (A/C etc) reduces load.
These are just some of the reasons misfires happen somewhat randomly even tho its not random at all.
I have 07 GS350 with Check VSC came on this week. Makes me think maybe it's caused after I got the recall fixed about 2 weeks ago. Car has been working great for years with no issue and only worked been done was the recent recall from Lexus. I changed my fuel cap, and discharge battery which the lights turned off for 1 1/2 days then came right back up. Now I'm not sure what it could be, still have to get it diagnostic from AutoZone or somewhere they have the device. Just curious if the recall have anything to do with it.
2013FSport is on the right track. Do nothing but swap the coils. I'd also suggest you take a look at the spark plugs. I've fixed a ton of Toyotas and Lexi with Denso parts in place of Champion... lawnmower spark plugs, etc. If the spark plugs are relatively new, swap them also. If the misfire is related to the spark plug, it will move with the spark plug. If the misfire is related to the coil, it will move with the coil. If it stays... control system, fuel injector, or mechanical.
My LS460L 2007 has only done 67,000 KM and i get this Check VSC lights on. Last time this came garage fixed a clamp that was loose holding the EVAP canister that sits under the boot. Light had disappeared or a while. Not sure if replacing a Evap canister will help, any ideas?
09-15-18, 04:03 PM
Check Engine Vsc Light
