ateram2000
New Member
Hi All.
I have a 3.8L 2001 VX with about 155K on the clock.
It has been acting up a few times over the past few months with these symptoms:
1) I'd be driving along some (usually busy Sydney) road and suddenly the car would cut out, with the battery light showing the motor had stopped. Any attempt to start it (after hazard lights on and pulling off the road) would just crank and not fire. Ten to fifteen minutes later it would start and go for the rest of the day.
2) Today both the Engine symbol light and the Trac Off light came on, but the car did not cut out. I stopped, switched off the engine and restarted it a few seconds later. Both lights then stayed OFF.
4) The other day and later today, the car cut out again while driving, EXCEPT that I could re-start it immediately (after pulling off the road again).
5) Another thing from the other day and again this morning was that after I had stopped the car for about an hour, it would NOT start, and would only crank. I tried cranking about every ten seconds for about a second or two each time. It usually starts straightaway when it's behaving. In both cases it only started again after about fifteen minutes. That's a similar amount of time as when it cuts out.
These symptoms occur about once or twice a week, and nothing else is obvious, like overheating or rough idling or anything like that. Recently I drove about 100 km again over four days with no issue at all.
I have had the car checked by a mechanic (several times) and all he could find wrong the very first time were worn out spark plugs. He replaced these and assured me that everything else was "in spec", like coils, leads, timing belts, fuel injectors). He also cleaned out the idle control valve (I think it's called). Later he also took and used the car for a few days. He said that nothing happened with it in that time (for about 100 km).
Well, that's the sorry and a potentially hazardous tale. I'd appreciate any insights on this.
Thanks, M.
I have a 3.8L 2001 VX with about 155K on the clock.
It has been acting up a few times over the past few months with these symptoms:
1) I'd be driving along some (usually busy Sydney) road and suddenly the car would cut out, with the battery light showing the motor had stopped. Any attempt to start it (after hazard lights on and pulling off the road) would just crank and not fire. Ten to fifteen minutes later it would start and go for the rest of the day.
2) Today both the Engine symbol light and the Trac Off light came on, but the car did not cut out. I stopped, switched off the engine and restarted it a few seconds later. Both lights then stayed OFF.
4) The other day and later today, the car cut out again while driving, EXCEPT that I could re-start it immediately (after pulling off the road again).
5) Another thing from the other day and again this morning was that after I had stopped the car for about an hour, it would NOT start, and would only crank. I tried cranking about every ten seconds for about a second or two each time. It usually starts straightaway when it's behaving. In both cases it only started again after about fifteen minutes. That's a similar amount of time as when it cuts out.
These symptoms occur about once or twice a week, and nothing else is obvious, like overheating or rough idling or anything like that. Recently I drove about 100 km again over four days with no issue at all.
I have had the car checked by a mechanic (several times) and all he could find wrong the very first time were worn out spark plugs. He replaced these and assured me that everything else was "in spec", like coils, leads, timing belts, fuel injectors). He also cleaned out the idle control valve (I think it's called). Later he also took and used the car for a few days. He said that nothing happened with it in that time (for about 100 km).
Well, that's the sorry and a potentially hazardous tale. I'd appreciate any insights on this.
Thanks, M.
