1990 Q45 Check Engine light goes on than off...

[Woot!]

Hello everyone!

I have been noticing on my Q that when I shift it into gear than it runs kind of rough for a few minutes until it is warmed up and When I shift into reverse than it has to rev to 2000-2500 RPM's before it will move. Also the car will kill if I am at a certain angle and I stop than it is almost like the car is lugging itself to wear the engine dies. In the snow than I would push on the brake when I was just moving slowly just idling and the brakes would lock up and the car would just keep pushing itself until I hit them a bit harder. I figure that it is the transmission going out....anyway I was just driving my Q home from work tonight and noticed that the check engine light came on and as I was looking at it than it went off.

So I have 3 questions:

1. Do I need to look for a new transmission?2. Is it normal for the check engine light to turn off by itself without resetting the ECU?3. Would the check engine light come on if the transmission is having issues?

[Q451990]

Have you checked for stored codes?

Heath

[AlabamaDan]

I can't answer all your questions, but I can say that before I did some work my check engine light would go on and off. After cleaning the TB, EGR, MAF, Plenum, new plugs, etc. it doesn't come on any more. Not sure what the problem was, but I fixed it.

[Kiven422]

Sometimes during really cold mornings I will start the car and take off right away without even a 5 second warmup and when I put it in reverse it seems like its not fully in gear and gives only half throttle with the same normal pressue on the gas pedal. Need extra RPMS for the same speeds. The only remedy is to let it warm up for at least 15 seconds. I don't have snow... I have icy frosty mornings at most so your warmups should last longer.

My Q also used to just barely lug itself forward during idle. Maybe its related to injectors...? Injector cleaner really worked.

I don't understand the issue with your car but i hope this helps.

[Q451990]

Not for nothing... but you need to let your car warm up! I let mine get at least into the normal range before moving it unless it's very hot outside - and even then I let it basically creep out of the neighborhood at idle.

0-15 seconds of warm up time is not good for your engine or anything else!

Heath

[AlabamaDan]

After posting in this stupid thread, my CEL came on last night. I suspect it was due to insufficient warm up. It was about 20 degrees out side and after a min or two (really not seconds) I was too cold so I started home. When I pulled on the expressway about 5 mins later I noticed the CEL light on and the temp gauge still low. Once it warmed up the CEL went off.

I just couldn't wait for it to warm up any longer.