1995 Q45 question--would love some assistance.

[aakujayhawker]

My check engine light comes on at random. I won't see it and then one day it pops up. And then it will be several weeks and not show at all. I notice the car runs good but sometimes when it starts it seems like it wants to die but then idles back up and it is okay. I love this car and have not had any real problems with it. Any advice? It has 157,000 miles on it. It is a Q45. We just found out we are moving to Colorado so I am toying with selling it. I really hate to.

[Q451990]

Welcome to NICO! Your problems sound like so many different things. I would check and tighten your MAF (Mass air flow meter) connections near the air filter... Check your other electrical connections under the hood too. It's helpful to have the car idling while you check to look for fluctuations in the idle when wiggling the connectors.

Your symptoms are also identical to mine when I had a fuel pump on the way out. Do you hear a loud "hummmmmmm" from behind the rear seats when the tank is half empty or less? The fuel pumps will pull too much current and burn out the controller as they age... typically above 80K miles - so if yours has never been replaced, you may want to try that as preventive maintence anyway.

Heath

[96Qowner]

You can get tons of information about your Q and any problems it has by using the search function (upper right of the screen) to search old threads. Many times, I've posted a question to the forum and gotten some good answers and then followed up by thoroughly searching old posts. By the time I've finished reading everything available, I have a MUCH better understanding of the issue. Almost always, someone else has had exactly the same problem, and you can follow the threads as people replied and eventually solved it.

I just wish it had boolean functions or phrase searches. It will only find every instance of each word you search for.

So to start you might search for CEL, idle, etc.

[aakujayhawker]

Thanks for the reply!! I do not hear such a sound coming from the rear seats as to what you described. I will do the things you mentioned to see if I have any luck. It runs great and looks very good still. I love this car. But moving to the mountains and snow---it may not be too ideal. Thanks again!

Adrienne

[rsiwicki]

http://www.nicoclub.com/zerothread?id=60332

go to the above link....if your check engine light is coming on then your ECU will store several of the last error codes for a while until the problem is either fixed or you erase the codes. The above tell you how to identify what is causing the check engine light to come on.....the above link has everything you need to know for a simply DIYer on checking your ECU codes.

[CJQ45]

What you describe results from a dirty throttle body. I am almost sure that CEL is due to a blockage in the ERG system. Does the light come on while on the highway at 40-60 MPH or immediately at start-up. If it comes as soon as you start the car - common culprits are :

1. Loose MAF connector2. Fuel pump (I'm sure you must have replaced the pump by 157k if not - BINGO.

3. Injector code or failure.

CJ

[aakujayhawker]

No, it comes on only when I am on the highway. There have been times it has came on for a minute or two and then goes off. And then stays on for 15 minutes until I get to my destination. It is very random. It can be weeks and not do it all. I am very appreciative of all of the assistance I am getting. Now I have a question, I am interested in checking the codes and where I need to go is the "RH Kick Panel"--where is that? Please keep in mind I am a member of the female species and am not very familiar but am finding all of this very interesting. Can you please guide in the right direction? Thank you!

Adrienne

[DAEDALUS]

The kick panel is a small trim piece next to the passenger footwell. It is just in front of the door speaker, below the glovebox.

[Q-less]

My light would come on only on the highway just as you described. After I changed the fuel pump and filter it has not come on in over a month.

My guess as to why it comes on while on the highway is because of the fuel pump trying to hold a constant heavier flow. I did not hear buzzing until up to 6 months after the engine light symptom, and as I recall there is not a direct code for fuel pump failure.

If you wait like I did you risk getting stranded from your car stalling and eventually destroying the very expensive FPCU. I did not ever hear a very strong 'buzzing' rather it sounded like faint interference coming in the rear speakers.

[Jeff Williams]

My check engine light came on, when the MAF was grimey. I cleaned it with brake cleaner, and then took the intake hoses off, and cleaned the Throttlebody with some spray throttlebody cleaner. That took care of my problem.

It would come on about 5 miles from the house. Sometimes, the car ran rough, at traffic lights, and would blow out black smoke. My fuel mileage dropped to about 10 MPG.