Check Engine Light on?

Tiny
KATEREEFE
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 FORD ESCAPE
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 109,225 MILES
New problem today - check engine light flashes the stays on - car feel as though its going to stall and the engine hesitates - car jerks slightly. Engine was very hot - and seemed to be steaming a bit.

Engine has enough oil.
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Saturday, March 13th, 2010 AT 6:57 PM

28 Replies

Tiny
LEGITIMATE007
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,121 POSTS
Firstly, check the coolant and oil, and transmission fluid, make sure they are at the correct levels, we should runt he codes this guide will show you how

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Please run down this guide and report back.
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Saturday, March 13th, 2010 AT 8:24 PM
Tiny
MONTEREYFORD
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 FORD ESCAPE
  • 4 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 74,000 MILES
My Escape was just serviced for overheating. The hose going into the Heater Coil and the thermostat were replaced. The car seems to be sluggish in response to giving it power (accelerating) seems to have gone away within two days.

Four days later, after a long trip to let the kids visit their Grandparents the check engine light came on. All fluid levels look good. Takes a few seconds for the car to turn over.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:45 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
Retrieve the trouble codes that the engine light has stored. Most part stores do this free of charge. Let me know what code(s) you retrieve. This will pinpoint the culprit much quicker.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:45 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BEVERLY FULTON
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 FORD ESCAPE
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 174,000 MILES
The check engine light is on and I have a code of ses op 171.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:45 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
This can be an o2 sensor or maybe low fuel pressure due to a bad pump or clogged filter, etc. Auto parts rent gauge for this.
https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-fuel-system-pressure-and-regulator
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:45 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TURBOPHEIN
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2003 FORD ESCAPE
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 58,000 MILES
I am a avid jeep enthusiast and do all my own mechanic work on everything, anyway my aunt asked me to change her oil pan gasket on her ford escape, it was leaking at only 50k miles, the dealer wanted alot of money, so I said yes. Boy do I regret it. Its been nothing but a pain, removing the exhaust anyway, the gasket was a breeze. The job is done everything is good, so when I give her car back I told her, the air filter was really dirty, you should buy a new one, go to autozone, they might even put it in for you, so she did and they did put it in for her. One her way home the CEL came on, she called me and I told her to go back to autozone to get it diagnosed, came back as a o2 sensor error, I had her reset it, and it came back next day. Now my"NOT blood" uncle is yelling and screaming at her, saying she should have gone to the dealer. I feel terrible, but all I did was unplug the dam sensor and plug it back in, it disconnected easily and everything.

Possible reasons:

not disconnecting the battery (didn't really think it was necessary for the gasket change)

the kid at autozone installing air filter (i checked everything, MAS is connected, filter is in correctly and it all looks fine)

any help would be appreciated, I am going to disconnect battery tomorrow and also check for a vacuum leak.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:45 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ZACKMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,202 POSTS
Did you get it figured out? I need to know the exact code that your aunt got.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:45 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TURBOPHEIN
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Well my uncle won't let me touch the car anymore! Won't let me reset the battery? Nothing. So my aunt is not going to tell him I am still working on it, when I try to fix this problem.

But anyway, this is what autozone printed for her:

the code is po141 o2 sensor 2, bank 1

ho2s 12 heater condition

cpu recognized a failure in the circuit

fixes:

o2 sensor replacement

bad connection

check circuit fuse
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:45 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ZACKMAN
  • MECHANIC
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P0141 OBD-II Trouble Code Technical Description
O2 Sensor Heater Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1, Sensor 2)

What does that mean?

This code means that the heated circuit in the oxygen sensor on bank 2 decreases time needed to enter closed loop. As the O2 heater reaches operating temperature, the oxygen sensor responds by switching according to oxygen content of the exhaust surrounding it. The ECM tracks how long it takes for the oxygen sensor to begin switching. It the ECM determines (based on coolant temp) that too much time elapsed before the oxygen sensor began operating properly, it will set P0141. See also: P0135 (Bank 1, Sensor 1).

Symptoms

You will likely notice poor fuel economy the illumination of the Check Engine Light.

Causes

A code P0141 may mean that one or more of the following has happened:

* open or short to ground in the wiring harness
* O2 heater circuit wiring high resistance
* O2 heater element resistance is high
* Internal short or open in the heater element

Note: Typically a failed catalytic converter does not cause this code. You're more likely to see a P0420 code for a failed converter.

Possible Solutions

* Replace oxygen sensor (cannot repair open or short that occurs internally to sensor)
* Repair short or open or high resistance in wiring harness or harness connectors

Bank 1 sensor 2 is the O2 sensor after the cat connected to cylinder #1. Based on the description and the work that you did, it very possible that when you re-installed the exhaust pipe, you either forgot to connect the O2 sensor to the connector, or you pulled the connector too far and it broke, so no continuity, or it just so happened that the sensor went bad. I believe your case is either scenario 1 or 2, unlikely 3. If after to check, you need to replace the sensor, make sure that you get the sensor for after the cat for bank 1 (cylinder 1). They look identical, but they are not the same.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:45 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MANESTIS
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2003 FORD ESCAPE
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 65,000 MILES
4 error codes reoccur regarding O2 sensor heater circuit. First occurence also showed gas cap problem. Changed that and that code dropped off but no luck on the O2 sensor errors(all 4). I forgot.15amp fuse keeps blowing the circuit. I replace the fuse, clear the codes and drives fine. It's when I shut off the vehicle the fuse blows. I changed the purge valve but it wasn't fixed. I checked/reseated the O2 sensor connections and for a couple days I was ok. Just a matter of luck? Then. Blown fuse. There was still a slight amount of pressure buildup when I released the gas cap. I'll try another cap. Maybe it's a coincidence. Bad cap. But could I be that lucky.

I saw that another gentleman's posting and he has the same error codes and symptoms.

What do you make of this? I wonder if he got his fixed and what was it? No emissions testing here in KY. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

How big of donation $$$$ are you looking for? I must have overlooked it in the literature. I'll look again. I have a '93 Nissan with a similar problem.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:45 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
What do you have for codes?
Which fuse that keep on burning?
Gas cap will not cause a fuse to blow
have to check wiring harness check around the exhaust manifold
let me know
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:45 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MANESTIS
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
I appreciate the feedback. Error codes I'm getting are.P0443. The mini-fuse that blows is 15A under the hood in the O2 sensor heater circuit. All 4 O2 sensor heater circuit malfunction codes show. 0135, 0141, 0155, and 0161.

With 4 kids and 6 vehicles on the road I can use all the help I can get. Thank you. I forgot my paypal account information but will gladly dontate.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:45 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
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1st step should be checking o2 sensors wiring if touching the exhaust system
look a melted wire
Good luck
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DEVERB
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2003 FORD ESCAPE
App. 65,000 miles, automatic, had regular maintenance performed. Two months ago had alternator/battery replaced. Engine light came on yesterday. Took to dealer, said it was engine problem lost a cylinder. Was told I am looking at a new engine. What caused this? I have extended warranty, but I am wondering what caused this problem, until the alternator was replaced had to issues with this vehicle.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SERVICE WRITER
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,123 POSTS
What do they mean lost a cylinder? Something sounds a little funny, especially with an extended warranty and a maintained car with only 65,000 miles.

What codes were in there?

Get a second opinion, regardless of the warranty.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DEVERB
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Just got further info from the service technician. The problem is a valve cylinder head that is burnt out. The head will have to be replaced not the entire engine. Still don't understand why this happened on a car that has regular maintenance. Any ideas?
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CD11771
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 FORD ESCAPE
2003 Ford Escape 6 cyl Four Wheel Drive Automatic

whenever it rains my engine light comes on and a horrible smell comes from the engine its not a sulfer (rotten egg) smell I cant drive it for a few days until it dries out someone said it could be the o2 sensors
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Check engine light:

Have the computer scanned for code/s-you have a problem within the engine management system that caused the CEL to turn on-This is your starting point of diagnosis, finding out what's going on.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DUSTIN34
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2003 FORD ESCAPE
  • 6 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 210,000 MILES
I have 2003 Ford Escape its burning lean fuel and it used up 5.6 gallons driving 44miles and I get 25mpg I can smell fuel coming out the exhaust pipe and the check engine lights on sometimes blinks, I changed fuel filter, sparks plugs, catalytic converter and checked for vacuum leaks need help quick?
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:46 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
Wife has same rig, 'cept it's 2WD. If the Check engine light is on that means the computer is throwing out a Code! To get a accurate diagnosis, you need to have the codes read. You can get this done for FREE at Advance Auto, Autozone, and some other popular parts stores. Do not take this to heart 'till you get it coded.I suspect you are running "Rich" not "Lean" due to ----"A SENSOR" making your rig remain/ or go into "OPEN LOOP" (Open loop is your car running off of preset values programmed into the computer. Just to make it run, but not to its full potential) Computer cars all do this, when you crank-up, the O2 Sensors (others too) are cold and cannot function until they get warmed up and are able to send REAL WORLD DATA to the computer, so it can efficiently adjust the fuel burn. When these sensors do COME ON LINE, the vehicle goes into CLOSED LOOP and Ever Changing, Real Time Data is fed into the computer to make the fuel burn as good as possible. My suspicions are that you have a O2 sensor problem. It might be that one has gone bad, or maybe the catalytic converter replacement left one disconnected or broken. There are several on your car. Insure that if the "Coding" leads you to a O2 sensor problem. Find out which one, as these puppies are not real cheap items, before you replace all 3 unnecessarily! The parts store guys are generally able to explain what the codes mean, and what you may need to do. Let me know how it goes--The Medic___________thats Mama's Rig sorta behind a "Real Vehicle" (mine)
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 5:46 PM (Merged)

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