Troubleshoot code P1494: A little.

Tiny
ANONYMOUS
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 DODGE STRATUS
  • 240,000 MILES
Troubleshoot code P1494:

A little details about my car:

1997 Dodge Stratus 4 cyl.

It shakes violently when sitting idle while in "drive".
(I was told it could be the engine mount.) I really want this fixed but I don't know what could be causing it.

Odometer and RPM gauge don't work until I drive my car for about 10-20 miles.
(I was told it could just be faulty fuses or bad wiring.)

The guy at autozone said the check engine light code he gave me could be any of the three possibilities.

1. Leak detection pump defective
2. Open or shorted circuit condition
3. Solenoid defective (I have no idea what this is or what it does, so therefore, I have no idea what it means.)


Overall, the guy at autozone said that there really isn't anything wrong with my car that will leave me stranded on the side of the road. However, if I don't get this fixed I won't have great gas milage.

I guess my questions would be with the details given about my car, what would most likely be the problem with the troubleshooting code? Also, what could be causing the violent shaking and what should I be looking at to get that fixed?
Friday, February 8th, 2013 AT 5:13 PM

1 Reply

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,729 POSTS
P1494 †Leak Detection Pump Switch or Mechanical Fault

The leak detection pump puts the gas tank and emissions components under two pounds of pressure while you're driving, then a sensor watches two see if that pressure leaks down. If it does, as in when you don't tighten the gas cap, a fault code is set and the Check Engine light turns on. That fault code will indicate a small leak or a large leak. The code you have indicates that pump is not building pressure at all. Either what controls the pump has a problem or the pump isn't running. The parts guy is right; that system won't cause the car to stall, but the Check Engine light will be on so you will never know if a different problem is detected. If the pump is broken, gas will evaporate out causing emissions and reduced fuel economy. The Check Engine light is required to turn on when the detected fault could have an adverse affect on emissions.

The shaking you described is almost certainly due to misfires in the engine, not an engine mount. Some of the engine mounts can cause a single hard clunk or thump when you shift between reverse and drive, but a constant repeated shaking is due to things like old spark plugs and wires, a failed injector, (very rare on Chrysler products), or a burned valve, which is pretty rare today on all cars. For misfires, you need to start with the basics. There are some things that can cause just a few cylinders to misfire at first, but lead to stalling and letting you sit on the side of the road as they get worse. Some misfires cause unburned fuel to go into the exhaust system where it will overheat the catalytic converter and damage it. That makes a minor problem turn real expensive very fast. My recommendation is to have the misfires diagnosed and repaired right away.
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Saturday, February 9th, 2013 AT 3:29 AM

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