Check engine light blinking

Tiny
SHANNONLUMINA
  • MEMBER
  • 1999 CHEVROLET LUMINA
  • 230 MILES
I have a 99 lumina 3.1 v6 about a week ago I was letting it warm up before work and I went out the light was blinkin and had a rotten oder coming from the car, I immediatly shut it off and restarted it. The light stopped blinking and went back to being solid. Just today car ran fine this morning and this afternoon it is now back to light blinkin and when I come to stops it idles like it is going to die and whole car vibrates! I am thinking EGR valve? But I am not sure. Any other suggestions?
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 AT 6:45 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
Could be many things, get codes read to help narrow down. Blinking light means CAT converter is in danger of damage. When was last tune-up.
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Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 AT 8:12 PM
Tiny
SHANNONLUMINA
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
Oh good god I dont think it's ever had a "tune up". My bf went to look at it, when it sits and idles its fine but as soon as u put it into drive the idle drops to the point where it almost shuts off (ive never had a problem with this car in the summer but as soon as winter hits it acts up) last winter I put 3 alts. And 3 batteries into itr before it stopped leaving me stranded. Once again it's winter and it was fine up until last week.
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Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 AT 11:45 PM
Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
Tune up is really plugs and plug wires(if needed) in these newer cars. My grandaughters car always gets new plugs come winter. Otherwise it wont start when it gets real cold.
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Saturday, January 7th, 2012 AT 10:37 AM
Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
Get codes read for free at auto parts stores chain. Could be your ECT temp sensor is not reading the cold right and running the car too rich which would cause blinking light and low idle.
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Saturday, January 7th, 2012 AT 10:40 AM
Tiny
SHANNONLUMINA
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
I bet u that's what it is, first scan done on car said random miss fire. 2nd scan said cyl. 4 miss fire. I replaced all spark plugs and it's still doing it. Check eng light came on again now it says emissions. Car is goin through gas like crazy. Thank u so much if anymore ideas pls let me know?
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Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 AT 7:46 PM
Tiny
FIXITMR
  • MECHANIC
  • 9,990 POSTS
What exactly do you mean by now it says emissions? Check your MAF sensor for bein dirty. Does it drive ok?
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Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 AT 7:58 PM
Tiny
SHANNONLUMINA
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
It will do a little chuck (drop in rev, just enought to notice and make me look at the guages, I have a 15min drive to work and my heat guage is always low by time I get to work and car has barely warmed up) while driving then the check engine light comes on and blinks. If I come to a stop this is when it idles like it is about to shut off (but never does die) when I take off it once above 1 rpm it runs fine. Today was first day it had a little hesitation while driving it. Sometimes it's a lil rough shifting gears. Like it will rev higher then normal before shifting but it doesnt do it everyday or everytime I drive it?
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Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 AT 8:07 PM

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