Service Engine Soon Light?

Tiny
ALEATHA
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM
  • 4 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 182,000 MILES
I went to Autozone for a reading and it stated that misfire on the 4th spark plug. I had ALL the sparks plug changed, core boots changed, and the core plug change. The check engine light went off and shortly after it came back on. And it is still on.
Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 AT 12:17 PM

56 Replies

Tiny
DENNYP
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,823 POSTS
It could be a bad fuel injector for that cylinder, or coolant leaking into that cylinder, or low compression on that cylinder.

This guide will tell us for sure by getting the codes

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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Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 AT 10:41 PM
Tiny
CRYSTALJ3
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
  • 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM
  • 4 CYL
My 2001 pontiac gramdam hesitate to accelerate when you press the gas pedal to speed up and the check engine light flashes while its hesitating to go, it runs bad like its about to cut off when stopped at a traffic light. Please help
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Have the trouble codes checked. Let us know.
How long since a tune-up? Check the tps.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
You may need to clean throttle-body and idle air control.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CRYSTALJ3
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Tuneup was done 2mths ago.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CRYSTALJ3
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
How do I clean the throttle-body and air control?
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Remove the throttle-body to clean. Some of the national brand autostores used to check trouble codes for free. There should be some codes.

In the picture, #2 should be the iac.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CRYSTALJ3
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Thanks I will check codes and clean air intake and let you know the outcome.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Let us know.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CRYSTALJ3
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
I cleaned the throttle body and the idle air control it running alot better, but still sluggish when I stop at a light with foot on brake it idles rough. Like it wants to cut off.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Any codes?
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CRYSTALJ3
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
No codes
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JENNIFERMLAW32
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM
  • 129,000 MILES
Have 2001 The hoses are good and fans or working and it doesn't go on the ground and don't over heat. It does this out of the blues would like to know were the antifreeze is going. We just flushed it and put knew water pump in and other things. And now abs light came on and services. Vehicle. Soon light. And traction light show off. It comes on and goes off. Then had heater on blew cold air out then went to heat.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
I'd use a scanner and look at idle and idle required. Idle required is what the computer is trying to get it to idle at. Idle is the actual idle. If idle required is higher than actual idle, the computer is having problems, for some reason, trying to raise the idle. I'm not saying the computer is faulty, there may be a problem with input to the computer from different sensors. Without something to point us in the right direction, it is hunt and peck.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DRCRANKNWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,380 POSTS
You may be loosing anti freeze into engine. If your exhaust is smokey and smells like anti-freeze you probably have a bad head gasket. The low coolant level and/or coolant loss can create air bubbles in the sytem that need to be burped or after you did the water pump you have to burp the system. You do this by turning the heat all the way hot and fill the system till top. Then start car and wait unitl it reaches operating temperature and topp off again. Put the radiator cap on and drive around some. When the car cools off check the fluid level, if it has not changed, there is probably not any air. Also see if coolant is, "Foamy" as that is indication of air in sytem. The heater might have had to burp out a bubble before fluid could flow into it. As long s it does not do this everytime it is okay. But, if you are loosing coolant and cannot find a leak it may be a bad head gasket. You can do a compression test or coolant sytem pressure test to check this.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ROBERTWALTON79
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 80,000 MILES
I am in the process of purchasing a used 01 Grand Am GT. The car only has about 80,000 miles & seems to be in tip top shape. The only issue is the check engine light is on & when the car is in park it idles funny. Its not too bad but rpms goes up then down pretty quickly. The dealer said he would fix it before the purchase but I would like to know what the issue is. Thanks.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RASMATAZ
  • MECHANIC
  • 75,992 POSTS
Sounds like the idle air control valve not maintaining the idle speed.

The dealer is aware that there's a problem within the engine management system why couldn't they fix it before selling it to you? If it was me I will say goodbye and never comeback.

If you really want this vehicle get it scanned for code/s this will tell you what's causing the CEL to come on and go from there
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ROBERTWALTON79
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thanks, I will def keep that in mind. He stated that he does have the equipment to scan it for a code & it will be fixed before we purchase it. If it is not fixed & the issue is not resolved then we will not be purchasing the car of course, I'd be a fool if I did. Thanks alot! Great response time!
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:15 PM (Merged)
Tiny
2CP-ARCHIVES
  • MEMBER
  • 4,542 POSTS
  • 2001 PONTIAC GRAND AM
  • 31,000 MILES
Our code reader said the code was p0113. Where is that and what kind of actions will the car make with that code?
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:16 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION
The Intake Air Temperature (IAT) sensor is a thermistor which measures the temperature of the air entering the engine. The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) applies 5 volts through a pull-up resistor. When the intake air is cold, the sensor resistance is high, and the PCM will monitor a high signal voltage on the IAT sensor signal circuit. As the intake air warm, the sensor resistance becomes lower, causing the PCM to monitor a lower voltage. If the PCM detects an excessively high IAT sensor signal voltage, a low temperature is indicated, and DTC P0113 will set.

CONDITIONS FOR RUNNING THE DTC

†DTCs P0101, P0102, P0103, P0117, P0118, P0125, P0128, P0502, P0503, P1114, or P1115 are not set.
†The vehicle speed is less than 56 km/h (35 mph).
†The mass air flow is less than 12 g/s.
†The engine coolant temperature is more than 60°C (140°F).
†The engine run time is more than 3 minutes.
CONDITIONS FOR SETTING THE DTC

†The IAT signal voltage indicates an intake air temperature that is less than -37°C (-35°F).
†The above conditions are present for at least 20 seconds.
ACTION TAKEN WHEN THE DTC SETS

†The control module illuminates the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) on the second consecutive ignition cycle that the diagnostic runs and fails.
†The control module records the operating conditions at the time the diagnostic fails. The first time the diagnostic fails, the control module stores this information in the Failure Records. If the diagnostic reports a failure on the second consecutive ignition cycle, the control module records the operating conditions at the time of the failure. The control module writes the operating conditions to the Freeze Frame and updates the Failure Records.
CONDITIONS FOR CLEARING THE MIL/DTC

†The control module turns OFF the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) after 3 consecutive ignition cycles that the diagnostic runs and does not fail.
†A current DTC, Last Test Failed, clears when the diagnostic runs and passes.
†A history DTC clears after 40 consecutive warm-up cycles, if no failures are reported by this or any other emission related diagnostic.
†Use a scan tool in order to clear the MIL and the DTC.
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Monday, July 6th, 2020 AT 7:16 PM (Merged)

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