Joined
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660 Posts
Ta da daaa...
The facts
Drove today to the nearby stores (just 3 miles or so away) and on my way out, nothing wrong, smooth-as-silk drive. However, about a 1/4 of a mile from home coming back the CEL light appeared, the car began to choke (as if firing on 4 cylinders) and soon afterwards (by the time I was yards from my driveway) the SLOW DOWN warning began to flash, with the car almost coming to a halt. Managed to park and when turning the ignition off a perceived a slight smell like rubber burning.
I know the CEL + SLOW DOWN denotes something has gone wrong on the engine (e.g., ignition) which triggered a catalyst warning (maybe the misfiring led to a gas mixture which triggered the sensors) but whatever, I am NOT HAPPY. The car is not even a month on my hands, it was inspected/serviced pre-delivery, and now this. I think the smell was not of burning sulphur, because that would indicate the honeycomb inside the catalysts went bust, which would worry me big-time. Checked if there was any debris in the exhaust, and could see nothing. But that does not mean the catalysts were not damaged (the flashing SLOW DOWN warning did not go away, but luckily it fired near my doorstep, so I was able to pull over just in front of home).
BTW one thing I noticed a couple of times before this incident was that if I barely gave the engine gas (almost feathering on the gas pedal) from idle in neutral, the engine dropped revs and slightly choked; you had to be firm on the gas to pull the revs up. This in addition to some worries as to oil pressure, as at times pressure went below 2.5 bar (not much below, just a tiny bit) with the engine at service temperature (pressure always OK when cold). I have never experienced this on my Coupe. Nor this choking at idle. All of this makes me wonder. THE CAR WAS THOROUGHLY INSPECTED PRE-DELIVERY..!
Enough for the rant. If anyone has any ideas, most welcome...
Well, I'm out to the US in hours so that will put my mind to rest for a week. Anyone here on CT (Norwalk/Wilton area) ? Will be in NY next week-end. Nice to have time for some retail therapy
Ed
The facts
Drove today to the nearby stores (just 3 miles or so away) and on my way out, nothing wrong, smooth-as-silk drive. However, about a 1/4 of a mile from home coming back the CEL light appeared, the car began to choke (as if firing on 4 cylinders) and soon afterwards (by the time I was yards from my driveway) the SLOW DOWN warning began to flash, with the car almost coming to a halt. Managed to park and when turning the ignition off a perceived a slight smell like rubber burning.
I know the CEL + SLOW DOWN denotes something has gone wrong on the engine (e.g., ignition) which triggered a catalyst warning (maybe the misfiring led to a gas mixture which triggered the sensors) but whatever, I am NOT HAPPY. The car is not even a month on my hands, it was inspected/serviced pre-delivery, and now this. I think the smell was not of burning sulphur, because that would indicate the honeycomb inside the catalysts went bust, which would worry me big-time. Checked if there was any debris in the exhaust, and could see nothing. But that does not mean the catalysts were not damaged (the flashing SLOW DOWN warning did not go away, but luckily it fired near my doorstep, so I was able to pull over just in front of home).
BTW one thing I noticed a couple of times before this incident was that if I barely gave the engine gas (almost feathering on the gas pedal) from idle in neutral, the engine dropped revs and slightly choked; you had to be firm on the gas to pull the revs up. This in addition to some worries as to oil pressure, as at times pressure went below 2.5 bar (not much below, just a tiny bit) with the engine at service temperature (pressure always OK when cold). I have never experienced this on my Coupe. Nor this choking at idle. All of this makes me wonder. THE CAR WAS THOROUGHLY INSPECTED PRE-DELIVERY..!
Enough for the rant. If anyone has any ideas, most welcome...
Well, I'm out to the US in hours so that will put my mind to rest for a week. Anyone here on CT (Norwalk/Wilton area) ? Will be in NY next week-end. Nice to have time for some retail therapy
Ed