Flashing Check Engine Light during car wash??

[tsb09000]

So I finally make it to the car wash and get the triple pass, extra soap, blah blah and about 75% through the check engine light starts to flash. Well I pull out and drive no more than a block, maybe block and a half, and it goes out.

Of course I get back to work and google it and now I'm worried. Should I worry now that it's stopped? It stumbled just a touch in the car wash but ran just fine after that. I've even started it back up in the parking lot and no lights and seems to run fine.

Has anyone experienced this before?

 

[Z-56 Hoe]

That could be a number of things! Cylinder miss fire, transmission.

 

[SteveCZ28]

ive seen the light flash when there is a cylinder miss. happened to me in the rain before. i would check all the spark plug wires to make sure theyre al fastened securely, and maybe check for cracks in those wires as well

 

[tsb09000]

Well I have 3 codes...

P0220 Throttle Position Sensor/Accelerator Pedal Position (sensor shorted or open, check connector & wiring to sensor)

P0300 Cylinder misfire detected - random cylinders. Possible cause - Ignition system fault - spark plugs, wires or coil. Vacuum leak. Injector Fault. Or High or low fuel pressure.

P0101 Mass Air Flow sensor condition.


It's still been running fine with no lights so I'm going to change the oil tonight (just in case) and clean the MAF all while the battery is unhooked just to see if there are any changes. I'll check for any defective wires, hoses, etc while I'm at it.

If anybody has any other ideas while I'm working on it feel free to chime in!

 

[Colby82]

Maybe the knock sensors got wet?

 

[Anonymous]

Plug wire insulation is probably cracked. They got wet, started arcing, caused the miss, and "burped" the TPS and MAF with high voltage. Engine heat dried them out, arcing stopped, sensors reset, and it runs fine again.

Go out tonight with squirt bottle with some water. Start the truck and squirt water on the plug wires in the dark. Look for blue arcing. Replace plug wires if you see anything.

 

[zieglerj-pdm-specialist]

Code 101 MAF

Moisture coming into contact with your MAF if you hook a code reader up while your in their it will give you a 101 code meaning a fluctuation in your Mass air Flow Sensor. Do you have a Cold Air K&N filter installed. When I put mine on the fresh oil on the K&N set mine off every once and awhile. a couple weeks after installed my Code of 101 MAF went away. Now when it comes on I always check it and its MAF and its always after I recharge my K&N filters. Just my opinion. I'm not 100% certain but IM 99% sure.

---------- Post added at 06:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:29 PM ----------

Well I have 3 codes...

P0220 Throttle Position Sensor/Accelerator Pedal Position (sensor shorted or open, check connector & wiring to sensor)

P0300 Cylinder misfire detected - random cylinders. Possible cause - Ignition system fault - spark plugs, wires or coil. Vacuum leak. Injector Fault. Or High or low fuel pressure.

P0101 Mass Air Flow sensor condition.


It's still been running fine with no lights so I'm going to change the oil tonight (just in case) and clean the MAF all while the battery is unhooked just to see if there are any changes. I'll check for any defective wires, hoses, etc while I'm at it.

If anybody has any other ideas while I'm working on it feel free to chime in!

Sorry I never read this before but your on the right track with the MAF. If the oil needs changing it will let you know. Do you use Mineral or synthetic.

---------- Post added at 06:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:39 PM ----------

Plug wire insulation is probably cracked. They got wet, started arcing, caused the miss, and "burped" the TPS and MAF with high voltage. Engine heat dried them out, arcing stopped, sensors reset, and it runs fine again.

Go out tonight with squirt bottle with some water. Start the truck and squirt water on the plug wires in the dark. Look for blue arcing. Replace plug wires if you see anything.

If he had a misfire he would feel it, do you feel the vehicle jump or stumble at all while your in the washer?? My money is on MAF. Don't worry about it unless it stays on for more than a week, than go in and get the codes and I bet every one in the computer bank will be a 101 MAF

 

[tsb09000]

The light still hasn't came back on after that first block from the car wash.

I did change the oil, clean the maf, unhook the battery and oiled the K&N filter last night. I looked around for little things and pretty sure I found the culprit...
The boot from the throttle body to the intake tube was cocked leaving the bottom part open. So a car wash with the under spray while the truck was running = flashing cel. I hope that was it anyway. It still seems to run fine but it's got me paranoid so every little noise is catastrophic failure in my mind.

Oh, I don't recall it stumbling while in the car wash.

 

[uwasride]

That happens to my 01 every time I go through the car wash. I just attributed it to the cold water for the undercarriage wash spraying the hot exhaust and o2 sensors, or maybe a little moisture getting through the cai. Runs rough for a minute or two then runs fine. Only once has it set off my ses light, and since I keep the truck maintained well it has never really been a real cause for concern. Good luck, I hope it turns out to be nothing like mine.

 

[tsb09000]

Well it's been over a month and no issues so far. No lights, stumbles, anything. Just an update for those with similar issues in the future.