My Accent ECU "hangs" occasionally

Rehaan · 16th August 2004, 16:39

Hey Guys,

A couple of days ago i was driving along marine drive in 4th gear at about 2000RPM and the accelerator pedal just went dead.... the car just held the revvs at 2000Rpm almost as if cruise control was on!
I downshifted and then the engine came back to life.

Again last nite i was driving along marine drive at exactly the same place, 2000Rpm again, and the same thing happened! Except this time it was more like the engine died than "cruise controlled". I downshifted and it was like engine braking rather than it comming back to life like last time. I switched off and started up immediately and it was fine.

Then once again on my way home it just died, except when i pressed the accelerator it would hold the speed, and when i left the accelerator is seemed to decelerate slightly.... if i pressed the clutch, the engine would still not respond to the accelerator.
Switched off, started up...all fine again.

Happened once more at worli sea face.

This sounds like a ECU problem to me.... maybe the humidity has fouled the system a bit

Its just the ignition that gets messed up IMO, it has only happened to me while the car is in motion... so luckily PS and brake booster (as well as all electricals) were functioning coz the engine was still turning.

I will check all the electricals for loose connections. Have booked a service appointment anyway,
but was just wondering if you guys had any better ideas or if you had ever heard of anything like this happening?

cya
R

ajmat · 16th August 2004, 16:51

could be a sticky throttle body

Sahil · 16th August 2004, 17:02

It could be water getting in due to the monsoons... Stop racing thru those puddles to splash water on the chix walking on the footpath *

GTO · 16th August 2004, 17:08

Topic moved to Technical section

Just the fact that switching the car off and restarting solves the problem makes me believe that its an ECU issue.

GTO

Rtech · 16th August 2004, 17:48

hmmm....lets not leave out the paranormal! Since it happened at exactly the same place both times...maybe there is a strange magnetic force acting on a car which traverses that section of tarmac at exactly the engine RPM and speed as Rehaan's car was doing. This in turn would cause the unidentifiable magnetic field to interfere with the cars ECU, the brain if you will, causing the said problem.

OR

It could be an ECU problem

Rtech

P.s. it would help if you read the above post with the twilight zone soundtrack playing in the background!

Shan2nu · 16th August 2004, 19:07

LOL, i think Rehaans car is being watched by the "Third Kind". Careful Rehaan, soon you might have little green, big eyed , bald creatures running around yor place.

Like Rtech said, if it has happened at the same place, then there is a remote chance of some sort of magnetic or some other field acting on the ECU, but the question is, Y only Rehaan's Accent?? There must have been so many other cars with ECUs in them.

Or

it could be due to moisture, even my Vtec felt underpowered, had a lot of engine braking and throttle lag last week, when the weather was cold and rainy.
Yesterday, the sun broke out and the car is back to normal functioning. I feel the weather does affect the car in a way.

Regards...
Shan2nu

Jaggu · 16th August 2004, 19:14

moisture shouldnt ideally cause probs and thats one of the reason why ecu are accomodated inside the car.. sensors yup can get affected (theorotically).. but chances are less or u will be in trouble everytime after a pressure wash like the ol points m800 and fiat padminis... get ur car electricals and ecu checked thoroughly..
san ur prob can be a bad quality fuel or u getting bogged down in water collecting on the roads..

normally_crazy · 16th August 2004, 19:31

hey rehaan,

the cars asking u to floor the accelerator maan..... 4th gear at 2000 rpm..

it cud be the ecu acting up...but not due to rains..cud be loose wiring or some other problem...

cheers

Rehaan · 16th August 2004, 20:09

Hey Ajmat,

Sticky throttle body... hmm....thats an interesting alternative to ECU problem, but i doubt it, because the engine is not firing at all.

GTO, oops....lol..i had that weird feeling when i posted that i shld be posting somewhere else...lol. Yup, i cant think of it being anything else other than a ECU problem as well...but was just wondering if anyone cld think of any other possibilities.

Rtech, i was SERIOUSLY considering that there was some strange sort of EMF at that point on marine drive!!.. i was gonna turn around and go back there and do the same thing same speed and same gear......but on my way it happened again so i gave up on that idea!

Jaggu, even though ECUs are inside the humidity has just been so high lately, so i just thought of that as a possible cause for what i am pretty sure is a ECU problem. About it being bad fuel, nope, theres absolutely no jerking or sputtering form the engine

Sahil, Shan2nu, N_C, well i havent been doing much splashing lately

Anyway, will let you guys know after my service (on wednesday 18th Aug 2004)... i wonder if their diagnostics system will be able to tell me anything...

cya
R

Jaggu · 16th August 2004, 20:14

ECUs are sealed units so chances of moisture getting inside are next to impossible, check sensor terminals and wiring thoroughly.. and bad fuel reply was for shan2nu.. lazy me typing lol

Rehaan · 16th August 2004, 20:41

Good point Jaggu.....

It is definitely an ignition related problem, i moved around everything electrical in the engine bay today, lets see what diff that makes. The reason ECU seems most apt is coz everything is fine after a "reboot" lol, but these things work in strange ways.

cya
R

Shan2nu · 17th August 2004, 01:36

Doesn't the Accent have a warning signal if anything goes wrong in the engine?? If that light isn't blinking then nothins wrong, unless ofcourse the light is fused out. LOL

Regards...
Shan2nu

jesal · 17th August 2004, 04:21

rehaan i think i know wht u tlking bot. i got some chip changed as well. i forgot the name damn

. it was cheap though. happ to me a cpl of times. i got it changed since it happ when i was on the expressway. scary shit. after i changed it works fine now.

Jaggu · 17th August 2004, 11:25

yup Rehaan.. if any of the sensors/inputs malfunction, the ecu has to be rebooted..

Rehaan · 17th August 2004, 17:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Jaggu @ Aug. 17 2004,09:55)]yup Rehaan.. if any of the sensors/inputs malfunction, the ecu has to be rebooted..

Ahh....i did not know that....
makes sense, but doesnt seem like a very good procedure though!! :P
Is it neccessary to restart the ECU in all cars if there is a sensor malfunction? Or can some ECUs resume on the fly?

Quote:

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]i got some chip changed as well. i forgot the name damn

Hey Jesal, plz try n think, or atleast tell me the cost involved.. was it not covered underwarranty? and dont you have a CRDi ??
(Still waiting for ur XDAII review btw)

cya
R

16th August 2004, 16:39	#1
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,046 Thanked: 34,080 Times	Hey Guys, A couple of days ago i was driving along marine drive in 4th gear at about 2000RPM and the accelerator pedal just went dead.... the car just held the revvs at 2000Rpm almost as if cruise control was on! I downshifted and then the engine came back to life. Again last nite i was driving along marine drive at exactly the same place, 2000Rpm again, and the same thing happened! Except this time it was more like the engine died than "cruise controlled". I downshifted and it was like engine braking rather than it comming back to life like last time. I switched off and started up immediately and it was fine. Then once again on my way home it just died, except when i pressed the accelerator it would hold the speed, and when i left the accelerator is seemed to decelerate slightly.... if i pressed the clutch, the engine would still not respond to the accelerator. Switched off, started up...all fine again. Happened once more at worli sea face. This sounds like a ECU problem to me.... maybe the humidity has fouled the system a bit Its just the ignition that gets messed up IMO, it has only happened to me while the car is in motion... so luckily PS and brake booster (as well as all electricals) were functioning coz the engine was still turning. I will check all the electricals for loose connections. Have booked a service appointment anyway, but was just wondering if you guys had any better ideas or if you had ever heard of anything like this happening? cya R
	() Thanks

16th August 2004, 16:51	#2
ajmat Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 14,866 Thanked: 27,981 Times View My Garage	could be a sticky throttle body
	() Thanks

16th August 2004, 17:02	#3
Sahil Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 6,292 Thanked: 7,607 Times	It could be water getting in due to the monsoons... Stop racing thru those puddles to splash water on the chix walking on the footpath *
	() Thanks

16th August 2004, 17:08	#4
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,546 Thanked: 300,789 Times View My Garage	Topic moved to Technical section Just the fact that switching the car off and restarting solves the problem makes me believe that its an ECU issue. GTO
	() Thanks

16th August 2004, 17:48	#5
Rtech Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,770 Thanked: 359 Times View My Garage	hmmm....lets not leave out the paranormal! Since it happened at exactly the same place both times...maybe there is a strange magnetic force acting on a car which traverses that section of tarmac at exactly the engine RPM and speed as Rehaan's car was doing. This in turn would cause the unidentifiable magnetic field to interfere with the cars ECU, the brain if you will, causing the said problem. OR It could be an ECU problem Rtech P.s. it would help if you read the above post with the twilight zone soundtrack playing in the background!
	() Thanks

16th August 2004, 19:07	#6
Shan2nu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hubli - Karnata Posts: 5,533 Thanked: 125 Times View My Garage	LOL, i think Rehaans car is being watched by the "Third Kind". Careful Rehaan, soon you might have little green, big eyed , bald creatures running around yor place. Like Rtech said, if it has happened at the same place, then there is a remote chance of some sort of magnetic or some other field acting on the ECU, but the question is, Y only Rehaan's Accent?? There must have been so many other cars with ECUs in them. Or it could be due to moisture, even my Vtec felt underpowered, had a lot of engine braking and throttle lag last week, when the weather was cold and rainy. Yesterday, the sun broke out and the car is back to normal functioning. I feel the weather does affect the car in a way. Regards... Shan2nu
	() Thanks

16th August 2004, 19:14	#7
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,215 Thanked: 15,907 Times	moisture shouldnt ideally cause probs and thats one of the reason why ecu are accomodated inside the car.. sensors yup can get affected (theorotically).. but chances are less or u will be in trouble everytime after a pressure wash like the ol points m800 and fiat padminis... get ur car electricals and ecu checked thoroughly.. san ur prob can be a bad quality fuel or u getting bogged down in water collecting on the roads..
	() Thanks

16th August 2004, 19:31	#8
normally_crazy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 4,369 Thanked: 528 Times View My Garage	hey rehaan, the cars asking u to floor the accelerator maan..... 4th gear at 2000 rpm.. it cud be the ecu acting up...but not due to rains..cud be loose wiring or some other problem... cheers
	() Thanks

16th August 2004, 20:09	#9
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,046 Thanked: 34,080 Times	Hey Ajmat, Sticky throttle body... hmm....thats an interesting alternative to ECU problem, but i doubt it, because the engine is not firing at all. GTO, oops....lol..i had that weird feeling when i posted that i shld be posting somewhere else...lol. Yup, i cant think of it being anything else other than a ECU problem as well...but was just wondering if anyone cld think of any other possibilities. Rtech, i was SERIOUSLY considering that there was some strange sort of EMF at that point on marine drive!!.. i was gonna turn around and go back there and do the same thing same speed and same gear......but on my way it happened again so i gave up on that idea! Jaggu, even though ECUs are inside the humidity has just been so high lately, so i just thought of that as a possible cause for what i am pretty sure is a ECU problem. About it being bad fuel, nope, theres absolutely no jerking or sputtering form the engine Sahil, Shan2nu, N_C, well i havent been doing much splashing lately Anyway, will let you guys know after my service (on wednesday 18th Aug 2004)... i wonder if their diagnostics system will be able to tell me anything... cya R
	() Thanks

16th August 2004, 20:14	#10
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,215 Thanked: 15,907 Times	ECUs are sealed units so chances of moisture getting inside are next to impossible, check sensor terminals and wiring thoroughly.. and bad fuel reply was for shan2nu.. lazy me typing lol
	() Thanks

16th August 2004, 20:41	#11
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,046 Thanked: 34,080 Times	Good point Jaggu..... It is definitely an ignition related problem, i moved around everything electrical in the engine bay today, lets see what diff that makes. The reason ECU seems most apt is coz everything is fine after a "reboot" lol, but these things work in strange ways. cya R
	() Thanks

17th August 2004, 01:36	#12
Shan2nu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Hubli - Karnata Posts: 5,533 Thanked: 125 Times View My Garage	Doesn't the Accent have a warning signal if anything goes wrong in the engine?? If that light isn't blinking then nothins wrong, unless ofcourse the light is fused out. LOL Regards... Shan2nu
	() Thanks

17th August 2004, 04:21	#13
jesal BANNED Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 2,323 Thanked: 13 Times View My Garage	rehaan i think i know wht u tlking bot. i got some chip changed as well. i forgot the name damn . it was cheap though. happ to me a cpl of times. i got it changed since it happ when i was on the expressway. scary shit. after i changed it works fine now.
	() Thanks

17th August 2004, 11:25	#14
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,215 Thanked: 15,907 Times	yup Rehaan.. if any of the sensors/inputs malfunction, the ecu has to be rebooted..
	() Thanks