Is there a method to completely reset the computer system in a (my) car? Alternatively, I may install a new computer system. I have another discussion here about my mystery car, which leads me to believe that possibly, this will solve the mystery.
It isn’t a PC. You can disconnect the battery, wait a while and reconnect it but it likely won’t solve your problems. If you have not followed all the suggestions from your last post, why? There is no simple fix.
I have sympathy since the stalling issue never was resolved on my riv. Like I said, I used to carry a spare computer and would swap it out to rule the computer out. 520,000 miles and the computer was never the problem. I’m not saying they never go bad, but not as often as they are replaced. It’s like if you don’t know what else to do, swap the computer. Then when that doesn’t do it, maybe the replacement is bad.
An experienced diagnostician with high cost equipment can go a long way in resolving issues but they also cannot always resolve a problem.
I also feel compelled to throw out the nuclear option, which is… sometimes you just need to cut your losses and move on. Either trade it, junk it, or put the car on Craigslist as a mechanic’s special.
Life is too short to chase down mysterious car problems on a 16 year old car. When you start talking about “changing the computer”, you’ve exhausted all the cheap and easy solutions.
Thank very much for your response. I see I’m not the only one. If it wasn’t so damn depressing, it would make for a great comedy skit. It’s crazy!
Maybe. It’s something in the back of my head. But not for now.
What symptoms are you experiencing?
Depression. Oh, you mean the car!
Funny you ask. I just included this update in my original post. Be advised. You may begin to feel depression too!
-Starts up and runs well in cold weather.
-Will kick and stall after driving more than 20 minutes, but only at the end of an expressway off-ramp, unless I turn off the a/c just as I’m getting on the off-ramp and coast in neutral almost to the end, making sure to put it back in drive close to the end. This happens about half the time while with the other half, it will just stall no matter what. However, I can drive all day long in stop and go traffic, and nary a problem.
-When it does stall when I *attempt to start it, and if it starts up, it will stall again unless I start it in neutral, throwing it into drive slightly accelerating. At that point, it’s best to keep the a/c off for a couple of traffic lights. Doing this, it’s back to running as if the car is thinking, “carry on, nothing happening here”!
-*Now as mentioned above, when I attempt to start it in warm weather, half the time it will, half the time it won’t on the first but will on the second and occasionally on third try. If it doesn’t on any, I’ll try in neutral where it starts the majority of the time. If all that fails, I’'ll step out of the car while it’s in park and rock two or three times. This typically does it, but if I’m on an incline (where I try to park as often as possible), I’ll just put it in gear and throw it back to park so it rocks itself. At this point, it typically cranks right up again, as if none of the other ever occurred.
There you have it!
Rocking? The only thing affected by rocking would be the fuel pump or a loose wire somewhere. Any chance you’ve got a clogged sock filter in the tank? Dropping tank, cleaning it out, maybe replace the pump at the same time.
It woul also be helpful to see the fuel trim readings, temp sender readings, and even o2 readings at the various times. Not to exclude heat sensitive items like the crank sensor and coil. But I’m no mechanic and have junked several cars. Gotta go irritate someone else.
The engine is idling too slow to keep running, have you replaced the idle air control motor?