Very Strange problem

[monty123]

Hello all,
I have a 2K GM which has a problem the no body has been able to fix so far. I have payed out over $1500 in repairs and the car still does the same thing. I have taken it to three dealers and two other shops. They Have all come up with something they said was the problem has turned out to not be it, but they still charge me for thier wrong guess work.
OK here are the symptoms, the car will start and run fine then cough at a point like ignition loss, the low coolant lite will flash, the trak control light comes on and stays on, it will then run ok, but intermitenty miss ,"cough", on acceleration. At times it will stall too upon acceleration. If switch the ignition off and re-start the trak lite goes off it will run fine again smooth until it happens again. It does this intermittenty but somtimes it will run for days without having its problem. The Check eng lite does not come on unless its a time when it stalls, then all dash lights do.
One dealer said it was the PCM / ECM so they changed it but it did not fix it. Next told me it was the wiring harness but since they where wrong the first time with no refund of corse, at this point am not whiling to let them take another $1000+ guess.

Anybody have an ideal what this might be?

Thx

[Blaze86Vic]

First off, to GMN, this makes our second Monty!

Second off, have you got a vehicle history report? This sounds like a wireing issue, which in a new car like that can usually be traced to a catastrofic incident.

Third off, have any of them dealers tried replacing the ECU? Could be as simple as a defective ECU. But I am more inclined to believ this is a wiring issue, which take time to diagnose, or great knowledge of the system at work. By any chance did you happen to get a Ford Senior Master tech to work on the car at any of the dealerships? The reason this matters is because in a wiring failure situation, the people that are trained in EVERYTHING on the car have the advantage for diagnosing such a problem. And Only Senior Master Technicians have this all inclusive training.

(FYI, Senior Master tech is one who is currently trained, complete and passed every EVERY Ford training program available. Lots of experience does not replace the amount of book knowledge that is acquired here. Because electrical system knowledge is most important here. Things that most people will never see in their 50 year career.)

[gadget73]

I'm going to tend to agree with the wiring issue. Has this car ever been in a flood?

and

[monty123]

Thx all, for the quick resp, Blaze86, I,ve had the car for about 2 years, I Did buy it used but dont think its been in a crash before. I has been fine up to about 3 months ago when it came down with grimlins. The ECU has been changed, thats what the service tech said was wrong, "but not". Two of the shops told me thier senior techs did the diagosis. Why do u say it may be the wiring harness?

[Blaze86Vic]

FYI A senior tech is the guy who has been there longer. A Senior Master Tech is different. You can find out if the place has one by looking on the wall in the show room and the parts room. Somewhere there should be a plaque with several years on it that says Senior Master Tech and someones name. Or by simply asking if there is a qualified Ford Senior Master Technician there. Generaly all of the larger shops do have one. Because you have to have a tech qualified in the system to do warranty work. So having a Senior Tech is like having a blank check for that. Becuase he is allowed to do all the warranty work, so no matter who comes and goes, they can always put his name on it.

The randomness of the problem as well as the fact that it causes problems simultaniusly on multiple systems says to a wiring ussue. Something has worn though and is shorting out, or is losing connectivity.


Intermitent problems can be extremely difficult, or even next to impossible to diagnose. I personaly have been chasing one for over a year. I've replaced my entire fuel system, replaced my entire spark system, countless other sensors to no avail. And I have the help of the Senior Master Tech that made this car. Granted some of the stuff I replaced I did even though it was advised that it probably was not the cause. It does take some patience to deal with these problem, and sadly, they usually take a deep pocket as well. I've been fortunate in that I do all my work and I get parts at cost.