Engine Controls - Trouble Shooting: INTERMITTENTS: Notes

CAUTION: When battery is disconnected, vehicle computer and memory systems may lose memory data. Driveability problems may exist until computer systems have completed a relearn cycle. See COMPUTER RELEARN PROCEDURES article in GENERAL INFORMATION before disconnecting battery.

NOTE: The condition may or may not illuminate the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) or store a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC). The fault must be present to be diagnosed.

Perform the Diagnostic System Check - Engine Controls before starting. Perform DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM CHECK - ENGINE CONTROLS under SELF-DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM in SELF-DIAGNOSTICS - 2.2L ION article.

Most intermittent conditions are caused by faulty electrical connections or wiring. Perform a careful visual/physical check. Check for the following conditions:

Poor mating of the electrical connector halves or a terminal not fully seated in the electrical connector (backed out).
Improperly formed or damaged terminal.
All electrical connector terminals in the problem circuit should be carefully checked for proper contact tension.
Poor terminal to wire connection. This requires removing the terminal from the connector body to check.

The vehicle may be driven with a DMM connected to a suspected circuit. An abnormal voltage is a good indication that there is a malfunction in the circuit being monitored. A scan tool can be used to help detect intermittent conditions. The scan tool has several features that can be used to locate an intermittent condition. The Snapshot feature can be triggered to capture and store engine parameters within the scan tool when the malfunction occurs. This stored information then can be reviewed by the service technician to see what caused the malfunction.

Using a scan tools Freeze Frame can also aid in locating an intermittent condition. Review and record the information in the Freeze Frame associated with the intermittent DTC being diagnosed. The vehicle can be driven within the conditions that were present when the DTC originally set.

To check loss of DTC memory, disconnect the Throttle Position (TP) sensor and idle the engine until the MIL, check engine, illuminates. DTC P0122 should be stored and kept in memory when the ignition switch is turned to OFF position. If not the Engine Control Module (ECM) is faulty. When this test is completed, make sure that you clear the DTC P0122 from memory.

If the intermittent condition exists as a start and then stall, check for DTCs relating to the vehicle theft deterrent system. Check for an electrical system interference caused by the following components:

A malfunctioning relay.
The ECM driven solenoid.
A switch.

They can cause a sharp electrical surge. Normally, the problem will occur when the malfunctioning component is operated.

All Electronic Ignition (EI) module wiring should kept away from the generator. Check all wires from the ECM to the EI module for poor electrical connections. Check for an open diode across the A/C compressor clutch and check for other open diodes.