Engine Stopping At Red Light Or Whenever Stop In H

[singh]

Hello everybody,

I have a LS 400 98 with 77,000 miles. It is a great car. Recently I started having this trouble; not always but off and on the car will go dead when it is stopped at red light or in heavy traffic. I took it to Toyota dealer and they could not figure it out since it never happenened to them when they test drived it. Initially I thought it was a due to shell gas I was using. Switched to diferent brand the problem disappeared but to come back today again.

The car starts right back up without problem and also I have replaced the battery few months ago, so this does not seems to be problem. To me it sounds like some debris is clogging the fuel injector or something??.

Any suggestions

Thanks

SPS

[95LS400Bob]

Sorry I don't have any direct trouble shooting experience with a Lexus but here is something you might want to remember.

On many vehicles I have worked on that have stalled or quit, that never show a trouble code or a check engine light, that the dealers were always unable to find the problem has always been a crankshaft or camshaft (most engines use one or the other) position sensor.

It's the one item in these computer cars that doesn't show a trouble code and if it malfuntions the engine will shut off. In every case, the engine ran perfectly normal except for the stalling, would start right back up, might go days or weeks before it happened again.

Let others chime in with direct Lexus experience but keep that in mind.

[singh]

Thanks for your thoughts. Since you said, I now remember when the car goes dead a yellow check engine light comes on along with a red signal for engine not running. I don't know it has any significance?

SPS

[95LS400Bob]

That doesn't really mean anything. If the check engine light came on FIRST and then the engine died..then we would have a stored fault code in the computer and the dealer would be able to figure out what the code was.

But all cars I have ever seen these bad sensors on...there is never a check engine light or a stored code. That's why the dealers can't find the problem.

Ford Diesel engines famous for this problem.

Also had a Dodge Intrepid did the same thing.

Also a Jeep Cherokee did the same thing.

All were sensors and all died mysteriously. The Jeep was the strangest one. The lady swore she could count to 20 and it would restart. Everytime. Then run normally. Maybe for a day...maybe for 2 weeks. Then it would quit again.

[obergc]

Your problem sounds vaguely similar to problems reported by other members where there car was stalling after driving at higher speeds and then coming to a stop. I believe that there was a problem with the ECM (engine control module). I don't recall if their problems was with your vintage LS or not, you might want to check it out.

[VMF]

obergc stop after hight speed that was a problem with Gen II ECU and it is under recall. me engine stalled once when there was 100% humidity and it was raining for a couple of days and i was not driving it, rpms were really low aroudn 400 and it died once. i reved the engine couple of times and everthing went back to normal. i dont know if this your car. 98 and up have new engine that differs drastically from all previous models

[VBdenny]

Sometimes when the throttle body gets a carbon build up, it does this. Never happened on my Lexus, but my Chevy got so it wouldn't idle. Cleaned the throttle body and it's been fine for 50,000 miles. Just another thought.

[Canopy]

Those are all good possible diagnoses (sp?). But don't forget about your first suspician about Shell. The mere fact you switched to another brand, won't fix any problem that Shell sulfer gas caused when Shell was having that problem. That would be the first thing I would check out. It should be free.

[singh]

Where and how can I get sulfer damage assesed? Should I try fuel injector cleaner?

Should I take the car to Lexus dealer?. Does any one knows a good and reliable mechanic in Birmingham Alabama?

Thanks

SPS

[CUMan]

I would suggest Franklin Automotive. They just moved into the old Tom Williams Lexus location on Third Avenue, South. They also have an operation in the Inverness area. They sell Lexus and Volvo and also service both makes. Everything I have heard about them is good.

I cannot say the same for Tom Williams Lexus. Most of my experiences with them have been bad.