Check Engine Light + Trac Off Light + No Overdrive

[mrparedes]

I have a 2000 ES 300.Back in Aug the check engine + trac off light started illuminating intermittently. By the time I took it to the local toyota dealer and had them run diagnostics the lights were on all the time. They pulled codes P0171 and P0330. The tech said he found the mass air flow senor contacts were "extremely dirty", and he cleaned them thoroughly and re-ran diagnostics no problems noted. He test drove the car and everything checked out fine. Three days later I was driving on the interstate at @ 80 mph when I accelerated to pass the CEL and Trac off light came on and stayed on. I also noticed that the RPM's increased significantly indicating, at least to me, that I was no longer in overdrive. I clicked the OD button on and off several times with no apparent change in RPM's.

The next day I took it back to the dealer and asked them to re-run dignostics and check out my OD drive problem. This time the tech again pulled code P0330 and stated that the knock sensor needed to be replaced. He cleaned the contacts again and the lights went out. Since I didn't have the $510.00 the dealer wanted for a new knock sensor and the service manager assured me that the engine would not be damaged I decided to pospone the repair and look for a cheaper fix. By the way they couldn't replicate the OD problem and stated the transmission was functioning fine. The lights stayed off for @ three days and OD seemed to be working fine. An unrelated event but interesting anyway. Around two weeks later the battery died and was replaced. The lights went out and stayed out for @ a week.

Now for the wierd part!!! Two weeks later I was driving home on the interstate when suddenly the engine seized the CEL and trac off light were lit and no overdrive. Turns out it threw a rod. Everyone I've talked to assures me that there is no relationship the the CEL / trac off light situation and the engine seizing.

I decided to exchange engines. I found a 2001 engine w/ 35000 mi. and had it installed by a local engine exchange shop. During the test drive the CEL and the trac off light came on. The tech ran diagnostics and cleaned it. The lights went out. About two hours ago I decided to take the car for a test drive, three miles into the drive the lights came back on and I have no overdrive.

WHAT THE HECK SHOULD I DO NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[steviej]

the CEL and TRAC light come on when certain trouble codes trip the ECU. Your car goes into what is affectionately known as "limp" mode, hence the lack of overdrive. It is a protective state to reduce further harm to an unknown sitution.

are the codes coming off the new engine that same as the codes from previous?

You don't mention what codes were cleared by the tech at the end of you post.

steviej

[wwest]

Replace the MAF/IAT sensor module, immediately!

[mrparedes]

Steviej and wwest:

Thanks for the quick response. I don't know if the codes are the same on the new engine as they were on the old. I'll ask the tech on monday. Would the old exhaust manifold and MAF module have been used with the engine swap. My guess is that the old exhaust manifolds with the O2 sensor bank 1 sensor and the O2 bank 2 sensor 1 were used, thus the reason for the CEL / trac off problem still exsisting. I'm not sure if the old MAF module would have been used, but my guess would be no. Any thoughts?

[steviej]

I'm not sure if the old MAF module would have been used, but my guess would be no.  Any thoughts?

←

call the place that did the transplant and ask. It is the definative solution.

steviej

[Toysrme]

P0171

Fuel system lean, 2 trip logic

When A/F ratio feedbakc is stable after engine warming up, the fuel trim is considerably in error on the RICH side.

(Engine is running lean, fuel trims are out of spec adding fuel)

P0330

Knock Sensor 2 Circuit Malfunction

No knock sensor 2 signal to ECM with engine speed 2,000 rpm or more.

They shouldn't have let you out the door without plugging in the tester & going for a 5 min drive. The end result is you blew the engine up just the same as if you were running a 500bhp turbo, or nitrous shot just cruising down the highway. Same damage, just takes longer.

No, when swapping engines, the manifolds & o2 sensors 90% of the time come on the engine as it's easier to leave them there & unbolt the pipe from them. (4 nuts, VS 12)

I would find out what the codes are now. If you don't have a multi-meter to start testing parts, or don't feel like paying bad techs to continue to troubleshoot, just start buying parts from a junkyard.

Start with the MAF.

[akgustin]

I found this thread while looking for an answer to why my transmission on my 2000 ES300 won't shift into overdrive. I had the same P0171 & P0330 codes too, and read on another forum that the most likely cause was the MAF, so I bought a can of MAF cleaner and that solved the problem. I was hoping the transmission problem would get out of limp mode once those codes were cleared, but not so.

It has been 3 years, what happened with your transmission? Or does anyone else know about this problem?

I want to test the speed sensors, but the manual does not say how to test them, only how to remove them. Does anyone know how to test a speed sensor?

My car seems to be in "limp" mode, but there are no codes available on my Accutron code reader. Is there a better code reader that can report more?

Regards,

Alan