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93 Ls400 Sudden Onset Cel


Mom's 94 Lexus

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93 LS400 (75-80,000 miles) driving normal at highway speeds, hickuped once, then began running rough, very rich (stinks, one or both cats hot, and some black smoke out tailpipe when accellerating), barely idles, and the check engine light is on. I followed the proceedure carefully for reading codes (not my first rodeo) but get no blinks at all - no continuous blinking indicating no codes and nothing indicating a particular code. My first thought was the TB but it was replaced less than 15000 miles ago by the dealer.

Here is where it gets odd - once this condition presented, the car would not put itself into 1st gear. I can manually shift to 1st, but it was trying to leave from a stop in 2nd or 3rd.

Car did same thing yesterday pulling out of a gas station (fill up), after a fairly long in-town drive in hot weather. CEL was on. Wife wisely left car in parking lot and we went back (to the soccer tournament) this am. I checked codes and got the steady blink indicating no codes (I can't even get that now). One confusing issue was a courtesy light was on all night so the battery was amost dead, had to jump it off. But it ran fine until the repeat event coming home from the tournament.

While I realise this could be many things, I find the inability to read the codes odd. Also I hope the sudden onset might be a big clue for someone out there.

Thanks in advance :o

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on an obd 1 a bad coil wont throw a code and if it did it wouldnt effect the ability to check the code

The coil sounds very possible - thought maybe after it cooled it worked again until finally giving up - probably an internal insulation failure. While the CEL was on, I didn't get a code the first time - normal steady blinks. Now I can't get that - maybe I did something - I did pull the 20 amp fuse to clear the codes after the second time it happend.

We have a great Volvo shop up the street with an award winning diagnostic tech. I'll risk a couple bills on a chance with them. I just don't have time to experiment right now.

Thanks for the suggestions - I'll share with them.

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The transmission issue make me think of the wire in the trunk problem. The wire harness on the drivers side trunk hinge, one or more

wires pull apart or frays causing a short. There is more detailed info on this if you do a form search.

Otherwise I vote for the coil. Apparently the driver side coil goes out primarily, being lower and subject to more heat.

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