Last week drive, stuck in LA traffic creeping my way through. As there is not to much to do , i have a habit of gazing my dashboard and keep checking the RPM meter.
But this day was different , Apart from the regular lights in my dashboard, i saw an engine check lights on.
For any person who does not know a honest mechanic, such signs are like throwing machine in the Slot machine. It's one way.
Initially my thought was that the old camry is giving up and probably it's giving an indication that it's life is nearing end. It has 137K which is quite an yound age for camry's. It like 40's in human.
Anyways bit of panic and i started searching internet for solutions. Found lot of articles pointing to loose fuel cap. So this is what i did:
1) Tighten fuel cap
2) Disconnect battery and reconnect [ This helps to reset the code]
3) Start the engine and woooahhhhh..engine light is off and car seem to back in roll
Next day morning , starting for office and down a mile drive and car shut off itslef. . After multiple trials i realized that car shuts off due to very low RPM so i have to keep a foot in gas and another in brakes.
End of day back home (in some panic) and internet search begins. Lots of article on Re-Learning of ECU to maintain the RPM level. This is what i did:
1) Start the car and keep foot in gas for 15 min to ensure engine doesn't die down
2) Took a car for a long ride in freeway and some short drive inside the city
Note: I tried this at 1 AM to ensure there is no traffic
3) Came back home and left the throttle assuming things will get well but....... murphys law kicked in...Car shut down due to low RPM
4) Back home 2 AM and (sleepy and panic) . started search once more and quite a lot of articles but this time, it is asking to do a Throttle system cleaning..
That's my weekend agenda :-).
Will keep you posted on how that went ..
