97 xk8. Red engine failure light. Yellow stability light. When this happens the idle is erratic. Turn it off. Sits a while. Lights out. Drive it. It does it again. Code reader seems to be getting no power as it won't even come on. Regardless no codes. Ideas?

 

Early cars suffered many throttle body issues including a service recall that replaced all that owners knew about it. That has expired.

There is a place up in the Johnson City, TN area that rebuilds them but the name escapes me at the moment. Someone will supply that shortly I am sure.

Check the fuse for the Data Port. Fuse chart in the Sticky above if you don't have one.

 

It's ASI Tom.

Automotive Scientific Inc. | Quality Rebuilt Automotive Electronics | Rogersville, TN

 

1997, all those issues, I would bet it is the main computer. Mine did the same stuff, TB replaced 2x. I had the computer sent out 97's ecms are known to be problems, got it back, put my orig TB back on it, all was fine. I used ASI also.

 

If you are getting no power to a code reader, that's a problem in itself.

Someone will chime you in on the location of the ecm and that fuse to check.

 

Before you get involved in expensive fixes make sure the battery and alternator are good. Low system voltage will cause a whole load of issues, regarding the code reader, mine does not take any voltage from the car it just reads the data from the ECU.

 

So where is the computer located? Do I just unplug it and send it off?

 

On the passenger side, under the hood on US vehicles, under the black plastic cover near the windshield and front quarter panel.

ALWAYS disconnect the battery before plugging or unplugging any electronic module.

 

If you are sending it to ASI, call or email first and get a work order#.

 

Thanks guys. I think I will try sending the ecu for repairs first and hope for the best.

 

Thanks to you guys and your vast knowledge I had the ecm rebuilt and it appears to have cured the problem. Thanks!!!

 

Great feeling, isn't it?

I couldn't own my car without this group.

 

I worked in the car stereo business for over 35 years, so I do know a little bit about electronics. That said, my neighbor in the shop next door had an auto electric shop. They repaired starters, alts and all the other electronics. They did this for many years. While having a beer or two with him one evening I asked how they repaired ECM/ECU's. He told me that 95% of the time they just left them on the shelf for a week and all the problems would go away. Basically just letting all the internal capacitors bleed down to zero voltage. The quick and dirty way was to, with the unit on the bench out of the car, to short all the terminals on the plug to ground (unit chassis). If you have to send the unit out for repair anyway you might want to give this a try first. The other 5% of the time they ordered rebuilt units just like we do.