Oops. Check Hybrid System after Intake Manifold/EGR Pipe Cleaning

2 questions:

1. Ian there anyway I i can get the car up the driveway? The wheels are locked and I can’t move it as it is. The rear end us stimcing out into the neighbirhood street.

2. How do I know if the traction battery is bad? Also, assuming I wait for a new battery to arrive and successfully install it. How do I know that whatever killed my old battery wont won’t kill the new one?

It would be great if it was just the 12v but that seems less likely since it gave a check hybrid system warning.

 

Did the PreCollision System warning just come on, wasn't on before your cleaning?

Also, dumb question, but did you for sure reconnect all spark plug connectors?

 

Are you able to pull any check engine light codes from the vehicle? It’s hard to figure out the issue without knowing what the light is indicating. Also, I don’t think a dead 12v battery would cause the vehicle to suddenly die out like that. I’ve never seen a vehicle act like that due to a dead 12v battery.

 

i bought a techstream on amazon and it will be here on Monday. I’ll let you know what the codes are when it arrives.

I changed the battery because it was not up to spec anyway, and now it will go into ready mode for a few seconds before stalling. Thankfully that was enough for me to get it into the driveway and out of the road.

Right now my best guess is that somehow something I did made the ignition coil(s) go bad. No idea how that would happen, but a bad coil would explain the stalling and hard idling. I really have no idea what else it could possibly be. I did take the coils out periodically before realizing I had the wrong socket for the spark plugs so sumptoms plus the fact that they were messed with makes me suspect them.

 

First time I pulled the plugs it was "what the heck, 5/8" is too loose??". Luckily we still had an automotive supply place nearby (it's since closed ), and I picked up a 9/16" socket (14 mm is spec I think).

I'm thinking there's some cause-and-effect, directly tied to something that just happened, that hopefully can be easily remedied.

 

A friend suggested tonight that maybe when I started the car without the MAF sensor plugged in it triggered a code or a series of codes that is causing crazy things I happen and they need to be cleared before the computer will function normally. Now that everything is fixed and assembled correctly maybe clearing the codes will straighten up the cars behavior. We’ll have to see. I’ll post an update when I get the damn thing fixed.

 

My guess is that you forgot to plug in some cable. Or that cleaning fluid got into a sensor (maf maybe?) and damaged it

 

Thanks for the response, 4est.

The cables are all plugged in. I quadruple checked everything. The MAF sensor was only cleaned with MAF cleaner, so it should be fine.

 

I have seen some maf failures after cleaning them, so if you have a friend who can lend you a maf...

Anyway you will learn more after getting the obd codes

 

Solved the puzzle.

I live in Florida and it’s been raining for days here but It finally stopped long enough for me to go out and retrace my steps. I took everything apart and found the hose to the PCV valve unattached and ducking behind the manifold. Cleared the codes, detached the battery. Went and took a shower, cake back and reattached the battery, and started the car up. It ran rough for a few seconds but didn’t stall. Then it smoothed out and started charging the battery. Drove it around the block and eveything seems fine. Phew!

Thank you to everyone who tried to help. This whole ordeal now seems sort of embarrassing in retrospect, but I’m glad it was something simple and not something big. Only costs me a few days work.

Hopefully this will be a lesson for someone else so they don’t have to learn the hard way like I did.