Check engine light on and VTM4 light flashing

tigger313tig · 12-20-2010, 08:20 PM

The car was running fine, I stopped to fill it up with gas, when I started it up it idled a little rough. As I was driving the check engine light came on and after about a quarter mile the vtm light came on i went to an auto parts store and they said the codes were three cylinder misfires, any suggestions how to proceed?

**midnightMDX** · 12-20-2010, 08:24 PM

Year? Mileage? Which codes?

tigger313tig · 12-20-2010, 09:08 PM

2001 Acura MDX. 207,000 miles. Not sure what the codes were, but the guy who ran the tester said that there were 3 cylinder misfires.

richez2000 · 12-20-2010, 09:37 PM

tigger I urge you to read thru my situation which is several down on the current list. It is titled Check Engine light: a reason its on or a gremlin? Very similar situation and you need to get the codes. Advance Auto loaned me the reader and I wrote down the codes. that really helped me get started in the right direction.

I hope I get 200K miles out of my MDX.

iyaman · 12-20-2010, 10:13 PM

x2 for the codes. And as richez said, I hope I will get 200k miles on my 05 x. It's at 100k miles now.

erberus · 12-21-2010, 08:49 AM

I have the same problem but with my 04 110k miles

all six cylinders are misfiring it says... my mechanic said it was nothing to worry about because we just did the head gasket, water pump, timing belt, rad and battery.

He ran the car and couldnt hear any misfires and it rides fine.
HELP?

phins2rt · 12-21-2010, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erberus

I have the same problem but with my 04 110k miles

all six cylinders are misfiring it says... my mechanic said it was nothing to worry about because we just did the head gasket, water pump, timing belt, rad and battery.

He ran the car and couldnt hear any misfires and it rides fine.
HELP?

Did the mechanic reset the codes? Did they come back?

pianoman41 · 12-21-2010, 09:39 AM

I just had this and after doing some research online here and elsewhere it was determined that my '05 needed a valve adjustment (intake side was almost perfect but exhaust side needed adjustment). If you're getting the CEL and the VTM-4 lights, stand at the rear of the vehicle when it is fully warm and at idle and see if the exhaust is making a "putt putt" sound like a mini-helicopter. If it is (and you have multiple cylinder misfire codes) then a valve adjustment is probably in your future.

Other possible causes: EGR port clogged (almost a definite on the '01-'03 models), EGR valve clogged/not working, IAC valve not working, coil pack failing, spark plugs fouled.

My mileage has gone up 2mpg just from doing a valve adjustment.

erberus · 12-21-2010, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phins2rt

Did the mechanic reset the codes? Did they come back?

Yes, he also said that the valves were self adjusting.

outgolfn · 12-22-2010, 12:11 AM

pianoman41 pretty much summed it up.

I was just through this on my '01 X as well. I would go EGR ports first, because it is cheap and easy How does the oil get in here ?. If that doesn't work, then if you can beg, borrow, buy or steal a code reader you, you can figure out which cylinders are misfiring and do a little debug by swapping coils and/or plug between the cylinders that misfire and cylinders that do not misfire.

In my case I had a bad spark plug, but it eventually caused 5 of the 6 cylinders to indicate misfires. #1 always had a code, #5 never had a code, and the others were intermittent. Mine started out just running a little rough and deteriorated from there until I figured out it was the plug.

Good luck. These misfires are a fun exercise as you will gather if you search this forum for misfires

highcountrymdx · 12-22-2010, 08:54 PM

erberus-
Time for a new mechanic! The MDX V-6 engine valves are NOT self adjusting. Matter of fact, the 105,000 mile service requires the valve clearance be checked, along with replacement of the timing belt. Additionally, the service manual contains a detailed procedure for adjusting the valves.

If your mechanic doesn't know basics like valve adjustment, what else is he missing?

cruzer05 · 12-23-2010, 08:46 AM

Could you have gotten some bad gas seeing how you had just filled up?

converted · 12-23-2010, 11:43 AM

I had the same thing happen. Iwent to Advance Auto, borrowed their scanner and it said I had too lean a fuel mixture in bank 2. I erased the error code and it hasn't come back and it has been over a month.

Silver01MDX · 12-26-2010, 07:01 PM

Time for a new mechanic for me as well. He informed me they were self adjusting as well. I think he just didn't want to do it. Its going into the dealer this week anyway, so maybe I'll see if they'll cut me a break and do it for me while I'm having the heater fixed.

tigger313tig · 01-03-2011, 02:19 AM

The codes read were:
0300 - Random cylinder misfire
0301 - Cylinder number 1 misfire
0303 - Cylinder number 3 misfire
0304 - Cylinder number 4 misfire
0305 - Cylinder number 5 misfire
0306 - Cylinder number 6 misfire

We were told to pour some fuel booster in and see if it changed anything, it did not.

12-20-2010, 08:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
tigger313tig Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 3	Check engine light on and VTM4 light flashing The car was running fine, I stopped to fill it up with gas, when I started it up it idled a little rough. As I was driving the check engine light came on and after about a quarter mile the vtm light came on i went to an auto parts store and they said the codes were three cylinder misfires, any suggestions how to proceed?

12-20-2010, 08:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
midnightMDX Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Chi-town Posts: 10,566	Year? Mileage? Which codes? __________________ *2001-2006 MDX FAQ* 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon 2004 MDX Touring - Midnight Blue Pearl

12-20-2010, 10:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
iyaman Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 16	x2 for the codes. And as richez said, I hope I will get 200k miles on my 05 x. It's at 100k miles now. __________________ consistently inconsistent

12-21-2010, 09:39 AM	#8 (permalink)
pianoman41 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Western MA Posts: 768	I just had this and after doing some research online here and elsewhere it was determined that my '05 needed a valve adjustment (intake side was almost perfect but exhaust side needed adjustment). If you're getting the CEL and the VTM-4 lights, stand at the rear of the vehicle when it is fully warm and at idle and see if the exhaust is making a "putt putt" sound like a mini-helicopter. If it is (and you have multiple cylinder misfire codes) then a valve adjustment is probably in your future. Other possible causes: EGR port clogged (almost a definite on the '01-'03 models), EGR valve clogged/not working, IAC valve not working, coil pack failing, spark plugs fouled. My mileage has gone up 2mpg just from doing a valve adjustment. __________________ -Matt '05 MDX Touring w/navi BSM/Ebony

12-22-2010, 12:11 AM	#10 (permalink)
outgolfn Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 15	pianoman41 pretty much summed it up. I was just through this on my '01 X as well. I would go EGR ports first, because it is cheap and easy How does the oil get in here ?. If that doesn't work, then if you can beg, borrow, buy or steal a code reader you, you can figure out which cylinders are misfiring and do a little debug by swapping coils and/or plug between the cylinders that misfire and cylinders that do not misfire. In my case I had a bad spark plug, but it eventually caused 5 of the 6 cylinders to indicate misfires. #1 always had a code, #5 never had a code, and the others were intermittent. Mine started out just running a little rough and deteriorated from there until I figured out it was the plug. Good luck. These misfires are a fun exercise as you will gather if you search this forum for misfires __________________ '01 Base Granite Green Metallic

12-20-2010, 09:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
tigger313tig Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 3	2001 Acura MDX. 207,000 miles. Not sure what the codes were, but the guy who ran the tester said that there were 3 cylinder misfires.

12-20-2010, 09:37 PM	#4 (permalink)
richez2000 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: KC area Posts: 59	tigger I urge you to read thru my situation which is several down on the current list. It is titled Check Engine light: a reason its on or a gremlin? Very similar situation and you need to get the codes. Advance Auto loaned me the reader and I wrote down the codes. that really helped me get started in the right direction. I hope I get 200K miles out of my MDX.

12-21-2010, 08:49 AM	#6 (permalink)
erberus Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 32	I have the same problem but with my 04 110k miles all six cylinders are misfiring it says... my mechanic said it was nothing to worry about because we just did the head gasket, water pump, timing belt, rad and battery. He ran the car and couldnt hear any misfires and it rides fine. HELP?

12-22-2010, 08:54 PM	#11 (permalink)
highcountrymdx Registered User Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Evergreen, Colorado Posts: 727	erberus- Time for a new mechanic! The MDX V-6 engine valves are NOT self adjusting. Matter of fact, the 105,000 mile service requires the valve clearance be checked, along with replacement of the timing belt. Additionally, the service manual contains a detailed procedure for adjusting the valves. If your mechanic doesn't know basics like valve adjustment, what else is he missing? __________________ 2004 MDX: Taffeta White/Quartz/Touring/Navi/OEM Trans & PS Coolers/Cargo Cover/Cargo Tray/OEM All Weather Floor Mats/Big Sky Car Cover/Roof Rack Delete/OEM BSM Sylvania Silver Star Fog Bulbs/Polarion Lighting HID Low Beams/Toshiba HIR High Beams Bulbs/DRL Kit (Fogs) KP Technologies Auto Door Lock&Unlock with Speed Sensor Neo ProLink iPod Adapter Parrot CK3000 Evolution Bluetooth

12-23-2010, 08:46 AM	#12 (permalink)
cruzer05 Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Hickory, North Carolina Posts: 75	Could you have gotten some bad gas seeing how you had just filled up? __________________ 05 Touring-Teal/Blue

12-23-2010, 11:43 AM	#13 (permalink)
converted Registered User Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Orange Park, Florida Posts: 63	I had the same thing happen. Iwent to Advance Auto, borrowed their scanner and it said I had too lean a fuel mixture in bank 2. I erased the error code and it hasn't come back and it has been over a month. __________________ 04 MDX Touring w/nav and RES 08 Audi TT 3.2 Quattro S-Line 01 Honda CBR 600F4i 87 Honda Rebel 450 Previous Fun Cars: 07 Audi A3 S-Line 04 Honda S2000 84 Corvette

12-26-2010, 07:01 PM	#14 (permalink)
Silver01MDX Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Utah Posts: 101	Time for a new mechanic for me as well. He informed me they were self adjusting as well. I think he just didn't want to do it. Its going into the dealer this week anyway, so maybe I'll see if they'll cut me a break and do it for me while I'm having the heater fixed. __________________ 2001 Acura MDX (Starlight Silver) 1994 Honda Accord LX (Cashmere Silver Metallic) 1996 Acura NSX-T(Spa Yellow Pearl) Coming Soon

01-03-2011, 02:19 AM	#15 (permalink)
tigger313tig Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 3	The codes read were: 0300 - Random cylinder misfire 0301 - Cylinder number 1 misfire 0303 - Cylinder number 3 misfire 0304 - Cylinder number 4 misfire 0305 - Cylinder number 5 misfire 0306 - Cylinder number 6 misfire We were told to pour some fuel booster in and see if it changed anything, it did not.

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