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2005 Chrysler 300-- Check Engine Light Won't Go Off
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Spark Plug
New User
May 1, 2011, 7:10 AM
Post #1 of 8
(14363 views)
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2005 Chrysler 300-- Check Engine Light Won't Go Off
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I had a bad experience and hope someone can suggest something.
My check engine light went on. I have a 2005 Chrysler 300 Touring with the large V-6. The car has only 54,000 miles on it, and has always had regular maintenance.
When I took the car to the dealer to investigate the check engine light, the engine seemed to me to be running smooth as butter. Their diagnosis indicated missing, and the missing centered around the #1 cylinder. They also got a reading where one bank of cylinders -- on one side-- was running too lean. They figured there were valve problems caused by carbon.
They kept the car from Monday through Friday. They ran up a total bill of $450. About $250 of that was diagnosis, and about $200 more for treatment. The only thing done was to use two solvents they got from Chrysler. One went into the gas tank=--= an additive-- and the other was manually injected into the fuel injectors.
After applying these additives, they ran the car on the interstate to get it good and warmed up. When they returned on their first test drive, the trouble light went off. However, they later decided it would be a good idea to take the car for a second run on the interstate -- about 20 miles -- and on the second occasion, as they were returning to the shop, the check engine light went back on. They returned the car to me with the check engine light still illuminated.
Now they inform me they would like to pull the head and manually clean the valves. This will cost an estimated $850.
I am afraid to let them do this, because I am afraid they could run up this bill and then AGAIN they would return the car to me with the check engine light still on.
I am sorry to say, I am having doubts about this particular Chrysler dealer's shop.
Do you folks think I should take the car to an independent shop, and forget the Chrysler dealer for now?
How about putting a very small square of black tape on my display to cover up the "check engine" symbol, and just keep driving the car? The Chrysler dealer told me that I can continue running the car indefinitely with the check engine light on, and it will not harm the car. They just suggested I would not be getting the performance out of my engine that I paid for. Both before taking the car in, and now, the engine sounds mellow and smooth as butter.
I hope someone can suggest a strategy to solve this situation, because I am staying awake nights worrying about this. I just got my car back from the dealer a few days ago.
Thanks.
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zmame
Veteran
/ Moderator
May 1, 2011, 7:43 AM
Post #2 of 8
(14349 views)
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Re: 2005 Chrysler 300-- Check Engine Light Won't Go Off
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Lean codes can be caused by number things.. I have no idea what they diagnosed or how they came to the conclusion that the head needed to come off. There are alot of things that can cause a lean code.
-O2 sensor
-MAP Sensor
-Low Fuel Pressure
-Injector not operating properly
-Vacumm leak
-Plugged Fuel filter (related to low fuel pressure)
-insuffecient compression may cause a lean code too.
If they suspect a valve stuck open should do a compression and leak down test, But that should be the last step. If they have done a leakdown and compression test and found a issue then I would try TerraClean first (Injector, combustion chamber and exhaust cleaning process) works better then gas additives.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 1, 2011, 7:49 AM
Post #3 of 8
(14347 views)
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Re: 2005 Chrysler 300-- Check Engine Light Won't Go Off
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Quote">>They returned the car to me with the check engine light still illuminated.<<"
That's not cool.
If this car does tons of poking around at low speed then the hard run might take care of this if running well now. You can feel tailpipe outflow (be careful - hot) for a rythmic put which would be a problem.
This isn't right IMO. If a valve was dirty or more a compression test would show it.
If running well as said give it a hard run if applicable to the low speed poking around use and blow it out. If no change then I would seek an independant or another dealer for Mopars. A dealer should be able to scope (see) inside cylinders and not be guessing for a low mile car but a hard diagnosis. Independants can too.
Is all maintenance up to date?
Don't do the tape thing as much as you feel like it that's no fix and if a problem lurks it should be tended to,
T
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 1, 2011, 7:52 AM
Post #5 of 8
(14342 views)
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Re: 2005 Chrysler 300-- Check Engine Light Won't Go Off
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Z! - We are crossing swords - you hit "post reply" before I did. Like your ideas but smell that this is a nice cared for car and might not have a real problem. Not there so how could I know?
Tom
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autojoe
User
May 1, 2011, 8:13 AM
Post #6 of 8
(14336 views)
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Re: 2005 Chrysler 300-- Check Engine Light Won't Go Off
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I seen lots of poor quality work from chrysler techs including trans rebuilds.......with todays technology improvements with mode 6 and high resolution dso and pressure tranducers/gas analyzer it should be easy to pinpoint problem for a qualified tech.I think they are in the dark.I would take to someone else that specializes in diagnostics/electrical that is ase certified.Like hammer said dont drive for extended period with misfire might cause catalyst damage and if it starts to flash then park car.Just my take on the subject.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 1, 2011, 8:24 AM
Post #7 of 8
(14333 views)
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Re: 2005 Chrysler 300-- Check Engine Light Won't Go Off
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We's all mixed up with timing our posts. As said and hope I didn't confuse it - DON'T DRIVE A VEHICLE LONG WITH A MISFIRE OR EVEN NOT RUNNING PROPERLY as all have just said that's too hard on converter and can kill it as said. Insult to injury.
There are some things that will set off the light that can wait but I too am not confident this diagnosis is accurate. You are there - I'm not,
T
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Spark Plug
New User
May 8, 2011, 7:37 AM
Post #8 of 8
(14296 views)
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Re: 2005 Chrysler 300-- Check Engine Light Won't Go Off
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Just to bring this up to date-- I'm the guy who began the thread -- having the Chrysler 300 with the persistent "check engine" light.
As mentioned earlier, the Chr dealer kept the car five days and ran up $250 in diagnosis time. Their solution was to use a two part solvent/cleaner. One bottle went into the gas, and the other bottle was injected into the engine somewhere around the intake manifold or injectors. This added another $200 to the bill. After this treatment, they test drove the car and -- according to them -- the check engine light went off. The next day before I picked the car up, they took the car for another test run, and the check engine light came back on.
Anyway, when I picked up the car the check engine light was still burning. I was unhappy, because I brought the car in to this dealer for the sole purpose of getting the check engine light turned off. The service representative told me that he was pretty confident that in a few days the check engine light would go off by itself-- as a result of the belated results of the treatment. He said that in the previous couple of months they had a Pacifica into the shop that has the identical big six engine as mine. They gave it the same two-solvent treatment, which -- I understand -- comes directly from Chrysler. When that car was picked up, the light was on, and then later it went off.
Anyway, I had the car back a week and the check engine light remained on. I even took the car over to an independent garage and was planning to make an appointment there ASAP. I had given up on the Chrysler mechanics. The next morning I went out and started the car. For a second I was bewildered . . . like something odd was going on. Then it hit me. The stupid check engine light was OFF!
I was so exited. Then I was paranoid all day for fear that the next time I started the car the stupid light would be back on. But it has been three days now and the light remains off. I took the car to a nearby town yesterday at speeds of about 65 with the intention of cleaning out the system as much as a full warm up and hard driving will accomplish.
One other thing. All this driving with the check engine light on had been on a single tank of gas. The light came on not long after a fuel up. Prior to the light going OFF, I had refilled the gas tank, and had driven maybe 8 or 10 miles-- enough to get all the old fuel out of the fuel line and fuel pump. So I wondered about the possibility that this whole problem could have been caused by a bad tank of gas.
Well, who knows. I thought the Chrysler people were a bunch of yo-yos, but I have to give it to them. Their prediction that the check engine light would go off by itself in about a week was a crackerjack prediction.
Thanks for the info provided here--
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