Check engine light if car sits for more than a couple days - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

respawn · 06-09-2014, 09:22 AM

This has become common place for me, so it no longer seems weird, but I wondered if anyone else is experiencing the same.

I bought my Cammy in 2010 and the first couple months I had it I went on a week long business trip (flew and left my car at home). I went to work in the morning on the following monday and when I cranked the car it stammered a little like my '74 nova would do every time I cranked it. It threw a check engine light but after a few seconds it idled out and was fine. It had been sitting in my drive way for 9 days. It drove fine and after work I took it to the dealer to pull the codes and they just said it had "random cylinder misfires" and probably was a bad tank of gas. Told me to fill it up with premium and should be fine. So I did. That was 4 years ago.

Since then, consistently, whenever I let my car sit more than 4-5 days it does this.

I work from home 1-2 days a week and I don't drive it at all on the weekends (use the wife's/family vehicle). So, if I dont go in on Thursday and Friday, and then don't go in on Monday and Tuesday of the following week, it has been sitting for 6-7 days when I crank it on Wednesday morning. And it throws the check engine light every time.

Also, any time I go on vacation or work trips where I dont take my own vehicle, and I am away from using my Camaro for long period of times it does this the day I use it again. My warranty has been up for over a year now so I was going to the local garage and paying them $20 to pull the codes and reset it. Same thing every time "random or single cylinder misfire" and just tell me to watch it and bring it back if it continues to happen (but it doesnt if I continue to drive it consistently).

After 2-3 times of paying the $20, I bought a code scanner from Amazon for under $20 delivered and I just scan and erase the codes myself now.

Before you say it is the gas I buy, I drive back and forth between New Orleans and Biloxi for work every other week. I buy gas at several different stations (not always the same). And I usually buy 87 octane, but the last 2 months I have been buying 93 octane because of a discussion/debate with a friend of mine that 93 actually gives more MPG than 87 and the % difference is greater than the price % difference so worth it to just use 93 octane. (I am still undecided on this). But I can say it isnt that I am using cheap or low octane gas because I have been buying 93 expensive gas for the last several weeks and it did it to me again this morning. I was doing training in a virtual classroom (at home) all last week and hadn't started it since Friday May 30th (about 10 days ago).

I scanned the error codes a few minutes ago and reset the check engine light. Three codes. One "random cylinder misfire" and two "cylinder 3 misfire". It stuttered a little when I start it then after 10-15 seconds it idled out and ran fine. Drove with no issues the 35 minute drive into work. The check engine light stays on until I cleared it.

Just wondering - anyone else dealing with something like this?

Rock-It Man · 06-10-2014, 12:03 PM

No, not dealing with this on my Camaro , but low battery voltage can cause quirky problems. Your car is a 2010 and you use it intermittently. Have you ever hooked it up to a battery tender?

TommyTheCat · 06-10-2014, 01:22 PM

Could be an ignition coil on cylinder 3. Take it to a shop for real diagnostics, not just a code reading. They can use a scanner like the one I have to monitor which cylinders are misfiring and see if it's just number 3. If it is just number 3 it can still cause a P0300

WxGawd · 06-19-2014, 01:46 PM

I have a 2010 V6 and this occurs with my vehicle every so often. One winter it occurred a few times in a row. My dealer read the codes and came back with the same condition as yours. They finally did a software update of the ECU and the CEL stopped. This was 2 years ago. But when I cleaned my CAI this past weekend the CEL came back on. Misfire codes again. I think this is just a characteristic of the LLT engine but an annoyance.

firestone_ss · 06-23-2014, 11:59 PM

so much info missing here, diagnostic work is not just scan the code and replace part, go get it looked at by a real diag tech and leave it for a few hours and I bet you get your answer.

TommyTheCat · 06-24-2014, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firestone_ss

so much info missing here, diagnostic work is not just scan the code and replace part, go get it looked at by a real diag tech and leave it for a few hours and I bet you get your answer.

+1000
people come to my shop all the time wanting a free diagnostic, by which they mean code readings.

TooCool5 · 06-24-2014, 11:41 AM

Many people on the forum had this happen, including myself. Its the ethanol in the gas, it collects water. The last C5 member added Chemtool to the fuel and it solved everything.
You can search for the thread or search misfires.
http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...light=misfires

06-09-2014, 09:22 AM	#1
respawn Drives: 2010 Syn Green LE Camaro Join Date: May 2009 Location: New Orleans Posts: 129	Check engine light if car sits for more than a couple days This has become common place for me, so it no longer seems weird, but I wondered if anyone else is experiencing the same. I bought my Cammy in 2010 and the first couple months I had it I went on a week long business trip (flew and left my car at home). I went to work in the morning on the following monday and when I cranked the car it stammered a little like my '74 nova would do every time I cranked it. It threw a check engine light but after a few seconds it idled out and was fine. It had been sitting in my drive way for 9 days. It drove fine and after work I took it to the dealer to pull the codes and they just said it had "random cylinder misfires" and probably was a bad tank of gas. Told me to fill it up with premium and should be fine. So I did. That was 4 years ago. Since then, consistently, whenever I let my car sit more than 4-5 days it does this. I work from home 1-2 days a week and I don't drive it at all on the weekends (use the wife's/family vehicle). So, if I dont go in on Thursday and Friday, and then don't go in on Monday and Tuesday of the following week, it has been sitting for 6-7 days when I crank it on Wednesday morning. And it throws the check engine light every time. Also, any time I go on vacation or work trips where I dont take my own vehicle, and I am away from using my Camaro for long period of times it does this the day I use it again. My warranty has been up for over a year now so I was going to the local garage and paying them $20 to pull the codes and reset it. Same thing every time "random or single cylinder misfire" and just tell me to watch it and bring it back if it continues to happen (but it doesnt if I continue to drive it consistently). After 2-3 times of paying the $20, I bought a code scanner from Amazon for under $20 delivered and I just scan and erase the codes myself now. Before you say it is the gas I buy, I drive back and forth between New Orleans and Biloxi for work every other week. I buy gas at several different stations (not always the same). And I usually buy 87 octane, but the last 2 months I have been buying 93 octane because of a discussion/debate with a friend of mine that 93 actually gives more MPG than 87 and the % difference is greater than the price % difference so worth it to just use 93 octane. (I am still undecided on this). But I can say it isnt that I am using cheap or low octane gas because I have been buying 93 expensive gas for the last several weeks and it did it to me again this morning. I was doing training in a virtual classroom (at home) all last week and hadn't started it since Friday May 30th (about 10 days ago). I scanned the error codes a few minutes ago and reset the check engine light. Three codes. One "random cylinder misfire" and two "cylinder 3 misfire". It stuttered a little when I start it then after 10-15 seconds it idled out and ran fine. Drove with no issues the 35 minute drive into work. The check engine light stays on until I cleared it. Just wondering - anyone else dealing with something like this?

06-19-2014, 01:46 PM	#4
WxGawd WxGawd Drives: 2010 LS Camaro w/RS Victory Red Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Springfield, VA Posts: 24 View My Garage	I have a 2010 V6 and this occurs with my vehicle every so often. One winter it occurred a few times in a row. My dealer read the codes and came back with the same condition as yours. They finally did a software update of the ECU and the CEL stopped. This was 2 years ago. But when I cleaned my CAI this past weekend the CEL came back on. Misfire codes again. I think this is just a characteristic of the LLT engine but an annoyance. __________________ Call Sign - WxGawd V6 RS, Airaid CAI & TBS w/Web Sequential Tail Lights

06-24-2014, 11:41 AM	#7
TooCool5 Drives: 2010 Camaro 1LS 3.6 LLT V6 325 HP Join Date: May 2009 Location: LS Posts: 4,242 View My Garage	Many people on the forum had this happen, including myself. Its the ethanol in the gas, it collects water. The last C5 member added Chemtool to the fuel and it solved everything. You can search for the thread or search misfires. http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showth...light=misfires __________________ 2010 Camaro Auto, Inferno Orange, Titanium Interior, Gearhead Wheels AIRAID CAI

06-10-2014, 12:03 PM	#2
Rock-It Man 376 cubic inches of fun Drives: 2023 Camaro ZL1 A10 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: MA Posts: 4,031 View My Garage	No, not dealing with this on my Camaro , but low battery voltage can cause quirky problems. Your car is a 2010 and you use it intermittently. Have you ever hooked it up to a battery tender?

06-10-2014, 01:22 PM	#3
TommyTheCat SHKE BKE Drives: 2013 Camaro Join Date: May 2014 Location: SoCal Posts: 3,108	Could be an ignition coil on cylinder 3. Take it to a shop for real diagnostics, not just a code reading. They can use a scanner like the one I have to monitor which cylinders are misfiring and see if it's just number 3. If it is just number 3 it can still cause a P0300

06-23-2014, 11:59 PM	#5
firestone_ss Drives: 2010 camaro ss Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tacoma WA Posts: 779	so much info missing here, diagnostic work is not just scan the code and replace part, go get it looked at by a real diag tech and leave it for a few hours and I bet you get your answer.