Flashing Check Engine Light

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LS Chazzy J

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Alright, I'm aware it's probably coils. But in the search function I can't find anything relating to a flashing check engine light.

The Basics: 2004 LS V8 70K miles - no prior history

Long story short, had a truck tailing my ass on an merge-ramp. Kind of annoyed me, so I went WOT once I hit the highway and the damn check engine light started flashing at me for about 10 seconds, then stayed off. So no check engine light on right now, it just flashed at me. Typically with OBDII systems this means a complete misfire occurring in the motor. Leading me to believe I fried a coil. There's definitely a misfire occuring on a permanent basis now and a "lean" smell (faint burn smell) coming from the motor.

Here's where I'm stumped. The car has ran MINT, no misfiring, nothing - thought I was one of the few individuals that escaped the bad coils. So even though I've had no prior coil problems, why would a sudden WOT fry a coil(s) instantly? I imagine it has something to due with the sudden voltage spike. I'm just confused and want to make sure there's nothing else I should know about before I tear this bitch open and create more of a mess than I want to.

I'm headed to autozone in the morning to see what the stored code says. Thanks as always.
 
I don't think its a coil. I've had MANY coil-related CEL's (MIL's) and they always stayed on once they came on. Only way they ever went out was to reset the CEL or drive the car several times after replacing the offending COP.

If your CEL is not on now, the car may not throw a code when you go to get it checked.
 
Mine did that, flashed and went off, then a few days later it flashed several times and stayed on from that point on. It was all related to a bad coil. My probl had definitely made itself known weeks ahead of the CEL coming on though, with sluggish, stuttering acceleration anytime I was already going 50 mph or above. Never noticed any smells during the trouble.
 
The cel flashes to tell you that you've had a misfire so big that it could ruin your cats.. Mine flashed about 5-6 times and had the check engine light on for like 6 months (had no money to fix it), and now I have a cel for the cats going bad.. Fix it quick..

Edit:
Misfires are common.. Since you were dumping a lot of fuel in the engine, all it took was one cylinder to miss and throw off a light.. Try to duplicate it again.. If it does it again, then you probably have a coil going out..
 
FASTLLS said:
The cel flashes to tell you that you've had a misfire so big that it could ruin your cats.. Mine flashed about 5-6 times and had the check engine light on for like 6 months (had no money to fix it), and now I have a cel for the cats going bad.. Fix it quick..

My car has the same cel. I got my misfire fixed less than 2 hrs (driving time) after it came on. So yea, if u don't want a cat code, fix that ish quick
Click to expand...
 
LS Chazzy J said:
Alright, I'm aware it's probably coils. But in the search function I can't find anything relating to a flashing check engine light.

The Basics: 2004 LS V8 70K miles - no prior history

Long story short, had a truck tailing my ass on an merge-ramp. Kind of annoyed me, so I went WOT once I hit the highway and the damn check engine light started flashing at me for about 10 seconds, then stayed off. So no check engine light on right now, it just flashed at me. Typically with OBDII systems this means a complete misfire occurring in the motor. Leading me to believe I fried a coil. There's definitely a misfire occuring on a permanent basis now and a "lean" smell (faint burn smell) coming from the motor.

Here's where I'm stumped. The car has ran MINT, no misfiring, nothing - thought I was one of the few individuals that escaped the bad coils. So even though I've had no prior coil problems, why would a sudden WOT fry a coil(s) instantly? I imagine it has something to due with the sudden voltage spike. I'm just confused and want to make sure there's nothing else I should know about before I tear this bitch open and create more of a mess than I want to.

I'm headed to autozone in the morning to see what the stored code says. Thanks as always.
Click to expand...

Dude you have an 03+ with less than 100k miles so it should still be under warranty for the coils. Bring it to the dealer and have them stress test the coils for free. If any are bad they should replace them for free. Good Luck.
 
And the winners are:

P0300 - Random Multiple Misfire; and P0303 - Cylinder 3 Misfire.

I'm going to the dealership armed with that document and I'm betting the COPs are going south (as if there was ever doubt...). The check engine light is permanently on now. You can feel a definite misfire at idle and intermittent misfires at cruising speeds on the highway. I'm hoping they'll just replace all 8 so I don't have to do this again in 10,000 miles.

Thanks for the document Joe
 
Just to finish this thread for archive purposes:

Dealership looked at it - I'm sure we all knew it was the coils. Coil 3 and 8 failed the stress test. The dealership replaced all 8 with "updated" hardware and I shouldn't have any further coil problems or condensation problems with the updated hardware.

I wasn't aware Ford put R&D into the coils and condensation problem for these motors? Maybe they were just feeding me a line of crap and I'll be dealing with this in another 50K miles...who knows. Regardless, all 8 coils were replaced, 8 new spark plugs, and 2 new seals for the coils' housing. Runs like a new car, literally.

Make sure you take the letter (that Joe posted previously in this thread) to the dealership w/ you. The service writer didn't have a clue about the extended warranty. All the repairs didn't cost me a dime though. Thank God!
 
that letter should be laminated and attached under the hood on every LS (well at least every covered LS)
 
I got the CEL flash at me for about a minute then turn off after flooring it out of a corner today, took it to O-Reilly's and p0303 came up cylinder #3 misfire but I Fuccin clear it like a dummazz, I've felt the misfire/stutter since the beginning of summer BEFORE I installed the K&N Typhoon CAI, it's still under warranty so my question is if I take it to the dealership will they give me shiet or not mess with it at all because of the CAI? And do ya'll think they'll take my word about the p0303 after me clearing it or should I hammer the shiet out of it to try and get the CEL to flash again? thanks everybody!
 
Starch said:
I got the CEL flash at me for about a minute then turn off after flooring it out of a corner today, took it to O-Reilly's and p0303 came up cylinder #3 misfire but I Fuccin clear it like a dummazz, I've felt the misfire/stutter since the beginning of summer BEFORE I installed the K&N Typhoon CAI, it's still under warranty so my question is if I take it to the dealership will they give me shiet or not mess with it at all because of the CAI? And do ya'll think they'll take my word about the p0303 after me clearing it or should I hammer the shiet out of it to try and get the CEL to flash again? thanks everybody!
Click to expand...

If you have a 2003-2005, V8 with less then 100K miles, then they will replace any failing coils at no charge to you. They don't need any stored codes. They will do a stress test.
 
HOllY SHIET!! thanks joegr ,Jorge? Joe? how about Jack? I will give them a call tomorrow and set up a date then, it's an 04 V8 with 58k, they won't say anything about the CAI do you think?
 
Starch said:
...they won't say anything about the CAI do you think?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, that all depends on the guys in the service department of the dealership you use. Some are more understanding than others. Your CAI may or may not cause some issues, but COP failure is not one of them.
 
I'll give it a shot at Lincoln first if they reject me I'll just rush into Ford without a call and make up some story about me being in the area and decided to take it in, since stangs are in the lot they'll understand the extra goods under the hood, thanks again man!:)
 
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