Need urgent assistance, well, not so urgent now...

[harbormaster]

I thought for sure I was a member here (used the fantastic instructions to replace the stock stereo lights) but had to create a new account.

My 2007 Vibe has had a check engine light on for a while because of a catalytic converter inefficiency. I didn't do anything about it because the car was running fine.

Over the last couple of weeks I noticed that the car was "surging" every now and then, and once in a blue moon there seemed to be no response to the accelerator being pressed.

Fast forward to today I was on my way to see my wife. The lack of the accelerator being pressed became very pronounced and while driving up an incline the car just died.

When I turn it over it starts, but dies in about one second. There is no throttle response, the check engine light flashes, and when I connect my code reader it can't connect to the ECM. The reader tells me to make sure I'm connected and to make sure the car is on (It is).

I'm pretty sure my ECM is dead but I'm looking for some backing on this.

Hope someone can chime in and let me know.

Thanks in advance!

Clark

[joatmon]

wish I could be of actual help

I'd say check every fuse, especially AM1 AM2, ECU-B. ECU-IG, and OBD in the under dash fuse block, and EFI and ETCS in under hood fuse block.

A long shot would be to disconnect the battery for a while (some say 2 minutes, others say 15) Supposed to clear accumulated learning in the ECM

If you do get it figured out, please let us know what the cause turns out to be

[harbormaster]

Thanks for the reply joatmon.
I will check the fuses as you mentioned, but the lack of response to accelerator input prior to the car dying leads me to believe it's more of an actual ECM failure.
I should have added in my original post that it's an automatic with 220K on it.

[tpollauf]

It would help if we knew where you're from (generally speaking that is). Sounds like a bad ground or two also could be the problem BUT we have no idea of the integrtity of this Vibe or where it's been driven. Arizona ..... no problems. Michigan BIG problems, as far as corrosion & rust. More info and maybe we can be of better help

[harbormaster]

tpollauf,
The Vibe is driven in Wisconsin, and is pretty much rust free, but of course that doesn't mean there isn't an issue with a bad ground.
Any particular place I should be looking for a bad ground?

[harbormaster]

Wasn't sure how long my Vibe was going to be down, so I went out and bought a car today so I could get to work tomorrow.
This evening my brother and I unloaded the Vibe from the trailer, and once on the ground I wanted to show him what it was doing.
And of course it started right up!
Which of course is good.
So I attached my OBD reader and pulled the following codes in the order they came up:
1/3 P0121 - Throttle / Pedal Position Sensor Switch A Circuit Range / Performance
2/3 P0606 - ECM/PCM Processor
3/3 P2121 - Throttle / Pedal Position Sensor Switch D Circuit Range / Performance
At the very least I would guess a bad throttle position sensor, and a bad ECM at the worst.
Your thoughts?

[joatmon]

Good to at least have a lead on where to troubleshoot.

I expect a TPS would cost less than an ECM.

Would be nice if when you buy a part you could return it if it doesn't fix the problem. Repair shops don't act that way. If they replace ten things before the 11th solves the problem, you still pay for all 11

[harbormaster]

I expect a TPS would cost less than an ECM.

Believe it or not they are very similarly priced. ECM was maybe $20 more.
I ordered both and will change both. Seems silly I suppose but if I can get it back on the road for under $450 I'll be a happy man.
My Vibe is my most favorite car I have ever owned. I absolutely love driving it.

[plevy]

I'm curious how your issues turned out? I have a similar situation with my 2005 Vibe.

The car runs fine most of the time, but every few months it will stumble, rev and die, then give P0121 (TPS) and P0606 (ECM) codes. It leaves me stranded but will usually start and drive again if I leave it for several hours.

I replaced the throttle body and tried an ECM from a junk yard, each time thinking I fixed it only to have the problem return a month or two later. I also replaced the air mass sensor on a whim.

Today, while the problem was happening I quick swapped computers from my stock ECM to the junkyard ECM and the problem went away completely for about 5mins then came back. After putting the stock computer back in I noticed that I could hear a quiet hissing/squealing noise coming from the ECU, that changed ever so slightly when the engine stumbled.

So I think I'm going to spring for a fresh ECU and hope that the junkyard ECU just happened to be bad also.

Ugh, this lingering issue has been so frustrating. Hopefully you've had better luck than me.

Please share what your resolution was as I'm very curious. Thanks!

[Renthorin]

I'm curious too as my 08 has been doing this intermittently for about 1 year now and is becoming more frequent.

I will check all fuses and such when I get home but hoping to hear if something solved the OP's issue