GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

So I was driving home from visiting the family for the holiday and after about 150miles I noticed the Check Engine Light came on. Car was running fine. I pulled over at the next safe stop, shut if off and let it sit a bit. Restarted with no problem but CEL still on. Later when I was close to home I took it up to about 7k to see if lift was working and it was not. I don't get to lift much, but I did it about a week ago and it worked as expected...really weird to go past the point of lift and not have the engine respond when you are so used to that Any ideas? Could the lack of lift be caused by the CEL or is the CEL indicative of my problem with lift?

If I'm right and the 2zz is like the 1zz, lift should have a safety on it. Meaning that if there's an internal problem (or you're throwing a light), that your valve lift system will not engage...I just had a piston rod go on my car and i have a base vibe...I took it up to 4grand to see if VVTI engaged and it did not, so i lost to a lowly Scion Xa...oh how saddening, I came to find out without VVTI that I'm running on 75 whp. Lol. Anyways...go to the dealer and get it checked out. Doesnt sound like anything too serious if you're not hearing anything. Most likely a MAF sensor or your O2 sensor is shot.

Thanks, I'm really hoping that is the case. Maybe after work tonight I can get that checked out. Oh, and if it matters this is on a '03 GT with about 87500 on the odo.

Get it scanned at Autozone and post the code.

Keep us posted. Wherever you bring it to, make sure you don't leave without getting the car scanned for a code

Are you using a CAI?

I am actually. When I bought the car used last spring it already had a K&N Typhoon installed on it. Has worked great up until now, and other then the CEL and lack of lift it's still running smooth as can be.

Get that thing scanned, that's all the advice we can really have for you at this point.

That is good advice though, I didn't actually know that Auto Zone could do that for you. I was going to go into town tonight but that got postponed until tomorrow. I'll see what they say and hopefully that will lead me in the right direction. Thanks for all the input everyone, I'll update tomorrow with what I find out.

Good luck! May the Toyota gods be with you

Ok, stopped at the AutoZone and the car is giving a P0420 code. The little printout they gave says the following:The PCM has determined that the catalyst system efficiency for bank 1 is below threshold for the current engine operating conditions. It lists the following possible causes:1-cat converter defective2-engine misfire or running condition3-large vacuum leak40engine oil leakage into exhaust-valve guide seals, piston rings. They did suggest a gas cap problem. Mine was tight and looked fine but for $9 I figured why not and got a new one. CEL still on. Not sure what to check next or how to go about doing it. Thankfully other then the lack of lift the car is running beautifully.

The only thing you can really check yourself without spending time to rip apart the engine is a vacuum leak. Check ALL vacuum lines. Remove and retighten all of them (with the engine off) and then turn the car on. If there's still a CEL then there's no vacuum leak unless one of the lines is cracked (which i highly doubt). After you do that, and if you're still seeing a CEL, take it to a dealer, and they will tell you what's wrong. You might have to leave it there for a while if it isnt the catalytic converter. Personally i don't know how to check converters to see if they're functioning but a tech at a dealer would know. So bring that sheet they printed out at autozone and that will tell them what to look for. Best of luck to you

That's true, but I noticed the most loss in the upper ranges (rpm would not climb like it used to). The car itself is torquey so the low rpm power was still there like it should be. But you're probably right about the power loss, even though I would say it is a bit more of a loss, maybe 15-20%. Either way, it's going to be spending alot of time in the shop

Good news, it was the gas cap!!!Evidently it just needed a little time to reset itself. I got in the car today and no CEL anymore. Took it out on the highway to let it warm up a little and checked for lift....yep, there it is. I'm a happy guy now and so is my car with it's new $9 gas cap. Only downside is that now I don't have the little gas cap tether anymore. Oh well.

WOW that's great to hear!!!!Phew, so the Toyota gods were with you on this one

Evidently, I'm feeling pretty lucky.Lift is still acting a little funny though...doesnt really kick in while in 1st gear...but kicked in during 2nd and 3rd. Maybe I need to change those two bolts (not sure what they are really called) that effect lift. CEL is off though and that is a good start. I'll try and pull & replace those bolts in the next week or two and see if that helps

Those are the lift bolts...they may be a little loose. You can tighten them or have them replaced. Up to you.

Excellent thanks for confirming that for me. I'll get some ordered and just replace them probably.