2016 Trax blinking engine light rough, low power.

[hardcore302]

Today the car was running rough. Engine hiccups and stuttering. Low on power and acceleration. Then the CEL started blinking and traction light came on. CEL never came back, traction light comes and goes. Still runs the same. Ran codes, got nothing. Heeeeelp! 2016 with 85K.

 

[WylieCoyote]

If your CEL blinked, there's a code set. Be careful of code readers that don't work correctly (been there). Get a 2nd reader on it before you start looking for a connectivity issue, because if you're not seeing a code after a blinking CEL, you have a bad code reader, or a bad connection to your odb2, which is either a wiring issue, or a bad ECU. As for the bad running, my first suspect would be a coil pack, but there are many possible causes.

 

[hardcore302]

I looked inside the coils. Springs and boots seem fine.

 

[dogememe]

There has got to be a code. Perhaps you need a better scanner. Surprised you don't get an OBD2 code with that bad of a misfire but lots of modern vehicles use OEM-specific codes that some cheap/basic scanners can't read. Or at least you can read live misfire data and see which cylinder is misfiring. And go from there.

 

[MParr]

Before you too far ahead of yourself, check the battery voltage and charging system. A bad battery or alternator can cause weird things to happen.

 

[hardcore302]

Before you too far ahead of yourself, check the battery voltage and charging system. A bad battery or alternator can cause weird things to happen.

The back up camera doesn't work all of a sudden.

 

[hardcore302]

Ahh. Finally got a code. P304. Cylinder 4. Try the coil pack?

 

[WylieCoyote]

Ahh. Finally got a code. P304. Cylinder 4. Try the coil pack?

Swap that coil pack with one on another cylinder, clear the code, and go for a drive. If the p304 moves to the other cylinder, it's the coil pack. If it doesn't move, there's something else wrong.

 

[hardcore302]

Swap that coil pack with one on another cylinder, clear the code, and go for a drive. If the p304 moves to the other cylinder, it's the coil pack. If it doesn't move, there's something else wrong.

It's one cassette. Can't switch em out.

 

[WylieCoyote]

Oy, GM. Well your choices as I see them are grab a voltmeter and do some in-depth diagnostic testing on the coilpacks, order a new cassette from RockAuto and put it on, or take it to a shop for more in-depth diagnosis.

 

[jws555]

Also check the #4 spark plug.

 

[hardcore302]

I changed out the coil a few years ago. Some cheap one online. Well, today it failed. Went to Advance and bought a Car Quest coil. Worked like a charm. Cleared the code and we are back in business. When I wasn't getting a code right away I was a little nervous. Thank you all for the help!

 

[Nick1994]

I changed out the coil a few years ago. Some cheap one online. Well, today it failed. Went to Advance and bought a Car Quest coil. Worked like a charm. Cleared the code and we are back in business. When I wasn't getting a code right away I was a little nervous. Thank you all for the help!

Sometimes they don’t set a code at all. My friend’s 2013 Elantra misfired for a long time with a bad coil, didn’t set a code. But I could see the misfire counts on a cheap scan tool.

 

[hardcore302]

Sometimes they don’t set a code at all. My friend’s 2013 Elantra misfired for a long time with a bad coil, didn’t set a code. But I could see the misfire counts on a cheap scan tool.

Nuts.