2005 EP3, check engine light came on

[DRP967]

Whats up, i have a 2005 EP3 with 145,987 miles on the clock. I was driving this morning on the freeway when all of a sudden my car jerked abruptly and the check engine light came on. I immediately decided to take the car to my trusted mechanic and along the way the car would jerk sporadically. Once i got to the shop they plugged in the OBD scanner and got a code, they told me it was a vtec solonoid or something like that? They are very knowledgeable with Honda/Acura but their English isnt the best so its hard to understand them. They said they will erase the code, if it comes back then bring the car back in and they will confirm it then perform the necessary repairs. My question is have any of you guys every experienced this and know what it is? Is it my tranny going bad? Also is this a good idea that they erased the code and i just keep driving around and if it comes back then take in? Or should they fix it right now? Thanks

[Mighty_Mouse_Ep]

That sucks to hear i think you can fix the problem by getting an NSX lol but yeah check your oil levels

[mAtAs2U]

same thing happened to me check your Oil level.....

[rjmq06]

it happens tp mee too and i noticed it wont let me pass 3k rpm ans when i check my oil level its empty, it appears that i burned my oil

[DRP967]

That sucks to hear i think you can fix the problem by getting an NSX lol but yeah check your oil levels


same thing happened to me check your Oil level.....


it happens tp mee too and i noticed it wont let me pass 3k rpm ans when i check my oil level its empty, it appears that i burned my oil

Lol Omar i wish...in the future maybe since it is one of my dream cars. Thanks for the suggestions guys, ill check my oil and report back. Hopefully its nothing serious...eeek.

*Update*
Oil level is way below the 2 lines...shiat. am i burning oil? Im gonna go cop a quart of Schaeffer brand oil currently in the car and add some.

[rjmq06]

ok yeah your burning oil, this what i did i was 20 miles away from home i just reset my ecu by doing battery trick and i fill it up with 1 bottle and then did the oil change the next day and my problem solves it never went back so always check your oil once every week that way you wont get a problem, just buy a big jug of oil whenever you change your oil since you only use 4 qtrs of it and save the rest for later

[makavelibranded]

I usually burn off a quart every 3-5k miles, Honda advises to check it every time you fill up your gas as Talon has said its normal for k series.

Im using 10-30 synthetic, and im boosted.

[DRP967]

ok yeah your burning oil, this what i did i was 20 miles away from home i just reset my ecu by doing battery trick and i fill it up with 1 bottle and then did the oil change the next day and my problem solves it never went back so always check your oil once every week that way you wont get a problem, just buy a big jug of oil whenever you change your oil since you only use 4 qtrs of it and save the rest for later


I usually burn off a quart every 3-5k miles, Honda advises to check it every time you fill up your gas as Talon has said its normal for k series.

Im using 10-30 synthetic, and im boosted.

1. Damn, burning oil isnt a good feeling at all lol. :mconfused: Reset the ECU? Should i do that? My mechanic already erased the code and i used 1 quart of oil to get the oil level back to normal. BTW your check engine light came on too? Or was it the oil lamp light? I asked my mechanic since my oil level was low, is that the reason why my car threw a CEL? He said yes, i thought if my oil level was low then the car would show a oil lamp light? Also does anyone know why my car jerked abruptly when i was driving with the CEL on my way to the mechanic? I plan to check my oil level weekly and have extra oil on hand.

2. I read that some people with Camaros/Audi A4s burn 1 quart of oil every 3k miles or so. Whats the norm? So the K Series motors are known to burn oil? Is it just the K20A3 or all K series like the RSX, TSX, etc? Also i know the EP3 is suppose to run 5W20 oil but my mechanic said since i have a high mileage car i should now run 5W30?

*Thanks in advance for all the help guys...much appreciation. I just wanna make sure my car's motor lasts as long as possible.

[makavelibranded]

Yeppers its all kseries its done it to me since day 1, 4+ years ago

Id run the 5-30 over the 5-20.

[DRP967]

Yeppers its all kseries its done it to me since day 1, 4+ years ago

Id run the 5-30 over the 5-20.

Thanks for the infomation, and yeah im gonna use 5W30 Schaeffer brand synthetic from now on.

[rjmq06]

1. Damn, burning oil isnt a good feeling at all lol. :mconfused: Reset the ECU? Should i do that? My mechanic already erased the code and i used 1 quart of oil to get the oil level back to normal. BTW your check engine light came on too? Or was it the oil lamp light? I asked my mechanic since my oil level was low, is that the reason why my car threw a CEL? He said yes, i thought if my oil level was low then the car would show a oil lamp light? Also does anyone know why my car jerked abruptly when i was driving with the CEL on my way to the mechanic? I plan to check my oil level weekly and have extra oil on hand.

2. I read that some people with Camaros/Audi A4s burn 1 quart of oil every 3k miles or so. Whats the norm? So the K Series motors are known to burn oil? Is it just the K20A3 or all K series like the RSX, TSX, etc? Also i know the EP3 is suppose to run 5W20 oil but my mechanic said since i have a high mileage car i should now run 5W30?

*Thanks in advance for all the help guys...much appreciation. I just wanna make sure my car's motor lasts as long as possible.

well the CEL is on but everything else is off
and that time i was driving on the freeway and all of a sudden my car jerk as hell as if im hitting the rev limiter and my car wont let me pass 3k rpm

[shanewdude]

I guess your mechanic isn't that thorough or knowledgeable after all... he didn't know that low oil could cause your problem. Once again, ephatch>mechanic!
Good luck with your problem! BTW, did you put all that mileage on the car? That's a lot of driving!

[makavelibranded]

Thanks for the infomation, and yeah im gonna use 5W30 Schaeffer brand synthetic from now on.

No problem :thumbu:

now im off to go race lol

[DRP967]

well the CEL is on but everything else is off
and that time i was driving on the freeway and all of a sudden my car jerk as hell as if im hitting the rev limiter and my car wont let me pass 3k rpm


I guess your mechanic isn't that thorough or knowledgeable after all... he didn't know that low oil could cause your problem. Once again, ephatch>mechanic!
Good luck with your problem! BTW, did you put all that mileage on the car? That's a lot of driving!


No problem :thumbu:

now im off to go race lol

1. Oh i see.

2. lol yeah i guess so...Ephatch FTW. And as for the miles, yes sir...i drive a lot. :mbiggrin:

3. haha good luck!

[03NorVa]

yeah, ive had this problem as well, but when i was in what ppl call "limp mode" my rev limiter was set for 4k rpm, it would run good until i hit that 4k then it was like BAM wont go no faster till i shifted, i threw a code for the vtec cylinoide (sp?) and checked my oil, was almost 2 quarts low! changed the oil and hasnt happened since.

[DRP967]

yeah, ive had this problem as well, but when i was in what ppl call "limp mode" my rev limiter was set for 4k rpm, it would run good until i hit that 4k then it was like BAM wont go no faster till i shifted, i threw a code for the vtec cylinoide (sp?) and checked my oil, was almost 2 quarts low! changed the oil and hasnt happened since.

Yeah man my oil level was low as well...way below the 2 lines. I still have 3K miles till my next oil change so ill change it then, until that ill be checking my oil weekly now. So far no check engine light, car is running good. Put 60 miles on the car yesterday since the incident.

BTW so is limp mode something the car does to prevent its motor from getting damaged when something is wrong?

*edit* so i googled limp mode

Your engine management and maybe even your transmission is controlled by the ECU. As you know, all computers crash, all software has bugs, and mechanical equipment fails. As such, many ECU units are fitted with a 'limp home mode'. When it detects that something semi-serious is wrong, it enters the limp mode, which means that the engine won't rev beyond a pre-programmed speed, you can't accelerate very fast, or you may indeed be speed-restricted to 40 mph or similar. The transmission may even stay in one or two gears. Bad? Well, no, not really: The alternative would be to either let you drive at regular speeds, with the danger of letting you trash your car (expensive repair, means happy repair people, but angry driver), or stopping you from going anywhere (expensive recovery and stranded on the side of the road means happy recovery company, but angry driver).

[makavelibranded]

3. haha good luck!

Thanks, 1st in smf, and owned subi's IN the rain haha

[DRP967]

Thanks, 1st in smf, and owned subi's IN the rain haha

:mbiggrin:

[ImportCustomx]

FYI, Our motors do burn oil. Honda even says to check every fill up of gasoline to check your oil level and add oil as needed. its in your owners manual. they have noted that due to the vtec etc it does burn a little. if your burning 2 qts every fill up then you better have like 400k(still shouldnt) on the motor or a super built high compression motor...you get my point. ive seen about every 3,000 miles burning a qt. depends on driving etc. if you rev high all the time and enjoy driving it...youll burn more..if you never go over 4 grand...you wont burn as much.

[DRP967]

FYI, Our motors do burn oil. Honda even says to check every fill up of gasoline to check your oil level and add oil as needed. its in your owners manual. they have noted that due to the vtec etc it does burn a little. if your burning 2 qts every fill up then you better have like 400k(still shouldnt) on the motor or a super built high compression motor...you get my point. ive seen about every 3,000 miles burning a qt. depends on driving etc. if you rev high all the time and enjoy driving it...youll burn more..if you never go over 4 grand...you wont burn as much.

Thanks, good to know. Will always be checking oil level.

[Chinitodenj]

wow all because of low oil levels lol this is nuts

[03NorVa]

wow all because of low oil levels lol this is nuts

welcome to the love/hate relationship between ep3's and their owners lol