My LS just... stopped working. Does anyone have any idea what the hecks going on? My mechanics are STUMPED on a potential diagnosis.

Birdie

Birdie

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I have a 2003 V8, 46,xxx miles. The thing just gave up while I was driving to the store one day. I came to an intersection, the light turned yellow so I gunned it across the intersection. Wasnt abusing the car by any means, sped up from like 20 some to 30 mph to make the light and the throttle went slack just before I let off. Zero throttle response. I mean absolutely nothing, it dropped to idle speed and wouldnt even rev.
I pulled over, shut it off, and restarted it to see if itd work again. Nope. I started it and tried one more time but the gas pedal was still not working. So I shut it off, called my usual mechanic and walked a few blocks home to grab my truck. He met me down there and tried to start it to see what it was doing, by that point it wouldnt even start. Itd start up, go up to about 1200 rpm and immediately drop to 0 rpm and die. He tried that twice, and then it wouldnt crank over at all.
The guy used a code reader but it gave no codes. He had no idea what happened. It had to be put on a wrecker and brought home because it just wouldnt work anymore.
I called maybe 8 or 9 different people, many of them mechanics. The votes were for: Throttle cable/linkage ( asked someone else, it doesnt have that, its electronic), throttle body, ETC error, fuel pump went out, bad spark plugs, blown headgasket, or something in the computer messed up. Nobody has a solid guess right now, its got everyone stumped because it doesnt give any codes. One guy said if it was something to do with the throttle it wouldnt affect it starting. He feels it was something fuel related, said it sounds to him like it just wasnt getting fuel to it and it potentially started for me a couple times with the remaining pressure or something.
Mechanics gonna come get it and take it to the shop in 3 days but I am so so scared. I love that car, I just got it, Ive been wanting one all my life and I got one and now its kicked the bucket. :/ it didnt do anything weird or unusual before this happened. It felt absolutely solid and drove like a brand spankin new car. I dont understand what happened. I wasnt straining it super hard when this happened, I did accelerate fast but just fast enough to cross a small intersection instead of having to romp the brakes and stop hard if I didnt, like I said I wasnt abusing or straining it...
Has anyone here ever had this happen to their LS, or heard of it happening before?? Any guesses on what really happened? And if so what are we looking at for repair costs? Im so stressed and heartbroken right about now :( I could use anything to put my mind at ease, any insights are gonna be greatly appreciated
**EDIT** Im sorry for not knowing much, I love cars and understand basics, but honestly Im just a younger gal who doesnt know about stuff like this in very great detail. Im doing my best so I apologize if I come off totally dumb :/
 
Last edited:
Birdie said:
I have a 2003 V8, 46,xxx miles. The thing just gave up while I was driving to the store one day. I came to an intersection, the light turned yellow so I gunned it across the intersection. Wasnt abusing the car by any means, sped up from like 20 some to 30 mph to make the light and the throttle went slack just before I let off. Zero throttle response. I mean absolutely nothing, it dropped to idle speed and wouldnt even rev.
I pulled over, shut it off, and restarted it to see if itd work again. Nope. I started it and tried one more time but the gas pedal was still not working. So I shut it off, called my usual mechanic and walked a few blocks home to grab my truck. He met me down there and tried to start it to see what it was doing, by that point it wouldnt even start. Itd start up, go up to about 1200 rpm and immediately drop to 0 rpm and die. He tried that twice, and then it wouldnt crank over at all.
The guy used a code reader but it gave no codes. He had no idea what happened. It had to be put on a wrecker and brought home because it just wouldnt work anymore.
I called maybe 8 or 9 different people, many of them mechanics. The votes were for: Throttle cable/linkage ( asked someone else, it doesnt have that, its electronic), throttle body, ETC error, fuel pump went out, bad spark plugs, blown headgasket, or something in the computer messed up. Nobody has a solid guess right now, its got everyone stumped because it doesnt give any codes. One guy said if it was something to do with the throttle it wouldnt affect it starting. He feels it was something fuel related, said it sounds to him like it just wasnt getting fuel to it and it potentially started for me a couple times with the remaining pressure or something.
Mechanics gonna come get it and take it to the shop in 3 days but I am so so scared. I love that car, I just got it, Ive been wanting one all my life and I got one and now its kicked the bucket. :/ it didnt do anything weird or unusual before this happened. It felt absolutely solid and drove like a brand spankin new car. I dont understand what happened. I wasnt straining it super hard when this happened, I did accelerate fast but just fast enough to cross a small intersection instead of having to romp the brakes and stop hard if I didnt, like I said I wasnt abusing or straining it...
Has anyone here ever had this happen to their LS, or heard of it happening before?? Any guesses on what really happened? And if so what are we looking at for repair costs? Im so stressed and heartbroken right about now :( I could use anything to put my mind at ease, any insights are gonna be greatly appreciated
Click to expand...
U need that kind of scanner that reads throttle body position, and then u need to turn it to on engine of and just step in a petal and see if throttle body position changing, let car sit for a day turn to on position and listen if fuel pump is pumping or not. That may or may not help but u should try and gl fixing that thing
 
JustSomeNoob said:
U need that kind of scanner that reads throttle body position, and then u need to turn it to on engine of and just step in a petal and see if throttle body position changing, let car sit for a day turn to on position and listen if fuel pump is pumping or not. That may or may not help but u should try and gl fixing that thing
Click to expand...
They need Forscan.
Please, it's great to give advice when you know about the car you are talking about, but it will lead people in the wrong direction and waste their time when you don't!
His 03 has electronic throttle control. The throttle plate will not move when you press the pedal if the engine is not running.
 
joegr said:
They need Forscan.
Please, it's great to give advice when you know about the car you are talking about, but it will lead people in the wrong direction and waste their time when you don't!
His 03 has electronic throttle control. The throttle plate will not move when you press the pedal if the engine is not running.
Click to expand...
Well... I checked mine 05 with electronic throttle response and the obd2 scanned said that throttle plate moves so idk, just need key in on position
 
ajv8 said:
it needs somebody look at it in person

you can’t diag a car over the phone..
Click to expand...
Ive had some people look at it, I had another person come over with a code reader this morning after I left work, it still doesnt give codes and I was told without that theres no telling :/
 
Birdie said:
Ive had some people look at it, I had another person come over with a code reader this morning after I left work, it still doesnt give codes and I was told without that theres no telling :/
Click to expand...
Did you check your gas tank? Sounds like no fuel. No start with no codes, sounds like no fuel. When you punched it, you may have used the last bit of gas, but some probably sloshed away from the fuel pump pickups. But if you have gas, well maybe a dead fuel pump system. Check the schrader valve on the fuel rail, if it has one. My V6 does. If you press in on the valve core, does fuel spray out? Again, no codes, nothing wrong with the engine. *
 
Birdie said:
I have a 2003 V8, 46,xxx miles. The thing just gave up while I was driving to the store one day. I came to an intersection, the light turned yellow so I gunned it across the intersection. Wasnt abusing the car by any means, sped up from like 20 some to 30 mph to make the light and the throttle went slack just before I let off. Zero throttle response. I mean absolutely nothing, it dropped to idle speed and wouldnt even rev.
I pulled over, shut it off, and restarted it to see if itd work again. Nope. I started it and tried one more time but the gas pedal was still not working. So I shut it off, called my usual mechanic and walked a few blocks home to grab my truck. He met me down there and tried to start it to see what it was doing, by that point it wouldnt even start. Itd start up, go up to about 1200 rpm and immediately drop to 0 rpm and die. He tried that twice, and then it wouldnt crank over at all.
The guy used a code reader but it gave no codes. He had no idea what happened. It had to be put on a wrecker and brought home because it just wouldnt work anymore.
I called maybe 8 or 9 different people, many of them mechanics. The votes were for: Throttle cable/linkage ( asked someone else, it doesnt have that, its electronic), throttle body, ETC error, fuel pump went out, bad spark plugs, blown headgasket, or something in the computer messed up. Nobody has a solid guess right now, its got everyone stumped because it doesnt give any codes. One guy said if it was something to do with the throttle it wouldnt affect it starting. He feels it was something fuel related, said it sounds to him like it just wasnt getting fuel to it and it potentially started for me a couple times with the remaining pressure or something.
Mechanics gonna come get it and take it to the shop in 3 days but I am so so scared. I love that car, I just got it, Ive been wanting one all my life and I got one and now its kicked the bucket. :/ it didnt do anything weird or unusual before this happened. It felt absolutely solid and drove like a brand spankin new car. I dont understand what happened. I wasnt straining it super hard when this happened, I did accelerate fast but just fast enough to cross a small intersection instead of having to romp the brakes and stop hard if I didnt, like I said I wasnt abusing or straining it...
Has anyone here ever had this happen to their LS, or heard of it happening before?? Any guesses on what really happened? And if so what are we looking at for repair costs? Im so stressed and heartbroken right about now :( I could use anything to put my mind at ease, any insights are gonna be greatly appreciated
**EDIT** Im sorry for not knowing much, I love cars and understand basics, but honestly Im just a younger gal who doesnt know about stuff like this in very great detail. Im doing my best so I apologize if I come off totally dumb :/
Click to expand...
How old are you ignition Coils? Better know as Coil Over Plugs? If you ( COP's ) are malfunctioning this could cause all sorts of troubles ...If the Mechanic is on his game he will start with the basics first hopefully
 
milehighmikey said:
Did you check your gas tank? Sounds like no fuel. No start with no codes, sounds like no fuel. When you punched it, you may have used the last bit of gas, but some probably sloshed away from the fuel pump pickups. But if you have gas, well maybe a dead fuel pump system. Check the schrader valve on the fuel rail, if it has one. My V6 does. If you press in on the valve core, does fuel spray out? Again, no codes, nothing wrong with the engine. *
Click to expand...
It definitely had half of a tank full. I will absolutely ask about this when it goes to the shop.
 
AmsterDutch said:
How old are you ignition Coils? Better know as Coil Over Plugs? If you ( COP's ) are malfunctioning this could cause all sorts of troubles ...If the Mechanic is on his game he will start with the basics first hopefully
Click to expand...
I have no clue but Im willing to bet they havent been changed ever in the cars lifetime I have a Carfax report for it, tons of oil changes, a few sets of new tires, tire rotations, washes and details, reallignments, wiper blades, but literally nothing else lol it was a government owned vehicle for the first 3 years and they seemed to take care of it but then it was privately owned for 16 years by a person who put an average of like 430 miles on it each year - with tons of washes/details and 4 friggin oil changes a year (???? Im so awfully curious about what kinda person owned this car before me lmao thats ridiculous) But yeah I highly doubt theyve ever been replaced even once. Ill ask the dudes from the shop about it when they come get it
 
JustSomeNoob said:
Well... I checked mine 05 with electronic throttle response and the obd2 scanned said that throttle plate moves so idk, just need key in on position
Click to expand...
Are you sure you were looking at TPS and not at pedal position?
 
Birdie said:
It definitely had half of a tank full. I will absolutely ask about this when it goes to the shop.
Click to expand...
Your fuel gade may be broke and give a false reading... maybe try go get vouple litres of fuel and fuel ur car and see if it does anything
 
joegr said:
Are you sure you were looking at TPS and not at pedal position?
Click to expand...
Yes throttle body position, literally. I may be wrong, Im not a car mevhanic but Ive had engine off with on key position and bluetoth scanner connected and it was going up and down... i also stumped on why max throttle body position is 76.9% but whatever
 
JustSomeNoob said:
Your fuel gade may be broke and give a false reading... maybe try go get vouple litres of fuel and fuel ur car and see if it does anything
Click to expand...
I just put fuel in it right before and there was absolutely no way it burned through 75% of a tank driving less than 30 miles in 2 days. It definitely has fuel, at least half a tank.
 
When you say it wouldn't "crank at all" do you mean that the start motor doesn't even try to spin the engine over, or does the engine spin but it just won't start and run? The two can have drastically different diagnostic methods.

When you went through the intersection was there a severe crown to the road that you might have gotten a bit airborne over? I know that shouldn't happen at only 30 mph, but it may have only seemed like 30 mph to you as well....

-Rod
 
IIRC... there are a couple threads on this forum about 2003 fuel pumps going out.

I think it was the jet pump (under rear drivers side back seat).
 
SHORod said:
When you say it wouldn't "crank at all" do you mean that the start motor doesn't even try to spin the engine over, or does the engine spin but it just won't start and run? The two can have drastically different diagnostic methods.

When you went through the intersection was there a severe crown to the road that you might have gotten a bit airborne over? I know that shouldn't happen at only 30 mph, but it may have only seemed like 30 mph to you as it
Click to expand...

SHORod said:
When you say it wouldn't "crank at all" do you mean that the start motor doesn't even try to spin the engine over, or does the engine spin but it just won't start and run? The two can have drastically different diagnostic methods.

When you went through the intersection was there a severe crown to the road that you might have gotten a bit airborne over? I know that shouldn't happen at only 30 mph, but it may have only seemed like 30 mph to you as well....

-Rod
Click to expand...
It sure tries but wont start and run :/ today the mechanic came over to run some tests and said itd start up for a split second then die.
Car didnt catch any air through the intersection, literally was only about 20 some to 30 then gave out
 
04_Sport_LS said:
IIRC... there are a couple threads on this forum about 2003 fuel pumps going out.

I think it was the jet pump (under rear drivers side back seat).
Click to expand...
I will look at other threads. Today itd start up for a split second then die :( im hoping its just a pump. Ill go read what other people have wrote about their LS being wonky like this
 
Birdie said:
I have no clue but Im willing to bet they havent been changed ever in the cars lifetime I have a Carfax report for it, tons of oil changes, a few sets of new tires, tire rotations, washes and details, reallignments, wiper blades, but literally nothing else lol it was a government owned vehicle for the first 3 years and they seemed to take care of it but then it was privately owned for 16 years by a person who put an average of like 430 miles on it each year - with tons of washes/details and 4 friggin oil changes a year (???? Im so awfully curious about what kinda person owned this car before me lmao thats ridiculous) But yeah I highly doubt theyve ever been replaced even once. Ill ask the dudes from the shop about it when they come
Click to expand...
 
The fuel pump relay is good and all fuses are good? The COP's fuse is also in the engine compartment make sure it's not blown I would think not but stranger things have happened
 
Birdie said:
... said itd start up for a split second then die.
...
Click to expand...
Unplug the electrical connector to the MAF. If it will start and run with that unplugged, the MAF has something on the wire that you can see when you inspect it, or it is otherwise damaged. If you can't clean it off and get it to work, stay away from aftermarket on this part.

(What could be happening here is that if the MAF tells the PCM that no air is going into the engine, then it won't inject any fuel either, except for a tiny amount when the starter first runs. If you disconnect the MAF, the PCM goes to the failsafe fuel tables instead.)
 
craigh said:
Birdie - did you get this figured out?
Click to expand...
Actually yes! We just did about half an hour ago and I came here to update everyone :) someone on facebook told me a story about theirs doing exactly that when their MAF sensor went out so it was worth a try to change it out. I picked one up at a parts store today (was marked up to 72 dollars but they can be found for 35 ish online) and we slapped it in, jump started the car and it got up and went without issue. It runs better than it did initially. It was being weird because that sensor was about to go out
 
Birdie said:
I have a 2003 V8, 46,xxx miles. The thing just gave up while I was driving to the store one day. I came to an intersection, the light turned yellow so I gunned it across the intersection. Wasnt abusing the car by any means, sped up from like 20 some to 30 mph to make the light and the throttle went slack just before I let off. Zero throttle response. I mean absolutely nothing, it dropped to idle speed and wouldnt even rev.
I pulled over, shut it off, and restarted it to see if itd work again. Nope. I started it and tried one more time but the gas pedal was still not working. So I shut it off, called my usual mechanic and walked a few blocks home to grab my truck. He met me down there and tried to start it to see what it was doing, by that point it wouldnt even start. Itd start up, go up to about 1200 rpm and immediately drop to 0 rpm and die. He tried that twice, and then it wouldnt crank over at all.
The guy used a code reader but it gave no codes. He had no idea what happened. It had to be put on a wrecker and brought home because it just wouldnt work anymore.
I called maybe 8 or 9 different people, many of them mechanics. The votes were for: Throttle cable/linkage ( asked someone else, it doesnt have that, its electronic), throttle body, ETC error, fuel pump went out, bad spark plugs, blown headgasket, or something in the computer messed up. Nobody has a solid guess right now, its got everyone stumped because it doesnt give any codes. One guy said if it was something to do with the throttle it wouldnt affect it starting. He feels it was something fuel related, said it sounds to him like it just wasnt getting fuel to it and it potentially started for me a couple times with the remaining pressure or something.
Mechanics gonna come get it and take it to the shop in 3 days but I am so so scared. I love that car, I just got it, Ive been wanting one all my life and I got one and now its kicked the bucket. :/ it didnt do anything weird or unusual before this happened. It felt absolutely solid and drove like a brand spankin new car. I dont understand what happened. I wasnt straining it super hard when this happened, I did accelerate fast but just fast enough to cross a small intersection instead of having to romp the brakes and stop hard if I didnt, like I said I wasnt abusing or straining it...
Has anyone here ever had this happen to their LS, or heard of it happening before?? Any guesses on what really happened? And if so what are we looking at for repair costs? Im so stressed and heartbroken right about now :( I could use anything to put my mind at ease, any insights are gonna be greatly appreciated
**EDIT** Im sorry for not knowing much, I love cars and understand basics, but honestly Im just a younger gal who doesnt know about stuff like this in very great detail. Im doing my best so I apologize if I come off totally dumb :/
Click to expand...
UPDATE: It was a bad MAF sensor and we got it running again.
Guy on facebook told me his did the EXACT same thing and turned out to be an MAF sensor. So I figured his story similar enough to be worth a shot to change it. We changed it, jump started the car, and it was entirely fine and runs better than it did leading up to the breakdown :)
 
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