Excursion dies upon abrupt stop.

Turns out it was low line pressure in the transmission. A filter and flush with synthetic and it's good as new. The first clue was cold weather onset.

majorgator wrote:

Grit dog wrote:

Pretty sure they were just trying to help her out. Don't think that employee made his Xmas bonus by selling her a set of spark plugs even if it was 2 too many.
If one doesn't know what they're doing, can't expect mechanic service from someone who is probably not a mechanic.
I think it's very gracious and convienent that most all parts houses will scan and run codes, but it's up to the customer to figure out the problem. They're just giving you the next clue for free.

I disagree completely with the point you're trying to make. No, I don't think that the employee had anything to gain or lose based on what he sold, nor do I believe that he intentionally misled her. But, like your parents always said, if you don't know what you're talking about, keep your mouth shut. And since there is no such code that would tell you to replace all the spark plugs, this fellow would have been better off not to make any suggestions. "Yes ma'am, you have a "XXXXX" code. Good luck"

I'll read codes for anyone I know rather than have them go to an auto parts store. I cNt even begin to count all the times I've seen them incorrectly advise someone, only to have that person throwing money at a problem that doesn't exist. You could have code for an O2 sensor, which might be the actual sensor or about 50 other things.

Having a good scanner in your hands does not make for a good or magical repair.

It simply is a diagnostic tool, one that does require some trouble shooting experience on the users part.. Most auto parts store workers simply do not fall into that category.. They will simply tell you what the part is that might make the code "go away"..

OP really NEEDS to give the year, not sure why folks are so bashful about this but it IS a rather important detail which will help, greatly.

That is due to the fact that Ford CHANGED from IAC to electronic throttle control and the steps to find and repair the issue ARE DIFFERENT between the two systems.

Without the year of manufacture we could guess at this for the next ten years and not resolve the issue..

Grit dog wrote:

Pretty sure they were just trying to help her out. Don't think that employee made his Xmas bonus by selling her a set of spark plugs even if it was 2 too many.
If one doesn't know what they're doing, can't expect mechanic service from someone who is probably not a mechanic.
I think it's very gracious and convienent that most all parts houses will scan and run codes, but it's up to the customer to figure out the problem. They're just giving you the next clue for free.

I disagree completely with the point you're trying to make. No, I don't think that the employee had anything to gain or lose based on what he sold, nor do I believe that he intentionally misled her. But, like your parents always said, if you don't know what you're talking about, keep your mouth shut. And since there is no such code that would tell you to replace all the spark plugs, this fellow would have been better off not to make any suggestions. "Yes ma'am, you have a "XXXXX" code. Good luck"

I'll read codes for anyone I know rather than have them go to an auto parts store. I cNt even begin to count all the times I've seen them incorrectly advise someone, only to have that person throwing money at a problem that doesn't exist. You could have code for an O2 sensor, which might be the actual sensor or about 50 other things.

majorgator wrote:
I personally have the AutoEnginuity ScanTool for my Ford truck. It works like a dream. On newer vehicles, if/when it sets a code, you get a readout as to what the conditions are when the code was set. That's more valuable than people might think.

Last week, my grandmother had a bad shake and loss of power in her Camry. She was in town and stopped by the local AutoZone store. They plugged it in and told her it was a...get ready..."spark plug" code and that all the spark plugs needed replacing. So they sold this old woman 6 spark plugs (for her 4 cylinder engine). She came over to my house, and in about 10 minutes I correctly diagnosed it as a bad ignition coil on cylinder 1. Replaced it and life is good again.

DO NOT TRUST AUTO PARTS STORES SCANNERS OR EMPLOYEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pretty sure they were just trying to help her out. Don't think that employee made his Xmas bonus by selling her a set of spark plugs even if it was 2 too many.
If one doesn't know what they're doing, can't expect mechanic service from someone who is probably not a mechanic.
I think it's very gracious and convienent that most all parts houses will scan and run codes, but it's up to the customer to figure out the problem. They're just giving you the next clue for free.

I personally have the AutoEnginuity ScanTool for my Ford truck. It works like a dream. On newer vehicles, if/when it sets a code, you get a readout as to what the conditions are when the code was set. That's more valuable than people might think.

Last week, my grandmother had a bad shake and loss of power in her Camry. She was in town and stopped by the local AutoZone store. They plugged it in and told her it was a...get ready..."spark plug" code and that all the spark plugs needed replacing. So they sold this old woman 6 spark plugs (for her 4 cylinder engine). She came over to my house, and in about 10 minutes I correctly diagnosed it as a bad ignition coil on cylinder 1. Replaced it and life is good again.

DO NOT TRUST AUTO PARTS STORES SCANNERS OR EMPLOYEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just used OBDLink MX (plugs into diag port and talks to smartphone app via bluetooth) last weekend to diagnose and help me repair my daughter's car. She had a bad miss/shudder and it started on a ~200 mile trip to our house with her 6 week old daughter. We needed to get her car fixed or take her home... It gave a code and the description that let me fix it quickly. A good code reader is invaluable if you mess with your own vehicles at all..

jspringator wrote:
After going around and around with BluDriver, I was finally able to run a full system scan. It shows a U1262 code. I'm guessing chafed wire coming off the engine. It stalls when first put in reverse and abrupt stop.

Hmm..

U1262 appears to be instrument cluster communications error..

according to HERE

See post #6 of the link above.. But keep in mind that thread is about a 7.3 with "died/ no start" issue so the U1262 you are seeing could be bogus error.. Although I vaguely remember seeing some posts at one time with gauge clusters failing causing a variety of issues but I can't recall if YOUR symptoms was one of the known for that issue..

Personally, go get a REAL code scanner, they are not all that expensive now days and instead of giving cryptic codes that you need to lookup they will TELL you what the code means.

Believe it or not, Harbor Freight really shines on this with several scanners for about $100 on sale and with a 20% off coupon you get it for about $80..

THE BEST $80 I have ever spent, so far has saved me nearly $1000 in DEALER repairs on ONE vehicle.

Perhaps post your vehicle YEAR, it would REALLY help in pinpointing the known easy fixes..

After going around and around with BluDriver, I was finally able to run a full system scan. It shows a U1262 code. I'm guessing chafed wire coming off the engine. It stalls when first put in reverse and abrupt stop.

X2 on PCV hose elbow being deteriorated and leaking

My 01 did this, cleaned IAC and fixed it.