| Reader Question Thursday driving my 2001 | | | | engine jerk) from a worn out spark plug or spark |
| Hyundai Sonata GLS check engine light is on and | | | | plug wire or something along those lines. If the |
| car sputters near my home. I take it home and | | | | engine has over 50,000 miles I would say have |
| checked & was low on oil. I take my husbands | | | | your mechanic check to see if you need a tune |
| car to go buy oil and put it in. I tell my husband | | | | up.If the engine miss-fires (from needing a tune |
| about it, he takes it to nearby store no problems, | | | | up) the computer onboard will signal the yellow |
| no check engine light.Friday I drive it as normal; | | | | check engine light to come on to indicate a |
| probably about 30 to 50 miles for the day. No | | | | problem has occured. I am assuming you are |
| check engine light and no problems.Saturday ran all | | | | talking about the yellow light not the RED engine |
| day from here to there no check engine light and | | | | light...correct?It is perfectly normal for the yellow |
| no problems, then I bring home the family and go | | | | light to come and go if there is an intermittent |
| out to finish some shopping when on my way | | | | running condition, and low oil is usually not |
| home I think I hear sputter again.Go to turn down | | | | something that affects the YELLOW light to |
| radio at which time car sputters again, then jerks | | | | come on. That yellow light is like an emission light, |
| check engine light comes on again but I get it | | | | it is looking to see if the engine is running at peak |
| home without incident after that. Decided would | | | | efficiency, and not polluting the air with too much |
| take it in after the holidays, moved it on Sunday | | | | exhaust from running poorly.When an engine |
| from where it was parked started as normal. | | | | miss-fires or "misses" one or more of the |
| Husband said start it every so often. Next time | | | | cylinders did NOT burn the fuel that was inside |
| maybe Monday or Tuesday tried to turn over | | | | the cylinder so that unburned fuel was pushed out |
| once then after that not much turn over.This | | | | the tailpipe which as pollution and your computer |
| Tuesday jumped it with my husbands car. Was | | | | noted the problem and set the light to warn you |
| hard to get jumped but finally did. Went out | | | | of a potential problem. So, the yellow light is doing |
| couple hour later started again no problem and | | | | its job of reporting a problem with the engine.The |
| check engine light no longer on.Started | | | | next day you get in your car...and it runs fine...no |
| Wednesday no check engine light and no | | | | misfire and no "jerk" is present so no yellow light |
| problem.Started today (Thursday) no check | | | | is seen on the dash. The next time the engine |
| engine light and no problem.Can this be as simple | | | | jerks...the light should come back on.I would start |
| as a bad cell in the battery? I don't want to put a | | | | with checking to see if you need a tune up first, |
| new battery in if something is draining the battery. | | | | and see if the "jerking" and check engine light |
| What is your opinion of these symptons?Thanks | | | | issue goes away. If not, then have your mechanic |
| for your help, | | | | dig deeper into what is causing the light to come |
| JudyHi there Judy,Thanks for your email. I really | | | | on, but with intermittent problems like this your |
| think you might have two problems...which was | | | | mechanic will probably have to catch it in the act |
| just coincidental. If the battery was original to the | | | | to be able to properly diagnose it for you...which |
| car, it was time for a new one. Five years is the | | | | might be easier said than done.Blessings,Austin |
| MOST I have seen out of the life of a car | | | | DavisVisit my website and learn more about your |
| battery. So you were probably past due | | | | car. Simple car repair tips anyone can use. Learn |
| there.The check engine light issue, have you read | | | | how to find an honest auto mechanic and get the |
| my article on that? I would suspect you might | | | | best online auto repair manual on the Internet. |
| have an engine "miss" (since you said you felt the | | | | |