Sudden Code P0068 and stalling issues, then everything seems OK.

[cwatkin]

Sorry I have been out of the loop for a while. I have been so busy with work so that is good.

Anyway, I was acclerating out into traffic today when the car completely cut out for a second or two and then regained power. The check engine light as well as the traction control indicator came on. I pulled into a parking lot nearby and went inside to run another errand. I then came out and tried to back out and the car died. It restarted and the check engine light was still on of course. There happened to be an Autozone right across the street so I went there and had the code read. It was a P0068 code and they printed out a sheet that said there was an inconsistency in the MAP/MAF sensors.

I was also low on gas but still had about 2 gallons left but filled it up anyway. While it was filling up I looked under the hood and unplugged and replugged any sensors around the intake/manifold area in case there was a bad connection. I restarted the car after doing this and there was no more check engine light and everything seemed fine. I had not cleared the code at AZ as they are not allowed to do that and the code scanners have been replaced with a version that doesn't allow this to even be done. I am not familiar with this car yet under the hood so do not know exactly which sensor is which as of now.

I did some research and it looks like the TPS may also be involved in Code P0068. I wonder if this could be a throttle actuation issue as well. Anyway, I drove the car home with no more issues and then parked it.

Anyway, can this hurt the car to drive it this way and can it leave me stranded. I would have to drive 100 miles to get it serviced under warranty so I would prefer to do it whenever it is convenient or not at all if it is something like a bad connection that I fixed.

There were no other issues with the car and the only work I have really done was to change the oil at about 3000 miles. It used a small amount before I changed it but I haven't seen any drop in the level since I changed it so it is broken in nicely. The car has about 7600 miles.

By the way, I am loving the Mirage overall. This is the first sign of any issue I had. I called the place I got it and they said they really hadn't seen any issues with this car at all and this might be a fluke or nothing at all once I reseated the sensor connectors.

What do you think?

Conor

[inuvik]

Might not hurt to use a little dielectric grease on the connectors and make they are firmly connected. If it doesn't reoccur then I wouldn't worry about it. It hasn't been a prevalent problem here on the forums, at least not that I've seen.

[cwatkin]

I called the dealer service dept. and they didn't seem to indicate anything like this was a known issue. I am hoping it is just the connector. I was thinking about applying some silicone grease to the connectors myself if this doesn't come back. I would rather them not be aware I did anything if I have to take it in.

Conor

[inuvik]

Just a thought, did you register your vehicle on Mitsubishi USA's owner's site ? Once you plug in your VIN it will tell you if there are any recalls. I'm wondering if you had the reflash of the ECU recall yet to correct over rich conditions when the engine is cold.

[cwatkin]

My GF's car had the airbag a recall a few months back so I gave them my VIN to see if I had this or any other recalls. They are the same car as far as I can tell besides the color being different but I guess she had a different airbag setup than mine.

I bought mine in March or April whenever they were dumping these cars at insanely low prices to clear out the 2015 models.

Conor

[gone.a]

Might not hurt to use a little dielectric grease on the connectors and make they are firmly connected. If it doesn't reoccur then I wouldn't worry about it. It hasn't been a prevalent problem here on the forums, at least not that I've seen.

FYI - Dielectric grease is actually a pretty good insulator (resistor) and can create problems for electrical connectors. Usually the male/female contacts have enough pressure to break though the film strength of the grease and create metal to metal contact but if not, you can have issues. It is a misconception that it is a conductor. It is used to prevent parts from sticking (ie rubber spark plug boot to the ceramic section of the spark plug) as well as keep out dirt and debris. It does nothing to make for a better electrical contact.

[cwatkin]

Dielectric grease does keep moisture out and prevents corrosion over time so I think it isn't a bad idea. Yes, I know it isn't a conductor but generally the positives outweigh the cons of using it.

Conor

[Cobrajet]

The car is still under warranty. I'd use it. You and I are used to fixing Metros ourselves, but Mitsubishi is on the hook for this.

I know it is a long haul to the dealership, but I'd let them handle it. Or at least call and talk to the service department. They may have some insight.

I haven't heard about any common TPS sensor problems on these.

[cwatkin]

I agree but if it is something simple I would rather handle it myself. I am sure the sensors for these are rare/expensive at this point so will take it in if it happens again.

Yes, I am used to fixing all my stuff on my own. I am also used to dealing with old corroded electrical connections and view dielectric grease as my friend.

Conor

[Eggman]

Conor, I'm curious to know if these connectors had been disconnected since you owned the car? Maybe I ought to check mine.