Hello Forum, I've been away for a while, actually enjoying my STR. I've been meaning to check in, but have been incredibly busy. Anyway, I was at a stop light this evening and all of a sudden my STR lit up like a Xmas tree and when i went to give it some gas, it would not move and the engine did not rev. Both the red and amber warning lights came on and in the window it displayed the following:

Parking brake fault
DSC not available
Cruise control not available

I shut the car off for about 30 seconds and it started normally and moved normally. I went approximately3/4 a mile, thinking it was and as I'm entering the highway, the lights and warning come back and I have no power. It wouldn't move when i pressed the gas and again, the engine would not rev. It was as if I didn't press the gas. I didn't give it WOT as I'm thinking that may make this worse. I pulled over as best I could, shut it down for about a minute and when I started back up, the CEL was on, but no other warnings. I must have drove 15 miles trying to get home and the same thing happened again. Another shut down and restart and I was able to make it home. I don't have engine codes yet, but has anyone ever had something similar happen? I'm really frustrated with repairing this car. If this is to be another expensive repair, I might just cut my losses. Thanks forum.

 

Usually it's a battery on its way out. Causes power dips you'd need a 'scope to see...

 

+1

Those are exactly the messages I got when my battery began to fail. Don't be deceived by its ability to start the engine a little later. Get a quality replacement - I have an Interstate MTP-49/H8, but I've seen Optima recommended on this forum.

 

I google'd the errors and someone with an XJ stated that their throttle body assembly was dirty and they just put some fuel injector cleaner in the tank and the problem went away. The also said it could be caused by "bad gas". I'm still going to get the battery checked/replaced, but do you guys think I should add a little fuel injector cleaner also....just in case? She has been a little "sluggish" lately. Also, I get a weird smell when I go WOT. Sort of like something is burning. I've been meaning to get that looked at, but haven't had the time. I guess I'll have to make the time now. Thx guys!

 

Backing the odds, injector cleaner's not the fix but a battery may be.
If your battery can't cope with the sudden harsh needs of such as WOT you'll have problems but what kind of weird smell, where do you smell it and so on? Anything it's definitely not - such as not burnt oil? Not rotten eggs? etc. You're not telling us much!

 

Battery exact same thing happened to my car when I first got it.

 

Thx JagV8. I'm going to get the battery done here shortly. As far as the smell, I really can't place it. I know that's not much to go on. I guess it could be akin to burnt oil or charcoal, maybe even rubber..something like that. Once I get the battery done, I'll give it some gas and see if I can come back with a better description. Thanks again.

 

I'm thinking oil as even a drop burns and makes quite a smell. As soon as you smell it try pulling over and pop hood to see if it's stronger.

 

I found an O'Reilly's near my house and they sell what appears to be an in house brand called Super Start. Any of you guys ever tried it? I was also thinking of going to Autozone, which has Duralast batteries. Am I being too picky? I just don't want to buy a battery that's not going to do the job or that's going to die on me in 6 months. Thx guys.

 

I'll do that, thx

 

Be sure and get the proper battery that is vented.

I am real happy with the Bosch #49-850B. Pep Boys has them for a good price. Their SKU#9073755.

You never did say how old your battery is??
.
.
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Parking brake seized?

 

If my notes are right, mine's a vented 95Ah 800CCA 357x175x190mm
(A Type 19, I think, over here - basically says where the terminals are or something.)
Any decent make should do.

Parking brakes are an interesting idea - should do it at non-WOT also, if so.

 

it's approx. 1.5 years old. It was replaced when I was rear ended, but I'm confident the body shop used the cheapest battery he could find since he did such a lousy job. Also, I'm in Arizona..the hottest place on planet Earth, so that might have something to do with it.

 

It didn't seize per se, I just saw the warning in the dialog box stating "parking brake fault." When I shut it off and restarted it moved. Also, when I had to get off the highway, that fault came back, yet I was able to coast off the highway and to a gas station.

 

Quick question, will fuel injector cleaner hurt the engine in any way? I was thinking of adding some anyway, but I think I read somewhere that you shouldn't put anything other than gas in these cars.

 

I called my local Pep boys and they have just one of them left in stock. I'm going to get it now.

 

I went to get the battery tested/replaced and it came back fine. I got the codes for the error and they are:
P2135 - Throttle position sensor ( something with voltage)
P1000 - Don't know what this one is

He cleared the CEL and it hasn't come back on.....yet. Also, she didn't go into limp home mode either. No warning lights came on with the exception of the CEL. So forum, is this going to be another costly repair?

 

P1000 is nothing. The P2135 is something to be concerned with. Check the throttle body area for moisture and the connections for corrosion. If everything looks ok, then hope the code doesn't come back or you could possibly be looking at a throttle body replacement ($$$). Did the limp mode happen after you washed the car or it rained or any possibility of water getting down to the throttle body?

 

No, I didn't go to the car wash nor did it rain. I took my son to the movies for some father and son time when we were on our way home, it went into limp home mode. I'm not very mechanically inclined, but I can give it a whirl. Where is the throttle body area located? I have put a lot of $$$ into this car. I'm willing to try anything rather than dump another ton of cash into more repairs.