I was driving on the highway at 70mph and my car shut down, then really hot air came thru the AC, thank God there was not too much traffic. I stopped on the shoulder and I started immediately.

I didn't get any alarm light on at any time :S a mechanic has checked my car and he said that I need to replace the air pump, he said there's no air circulating... the costs to replace this are $1500.

I might take my car to a different place for a second opinion just in case but do you guys think this might have been the cause?

thank you

 

No, definitely not. Do not go to that mechanic ever again as he will take you for all of the money he can get.

It is probably the Crankshaft Position Sensor (CPS) or the Relay Control Module (RCM). They cause this problem.

If the engine turns over but will not start it will be the CPS.

If the car does not turn over, that is the starter motor does not move, the it is the RCM.

It could be something else though, so get the engines trouble codes read and report back here.

I cannot see the connection with the AC except it quit working for a moment. How hot was the hot air. Where do you live, Death Valley? (joke)

 

Thank you for the quick answer! I'll get the codes ASAP and I will post them here. Right now I'm really scared to drive my car since what happened. As I said right after I stopped on the shoulder I started again my car with no problem :S

 

This is the error message that I got (not engine lite):

P0410: When the engine is just started, secondary air injection system mandatorily import air into exhaust manifold to oxidize toxic gas generated such as hydrocarbon. The process also accelerates the warm-up of catalytic converter.

So obviously my car didn't shut down because of the air pump. This is what he wrote in the quote:

-New Air Pump and Relay: $1,250
-Remove and replace air injection reactor: $38
-Relay: $360

They didn't check RCM because the mechanic was not qualified for that...

 

His location says suwanee, that's about 30 miles or so out of Atlanta.
And yes, we do have a lot of hot air around here.

 

I drove my NA for almost 1 year with that code. i was debating fixing it or trading it in. not once did it cause my car to stall, die, not start. It sounds more like the crank sensor. did you actually run the codes or have the mechanic do it for you. the CPS costs about $100 and needs 30 minuts of labor, but the pump replacement takes alot longer so there is more money for them to make. FYI a shop replaced my secondary air pump, and it wasnt needed, the issue was bad connections on the RCM board. do a search for "mystery no start" and you will see quick, easy, correct fix for maybe the second most common issue with the crossfire.

 

Bosch CPS on Ebay @$49, takes about 10-15 min to replace
Air pump can be sourced from breaker yard for $25 and up, takes 10 minutes to change ( one stinkin bolt ).
I have NO idea what the "air injection reactor" is. Sounds dangerous.

Question : How do they know you need an air pump relay when the mechanic was not 'qualified' to check the RCM ?
That relay IS IN the RCM !!!
Come to think of it, I'm probably not qualified to check my RCM, but I did it anyway.
Go ahead, arrest me.

 

My guess is that the relay mentioned is the RCM, as the relay for the air pump s inside the RCM. R & R the reactor is probably the air pump itself being replaced. The price $360 is about correct for the RCM, so it would appear that the relay is priced twice, but I'm not sure of the cost of the pump.

 

It's probalby a bad solder joint on the RCM or the CPS.

I live 5 miles from you, let's yank the RCM out this weekend, resolder it, and go from there.
We can read it and if there is a code for it, I can sell you my spare BOSCH CPS (I'll just order another one).

I'm in South Bend, about to board a plane home.


Welcome to the fore-ummmm.........

 

Well, right there is your best bet. Mark, can fix the solder joints, which need to be done anyway, and if it is something else, which I doubt since it started back up, you are good to go....
Usually a crankshaft position sensor will cause some rough idle or hard starting problems before they go all the way out. If you have had those problems as well, then maybe...

 

In South Bend & getting on a plane ??? Hey I work 5 mins from the airport in South Bend ! What ya doing there ???

 

He must be on the plane....

 

Now I'm in Atlanta. Anyway, I am working on a project at DC Cook in Stevensville. This was my 7th trip there since last August (2012).

I will be up there on and off til march.

 

wow thank you so much!! Let me know when you are free and I'll pass by.

Btw the last thing I fixed in my car was the crank sensor (for over $300) a few months ago. I had problems in the past to start the engine.

 

Glad you finally got here, the Bosch CPS costs about $45 (plus shipping maybe) and is easily installed.

 

PM Sent!

 

Yea, I'm sorry he got taken for $300 for a CPS - but he's on the forum now, so that ain't happening again!


We are gonna get together today and resolder the RCM. And, as I said, "go from there".