Traction Control light

I recently purchased a beautiful 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis that now has 104K miles on it. Every once in a while, while driving, I experience the following problem:
I hear an audible beep for a couple seconds and on the digital dash, the top of the temperature gauge flashes for a couple seconds as the temperature gauge bars max out from normal for the same couple seconds. Then, everything on the digital dash goes back to normal. However, the engine RPM’s increase a bit and the Traction Control light comes on. This has happened several times while driving at various speeds of 55 MPH, 40-45 MPH and even while stopped in traffic. Usually, when I shut the engine down and restart the engine, the traction control light goes off and everything returns to normal. When this happens, the road conditions have been in dry, sunny, summer weather with no wet, icy or snow-covered roads. This happens once in a while, sometimes 2 or 3 times per week and sometimes, it doesn’t happen for several weeks…Any ideas?

Also, I have just started to experience another issue that I don’t know if it is related to the Traction Control light problem…While driving at a reasonable and steady speed, sometimes, the engine acts like it is “skipping,” or not getting the correct fuel/air mixture or running on bad gas, or maybe not running on all cylinders for a few seconds… I let off the gas pedal a couple times and it seems to go away…but, sometimes, it does not go away and a couple times, the engine stalled. I pull off the road and turn the ignition off, then restart the engine and it seems to run fine BUT, the check engine light is on now. I go to Auto Zone, borrow their code reader and get the following code: P1299 MANUFACTURER CONTROL FUEL AIR METERING, even though the car seems to be running fine again. I reset/erase the code and everything is OK until it happens again…I have gotten the check engine light with this code 3 times in the past 2 months, most recently, yesterday. Auto Zone person suggests I clean the Mass Air Flow Sensor, which I did. Maybe he’s right? Any ideas?

Welcome to the forums!

Regarding your first problem, your symptoms are related to the engagement of the "failsafe cooling" mode. It disables half of the cylinders which will cause the engine to run rough and with low power to prevent over heating. If your coolant temperature usually is displayed at the halfway mark when running normally and then jumps to the maximum mark and the failsafe cooling is engaged, it's likely a short at the Cylinder Head Temperature sensor located in the valley behind the alternator on the driver side head. You have to remove the alternator to access it - removal takes about 5 minutes (remember to remove the battery ground cable first!).

You can disconnect the CHT sensor wire, clean it out with some electrical cleaner and reconnect. Also make sure the area around it is dry. If there is any indication of coolant or oil seapage, find out where it is coming from. My head gasket actually leaks a tiny bit of coolant just below the sensor which somehow once did engage the failsafe cooling by a short but never happened since I made sure it was clean and put some dielectric grease on the connector to keep it dry.

Here is a picture of the sensor location (and the leak I was talking about): Click Here (http://richgannon.info/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-451)

You should also consider that there is actually a cooling problem, although based on your symptoms this is not the case. Doesn't hurt to make sure the coolant is clean, properly filled, and there is no sticking thermostat.

Regarding your second problem it may be a handful of problems. It may be a weak or failing fuel pump, bad HO2 sensors, dirty or bad MAF sensor, a big vacuum leak, or even a bad Coil-On-Plug or 2 or 3. There's also a known problem with the EGR/DFPE system that can cause a hesitation and occasional misfire at cruising speeds and low throttle. Usually cleaning the EGR port and removing the DPFE and smacking it in your hand to get the water buildup out of the two ports stops this.

Diagnose the cheap stuff work before you start putting money into fixing it. Clean the EGR port with carb cleaner, smack the DPFE in your hand to get water out, check for a vacuum leak, and check your COPs and check or even replace spark plugs.

If you have a multimeter, you can test the HO2 sensors and MAF. You should see the HO2 voltage switch from around 0.2V to 0.8V atleast once every second (more the better actually). The MAF voltage should be 0.6-0.7V at idle.

Check or change your filters and fluids, too. Coolant should be a bright green, not rusty brown. The fuel filter often gets overlooked. Generally, changing it every 20,000 miles is recommended. It's an eleven dollar part and only requires a screw driver and I believe 10mm socket to get off and about 10 minutes of your time. Do it if you don't know when it was last replaced.

After that, look into testing the fuel pump.

Thank you, Blue)(Fusion...You certainly are knowledgable on this subject! I'll look into your advice just as soon as I can! I really appreciate your advice and I never expected it to be so detailed!!!!

The cooling fans are bad about failing on these vehicles and will cause overheating also. Be sure the fans work properly along with Blue)(Fusion's advice.

Thank you, way2old. I appreciate your information!

And here all along,...I thought the 1st problem I posted had something to do with the traction control system because the traction control light came on and wouldn't go off until the engine was turned off and restarted.....Also, I forgot to mention that sometimes this traction control light problem happens upon a cold startup in the morning, before I leave the driveway and when the engine had been running for only a couple minutes...I would have never guessed that it had anything at all to do with the cooling system...If I hadn't been stopped in traffic at a red light one day, with my foot on the brake, I would have never known that when this happens, the RPM's increase...good thing my foot was on the brake...
I'll check into all the great advice I have received!
Thank you!

[quote=SargeRetired;6808482]I recently purchased a beautiful 2000 Mercury Grand Marquis that now has 104K miles on it. Every once in a while, while driving, I experience the following problem:
I hear an audible beep for a couple seconds and on the digital dash, the top of the temperature gauge flashes for a couple seconds as the temperature gauge bars max out from normal for the same couple seconds. Then, everything on the digital dash goes back to normal. However, the engine RPM’s increase a bit and the Traction Control light comes on. This has happened several times while driving at various speeds of 55 MPH, 40-45 MPH and even while stopped in traffic. Usually, when I shut the engine down and restart the engine, the traction control light goes off and everything returns to normal. When this happens, the road conditions have been in dry, sunny, summer weather with no wet, icy or snow-covered roads. This happens once in a while, sometimes 2 or 3 times per week and sometimes, it doesn’t happen for several weeks…Any ideas?

Also, I have just started to experience another issue that I don’t know if it is related to the Traction Control light problem…While driving at a reasonable and steady speed, sometimes, the engine acts like it is “skipping,” or not getting the correct fuel/air mixture or running on bad gas, or maybe not running on all cylinders for a few seconds… I let off the gas pedal a couple times and it seems to go away…but, sometimes, it does not go away and a couple times, the engine stalled. I pull off the road and turn the ignition off, then restart the engine and it seems to run fine BUT, the check engine light is on now. I go to Auto Zone, borrow their code reader and get the following code: P1299 MANUFACTURER CONTROL FUEL AIR METERING, even though the car seems to be running fine again. I reset/erase the code and everything is OK until it happens again…I have gotten the check engine light with this code 3 times in the past 2 months, most recently, yesterday. Auto Zone person suggests I clean the Mass Air Flow Sensor, which I did. Maybe he’s right? Any ideas

OK, My bad,...for not writing this follow-up sooner...but, I wanted to drive the car for a while to be sure it was fixed, before I said it was fixed...
My problem is FIXED!
Here's what did it:
After nothing worked for me...I brought my Grand Marquis into a reputable Mercury dealership for a diagnosis...an hour later, I was told that I had an oil leak dripping on the back side of the engine from a valve cover. This oil, was dripping onto and somehow, getting into a wiring harness for the transmission and screwing with the vehicles computer/electronics, which was sending several false codes which in the end, made lights go on and caused my transmission to not run properly. I also, had a bad #5 coil.
The fix:
Replace the leaking valve cover gasket, replace the oil impregnated transmission wiring harness, replace the bad coil/spark plug. That's it. A bit expensive...but, now, after a month of driving the car daily, not one problem...and...it runs and operates like it should. Power when I need it, fairly decent gas mileage, (compared to my Dodge Ram), and NO STALLING, NO SKIPPING, and NO LIGHTS comming on,...at all!

I've read on the internet of others having this exact problem with this same make & model car and possibly, this may be their fix as well.
Happy New Year and thanks to everyone that helped me!!