check engine soon stays steady, blinks periodically, rough idle, driveable?

[dacdd]

hi all I have a 99 intrigue with 65K miles on it. Last night I went to leave and my check engine light came on, now it blinks periodcally. It is idling rough and accelorating a little rough but not dying. I parked it for now. I need this car soon tho and dont know if I have the funds to support it at the moment. Do you think its driveable thats my big question.

The only recent things ive done is filled the tank yesterday, and did the air filter a week ago. Do you guys have anything? Thank you so much

[maxwedge]

Get the code and post back for help.

[LittleHoov]

Typically that blinking light is a heavy misfire of some sort, or some other problem which will damage the catalytic converter.

I wouldnt drive it any more than you had too. I'd limp it up to the auto parts store to find out what was wrong with it and thats about it. But thats just me personally.

I dont think there is anything dangerously wrong with it. As long as all your fluids are good, you cant really hurt too much.

[harmankardon35]

yeah, blinking MIL is there to protect your catelitic converter...as mentioned it indicates a misfire that can burn out the converter. When the light turns on, that means one thing and one thing only....the computer has stored a code relating to the problem (wich can be one of hundereds of things)...I got fed up with friends and family ignoring these lights so I baught a code scanner. Best 100 bucks I ever spent. Chances are you have a heavy misfire from a bad plug wire or something. You will likely get a misfire code...At wich point you should replace your plugs & wires.

[alejmr]

Ok floks, when my UIM failed the symptoms if not the same were very similar... I'm talking about the light and the rough idle.... jusy to make sure I would sugest to check your coolant level and monitor it every single day. if you see that there's no coolant or is below the level, stop driving immediatly and replace you UIM, but just check you coolant level... my 2 cents.

[LittleHoov]

Yeah a code reader is a great tool, you can get them off Ebay for about 25 bucks, that will read and clear codes....they wont do anything else, but theyll do that.

UIM failure may not be a possibility, dacdd, which engine do you have? 3.5 or 3.8?

[Rolm]

I had the same problem on my 99 3.8, I replaced the spark plugs and that fixed the proble. I had champion platium plugs and something went wrong. I went back to delco oem plugs. I was at a party and met a mechanic he was a tune-up mechanic at a GM dealership. He said once a car comes in with a mis-fire and if the the plugs are non OEM that is the 1st place he starts and he said that fixes 95% on the mis-fires. If not OEM plugs I suggest you start there.

[harmankardon35]

Could be your intake manifold....but if your were using up antifreeze through the intake like that you almost always would have the strong antifreeze smell out of the exhaust, and oil contamination. I know from experience that even the smallest headgasket leak gives you a very definate sweet smell from the exhaust, so I would assume your UIM would be the same deal. Check and make sure there isnt exessive steam and sweet smell from the exhaust (note, alot of steam is normal under certain weather conditions I.E. humid & cool)

[notimprezed]

It may be trivial but make sure your gas cap is tight. Last time my SES light was on that was the prob. At one point the light started blinking so I thought I had a major issue but it was just the cap. If it is the cap it will take several miles (10ish?) for the light to go off. I didnt have a rough idle or anything though.