Hi everybody...
Had an experience on the way home last evening that got me a bit "concerned" while driving my 2002 9-5 Aero (I commute 65mi each way)...but I think I have an idea as to what might have happened - so hoping someone here might be able to validate my thought process, or tell me if I'm dreaming and I really screwed up the car.
Here's the deal...on my way home, which is about 10mi away; nearest gas station is roughly the same. Fuel is low; low fuel indicator is on, DTE reads 13 miles left. So I figure, ok, I can baby it back. Been driving conservatively, minding my mpg's - cruise control is set at about 60. I begin a gradual slope uphill toward the final leg of my trip - and upon hitting the incline (gradual incline to start) I can feel the cruise starting to slip a bit - DTE is around 9 - the car actually sputters - flashing CEL - car begins to lose power, no real juice from the gas pedal.
I assume this was limp home mode. But - there was no message on the SID, and no red "!" triangle of doom. I pulled the car over to where it kind of came to rest (now pretty flat), and turned it off. Took the key out, waited 5 seconds, put the key back in and started it up - right away without issue. No lights on the dash, no nothing - all was well. Gave up on the gas strategy and drove it normally to the gas station and put 10 bucks in til payday.
So using what little technical knowledge I have, I'm wondering if this was the chain if events that might have occurred:
*driving, low on fuel and using cruise control...
*upon hitting the incline with so little gas left, the fuel pickup sent less than a 100% supply of fuel to the engine...
*the throttle body, recognizing this fuel supply issue/shortage says "hey wait"...and throws limp home mode...
*restarting the car (which was on flat ground) has allowed full supply of fuel back to the throttle body - which has cleared LHM for some reason (for now, at least)...
*putting a couple of gallons of gas back in has alleviated this problem...
Does this sound like a reasonable explanation - or am I hoping for something too simple, and I really jerked up the car (like the cat, throttle, etc)? Any/all guidance welcome - thanks in advance!
Had an experience on the way home last evening that got me a bit "concerned" while driving my 2002 9-5 Aero (I commute 65mi each way)...but I think I have an idea as to what might have happened - so hoping someone here might be able to validate my thought process, or tell me if I'm dreaming and I really screwed up the car.
Here's the deal...on my way home, which is about 10mi away; nearest gas station is roughly the same. Fuel is low; low fuel indicator is on, DTE reads 13 miles left. So I figure, ok, I can baby it back. Been driving conservatively, minding my mpg's - cruise control is set at about 60. I begin a gradual slope uphill toward the final leg of my trip - and upon hitting the incline (gradual incline to start) I can feel the cruise starting to slip a bit - DTE is around 9 - the car actually sputters - flashing CEL - car begins to lose power, no real juice from the gas pedal.
I assume this was limp home mode. But - there was no message on the SID, and no red "!" triangle of doom. I pulled the car over to where it kind of came to rest (now pretty flat), and turned it off. Took the key out, waited 5 seconds, put the key back in and started it up - right away without issue. No lights on the dash, no nothing - all was well. Gave up on the gas strategy and drove it normally to the gas station and put 10 bucks in til payday.
So using what little technical knowledge I have, I'm wondering if this was the chain if events that might have occurred:
*driving, low on fuel and using cruise control...
*upon hitting the incline with so little gas left, the fuel pickup sent less than a 100% supply of fuel to the engine...
*the throttle body, recognizing this fuel supply issue/shortage says "hey wait"...and throws limp home mode...
*restarting the car (which was on flat ground) has allowed full supply of fuel back to the throttle body - which has cleared LHM for some reason (for now, at least)...
*putting a couple of gallons of gas back in has alleviated this problem...
Does this sound like a reasonable explanation - or am I hoping for something too simple, and I really jerked up the car (like the cat, throttle, etc)? Any/all guidance welcome - thanks in advance!
