What is the cause of loss of acceleration in the highway?
What is your question?
I have a used 2009 Toyota Matrix. My car started to lose power while driving on a highway. It always happens on the same spot when going over an overpass where it's a short uphill. I'm on a cruise at 65mph. When the car reaches the top of the short incline, it starts to lose power down to around 40mph. So I pull over.
The vibration of the engine is very noticeable. The sound is irregular ramble like an old classic car. To me, it sounds like a misfiring. Prior to this happening, there was a check engine light for a loose fuel cap. It came and go but recently has not gone away even though I had replaced the fuel cap. Today, it happened at a different place. It happened on an incline but where it dips down to go under an overpass. I noticed the ramble when the car started the decent and started losing power when it began ascending.
The car has also been showing the same vibration/ramble after driving on a highway. I notice when stopping at a light or stop sign.
Please help.
What makes this problem better or worse?
Worse - More than 10 min of high drive and uphill. Better - Turning engine off/resting.
How long has your 2009 Toyota Matrix had this problem?
About a month. Frequency of the issue is increasing. (Every day at the same spot for a week and a half)
Hello, when you say there was a check engine light "for a loose fuel cap", what diagnostic trouble codes are being set? The check engine light can be on for evaporative emissions concerns but not be related to the fuel cap alone. It can also come on due to engine misfire codes, or other engine performance issues.
Alternatively, the warning light may not come on even though there is a driving concern, or a concern with fuel delivery, ignition spark, air intake or exahust flow. These areas need to be tested regardless of "codes" to determine what the source of your problem is.
P0456 is an evaporative emissions system issue that may not be due to a loose fuel cap. It is due to a small leak, which may be the cap, but may be something else.
P0352 is a malfunction with an ignition coil that requires testing. This is the one that is related to the running concern you speak of and requires hands on testing.
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I purchased a scanner and it lists 2 codes: P0352 P0456
P0456 is an evaporative emissions system issue that may not be due to a loose fuel cap. It is due to a small leak, which may be the cap, but may be something else. P0352 is a malfunction with an ignition coil that requires testing. This is the one that is related to the running concern you speak of and requires hands on testing.