2014 5.3l check engine flash when going up hill

[Elmer-spud]

Hey all, new member here. I just noticed now for the second time that my check engine light flashes only when I'm going up hill and flashes for maybe 10 times and then sure off. It has happened only twice. Does anyone know that it may indicate. Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Thanks!!

 

[silveradosid]

you need to get the codes read and post them, there are few different things that can cause that problem

[lucas287]

Accompanied by a Stabilitrak warning too? Yeah read the codes even if it isn't active it should show up in the history as a fault. 

[Elmer-spud]

The weird thing is there are no codes. Went to autozone and there were no codes to be read.

[rmacdona]

it will sound weird, but my 2008 did that and I topped up transmission fluid just above the line...never did it again.

[CamGTP]

Their code reader may not be good enough to get the codes. Some cheaper scanners will not do it.

 

A flashing check engine light usually means a misfire but it's plausible that it's something else. A good scan tool that can read engine and transmission data together would be wanted.

[Elmer-spud]

Oh ok, that makes sense. Autozones odb reader looked super cheap. So I guess a garage would have that kind of tool. Im going to ask some buddies in the automotive industry, I may luck out.

 

[Elmer-spud]

On 1/15/2021 at 2:26 PM, rmacdona said:

it will sound weird, but my 2008 did that and I topped up transmission fluid just above the line...never did it again.

I checked the tranny fluid and it did need some fluid. Not much though

[rmacdona]

4 hours ago, Elmer-spud said:

I checked the tranny fluid and it did need some fluid. Not much though

is it still flashing?

[Elmer-spud]

Not so far, the odd thing is that it happened intermittently. So I'll keep an eye on it and look for someone with a professional scan tool.

[SILVER SLED]

Just for the heck of it, go make sure all the plug wires are seated properly on the plug and the coil.  

[mikbor1]

Could be beginning of catalytic converters blockage— how many miles?

[Elmer-spud]

It has 82k. Generally what mileage would the cat start having problems? Is there a way to clean out the blockage. The last few tanks of gas I've put seafoam in, in attempts to help burn cleaner

[Doublebase]

That happened to me...cylinder five misfire. Pulled the plug, looked ok. Happened randomly when I would be driving up a hill on the highway. People around here thought perhaps injectors, maybe torque converter...ended up trading it in at 52,000 miles because I just didn't want to deal with stuff like that on a vehicle with that low of miles. But it would drive me crazy! Stuttering going up a hill, check engine light flashing, then it would just go away. And come back maybe a week or two later. 

[jw63]

I've experienced a similar situation...was hauling a trailer and accelerating after a roundabout.  Truck didn't down shift (good reason to always have tow/haul mode on when towing lol) and ended up lugging the engine and experienced some serious engine knock...as soon as I let off the throttle the check engine light quit flashing and went away.  Doubt you'd be getting the same issue by simply climbing a hill, but a possibility I suppose.  I've had a cylinder misfire in another vehicle in which case the computer would probably put the engine in limp mode/deactivate that cylinder, and store the check engine light code (light would stay on until the code gets erased).