i noticed since i bought the car that when i come to a stop sometimes my idle dips really low, the car shutters, and car corrects back to normal idle. If I'm still stopped, I can rev the motor a little and as it goes down, it again goes too low and stumbles. It never dies, but feels like it is about to when it revs so low. I have an AEM CAI if that matters.

This is not ALL the time, but MOST of the time. Normal? Or something wrong?

Also my maintenance light flashes (at start up only)...I've reset it before. How often does it come on and is it based on mileage or is something wrong with my motor that needs attention?

 

I don't know about your idle problem (I don't have that problem, but I have stock intake). The maint light is programmed to come on at 7500 mile intervals. It gets progressively more "insistent" as you approach those boundaries. As you probably already knew, reset instructions are in the owner's manual.

 

Check all your tubes and connections on the AEM CAI. My Civic did the same thing back when I had it... one of the tubes on my AEM CAI was loose.

It was so bad that it actually stalled out a few times.

 

Mine does this -- and always has -- and is stock.

In fact on cold mornings (and evenings) the car will start and die at least once 70% of the time.

 

Steve,

Have you asked a dealer about this? It really shouldn't stall out like that. I suspect it's running too lean. I'm not sure exactly what sensor(s) are responsible for allowing the ECU to compute fuel/air ratios, but I suspect maybe something's slightly out of tune.

You might do a search in the under hood forum for more on this. I'd be interested to hear if you find out anything further.

Best wishes. -- Charlie

 

minboost,

My car does the same thing and others on the board have reported similar behavior.

Gerby had some good suggestions to check but unfortunately they didn't help the problem with my car. Conclusion - this characteristic is more pronounced on some cars and may be related to heat soak but otherwise probably nothing to worry about.

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...&threadid=97835

 

From what I remember reading, the 'dip' in RPM's and 'shutter' should be mainly due to heat soak. My car MY02 does it , but in cold weather it is much less noticeable, if at all. My car has stalled in cold weather when first started up. However after I posted on the subject, others had same prob, Xviper said something about the possibility of the ECU has not 'learned' the fuel map for the temps or something of that effect (please ring in Xvip if ya remember the post) but I have noticed something about it.....1)since winter started I only get to start the S about once a week, so when it starts it is VERY cold 2)If I start the car, hold clutch until the car rev's up and back down it may stall (50/50), if I start car and let clutch out right after starting, it does not rev as high, and is yet to stall in starting this way. Give it a shot and let us know. I'm curious to see if it stops it from happening.
Steve

 

There are only two types of circumstances that mine does this. First has always been at the onset of late fall when the temps take a drastic change toward cold, like getting consistently near and below about 7-8*C. It will do this "hiccup" 3, 4, maybe 5 times but only during the first start of each morning after the car has sat outside all night. Sometimes, it'll die completely. I have found that if I try to help it and prevent it from dipping down with a bit of throttle, it doesn't seem to "learn" as quickly as if I leave the throttle alone and just let it do what it wants to do. Then I have no further problem with it till one year later.
The 2nd and "possibly" unrelated is when the temps are very hot and I have started to use the A/C. Again the first day or two that I use the A/C, at stop lights, the engine will dip down to near stall but never quite dead, then recovers. If I turn off the A/C, it stops doing this till I turn it back on again. If I continue to use the A/C for 2-3 days, it won't do it again for the rest of the summer. I have no other "logical" explanation.
If your car does not "learn", there may be something that needs attention. Some have said it is the MAP sensor or the IAT sensor.

PS. Mine did it stock AND with AEM CAI.

 

both of my s2000's have done this and neither of them had anything wrong just something quirky abuot the car my .02 dont sweat it.

 

For the record, I have the same problem, I have a AEM CAI also.
I hate when it happens