2006 Chevrolet Aveo check engine light blinking

My name is Michelle. We bought a 2006 Chevy Aveo recently (stupidly, with no warranty), and it has been a NIGHTMARE every since. We've had the car nearly two months. We realized the interior lights didn't work two days after we bought it, and we had the wires spliced together, which made the lights come on; the radio doesn't work (it hasn't since the second day we got it); the air conditioner doesn't blow cold; we've already had to replace the battery and our fan went out twice (the first time we put a new relay and it came on immediately; then, two weeks later it went out again and we just ran a wire directly to the battery with a toggle switch. The dealership told us that the fan was drawing too much current which burnt that wire at the connector. So, we needed a new chassis wiring harness, which cost $1200 just for the part, then we were looking at labor... all together, it was a little over $2700, which we simply cannot afford. A little before that, the check engine light came on with a code saying we had a bad camshaft position sensor. (When we brought it to the chevrolet dealership about the fan, they said they ran the code and also said the part was bad). The car didn't seem to be running bad or anything though so we left it be, thinking we'll change it as soon as we get the money.. For the past month and a half or so the light has just came on and went off, but this past Sunday the check engine light started blinking on and off (sometimes slowly sometimes very rapidly) and the car started misfiring a little. So, yesterday we changed the camshaft position sensor.... After installing it, we cranked up the car just to see if it was working properly. The car's idle worked perfectly, and we had disconnected the battery, which I believe made the light go off. Then we traveled at least 50 miles yesterday and the car seemed to be running great (or at least what seems like great for us and this p.o.s. car). We get in the car this morning.... and the idle fluctuates AGAIN. Then not even 30 seconds later the check engine light is back on... About 30 seconds after that, the check engine light starts and continues blinking. I'm VERY stressed out about this car. Do you have any suggestions as to what could be wrong? We're going to try to go by autozone to see what codes the machine pulls again today.... I'll update on here as soon as we do. Any help is greatly appreciated!

the Flashing Check Engine Light means there is an ACTIVE Misfire happening, and you are risking DAMAGE to the Catalytic Converter, go ahead and have Autozone pull the Codes, and Post them here as soon as you get them so we can make a proper diagnosis. (although it sounds to me that this Aveo you bought is a Grade A+ Lemon)

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Originally Posted by 2010AveoLT

the Flashing Check Engine Light means there is an ACTIVE Misfire happening, and you are risking DAMAGE to the Catalytic Converter, go ahead and have Autozone pull the Codes, and Post them here as soon as you get them so we can make a proper diagnosis. (although it sounds to me that this Aveo you bought is a Grade A+ Lemon)

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Yes, I know.. :( I will NEVER buy another vehicle from that dealer or another aveo EVER again. I don't trust the car... So, I'm sitting in the parking lot waiting for my fiance to get off at 5. We'll go by autozone right after that and I'll post the codes when I get home.

I appreciate the response.

Does anyone know if the 2006 Chevrolet Aveo's have a camshaft positioning sensor (possibly also called position of camshaft position actuator solenoid valve)? Because I found this about someone with a 2009 Cobalt:

"same as the others 2009 cobalt check engine light on runs rough at stop lights took to independent shop had checked out it turned out to be intake camshaft actuator was bad .it controls camshaft positioning sensor which was the code from the check engine light $220.00 for everything ."

My problem isn't occurring all the time, nor at specific times like stopping at red lights, going over/under a certain mph, etc. But it's becoming more and more frequent. I actually drove from a little under a mile just now. The car didn't idle weird nor did the light come on or blink, although I'm sure it would have if I would have drove much forever.

I also read something about my coil pack possibly being the problem?....

I'll post the codes as soon as I get them. I'm just throwing out a few possible "food for thought" solutions to see if any of you think that could be the problem.

source: Check Engine Light and Misfire Due to Ignition Module/Coil Failure : Chevrolet Cobalt Common Engine Problems

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Originally Posted by michellecorm

Does anyone know if the 2006 Chevrolet Aveo's have a camshaft positioning sensor (possibly also called position of camshaft position actuator solenoid valve)? Because I found this about someone with a 2009 Cobalt:

"same as the others 2009 cobalt check engine light on runs rough at stop lights took to independent shop had checked out it turned out to be intake camshaft actuator was bad .it controls camshaft positioning sensor which was the code from the check engine light $220.00 for everything ."

My problem isn't occurring all the time, nor at specific times like stopping at red lights, going over/under a certain mph, etc. But it's becoming more and more frequent. I actually drove from a little under a mile just now. The car didn't idle weird nor did the light come on or blink, although I'm sure it would have if I would have drove much forever.

I also read something about my coil pack possibly being the problem?....

I'll post the codes as soon as I get them. I'm just throwing out a few possible "food for thought" solutions to see if any of you think that could be the problem.

source: Check Engine Light and Misfire Due to Ignition Module/Coil Failure : Chevrolet Cobalt Common Engine Problems

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they are talking about Variable Valve Timing, which I believe your engine Doesn't have. but the Coil Pack and Wires are a good place to start diagnosing.

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Originally Posted by 2010AveoLT

they are talking about Variable Valve Timing, which I believe your engine Doesn't have. but the Coil Pack and Wires are a good place to start diagnosing.

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I really don't know too much about cars, nor does anyone I personally know. We got the camshaft position sensor replaced by an act of Congress and a million tutorials online.

So, when you say wires... What exactly should I be looking at? The wires to the sensor? And if they were bad, would this mean I'd have to have the whole car required? Also, do you know of a simple way to check the coil pack?

I just thought of this.. Do you think it's possible that the part that it plugs into is wrong? We'll have it diagnosed in a out an hour, but we won't be able to look at it tonight because it's pouring here and has been since last night.

Okay so, I went to auto zone & o'reilly auto parts. Both places pulled Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) code P2135.
The definition says: Throttle position sensor (TPS) 1-2 correlation
Explanation: The ECM has detected that TPS 1 and TPS 2 disagree more than 4.5% for less than 1 second
Probably cause: 1. Poor electrical connection 2. Failed TPS

We were talking to the guy at O'Reilly's when a mechanic pulled up that the worker knew. We got him to look at it. He said that the TPS was dirty and we could TRY to clean it... but he doesn't know if that will work because of the code that it's throwing is saying that the sensors aren't agreeing. He pulled out his laptop and used the program that they use at work. Basically that program said that you can't change just the sensor to actually fix the problem for that particular code.

The check engine light was blinking this morning on our way to the university (about 8 miles). Then again when we left the university to my fiance's work (a little under a mile), and yet again less than a quarter of a mile to a book store. But then when we left the bookstore, the light did not come on at all on the way to auto zone (about 5.5 miles), then didn't come on when we crossed the street to go to O'Reilly's (literally right across the street), or when we drove home from there (about 3 miles). When the light would blink, the car's rpm's would flucuate above starting and the car would sound "loud", but when it didn't, it sounded "soft"....

Any ideas? Is this hurting my Catalytic Converter? Do y'all think this could be my actual problem? I'd really hate to have it fixed.... and that not even be the problem. What would y'all suggest?

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Originally Posted by michellecorm

Okay so, I went to auto zone & o'reilly auto parts. Both places pulled Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) code P2135.
The definition says: Throttle position sensor (TPS) 1-2 correlation
Explanation: The ECM has detected that TPS 1 and TPS 2 disagree more than 4.5% for less than 1 second
Probably cause: 1. Poor electrical connection 2. Failed TPS

We were talking to the guy at O'Reilly's when a mechanic pulled up that the worker knew. We got him to look at it. He said that the TPS was dirty and we could TRY to clean it... but he doesn't know if that will work because of the code that it's throwing is saying that the sensors aren't agreeing. He pulled out his laptop and used the program that they use at work. Basically that program said that you can't change just the sensor to actually fix the problem for that particular code.

The check engine light was blinking this morning on our way to the university (about 8 miles). Then again when we left the university to my fiance's work (a little under a mile), and yet again less than a quarter of a mile to a book store. But then when we left the bookstore, the light did not come on at all on the way to auto zone (about 5.5 miles), then didn't come on when we crossed the street to go to O'Reilly's (literally right across the street), or when we drove home from there (about 3 miles). When the light would blink, the car's rpm's would flucuate above starting and the car would sound "loud", but when it didn't, it sounded "soft"....

Any ideas? Is this hurting my Catalytic Converter? Do y'all think this could be my actual problem? I'd really hate to have it fixed.... and that not even be the problem. What would y'all suggest?

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to put it bluntly, an active misfire is sending raw unburned fuel into the catalyst, and eventually it will render the active elements in the catalyst unable to do their job, and if left unchecked, will cause the converter to clog up and raise the pressure in the exhaust system to where to car will run even worse. (and if your Area does emissions testing timed with your vehicle registration Renewal, your aveo WILL FAIL, and will probably prevent you from legally driving your aveo until it gets fixed.) and when I said wires, I meant the Spark Plug wires attached to the Ignition Coil Pack. and there's a few people on here that have had the P2135 code come up, and they had to replace the entire throttle body (2006 was when they changed over to Electronic Throttle Control, meaning there is no physical link between your foot, and the throttle body; its all done electronically via an Accelerator Pedal Position sensor sending a signal to an actuator on the throttle body, opening and closing the throttle valve, which dictates engine speed.)

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Originally Posted by 2010AveoLT

to put it bluntly, an active misfire is sending raw unburned fuel into the catalyst, and eventually it will render the active elements in the catalyst unable to do their job, and if left unchecked, will cause the converter to clog up and raise the pressure in the exhaust system to where to car will run even worse. (and if your Area does emissions testing timed with your vehicle registration Renewal, your aveo WILL FAIL, and will probably prevent you from legally driving your aveo until it gets fixed.) and when I said wires, I meant the Spark Plug wires attached to the Ignition Coil Pack. and there's a few people on here that have had the P2135 code come up, and they had to replace the entire throttle body (2006 was when they changed over to Electronic Throttle Control, meaning there is no physical link between your foot, and the throttle body; its all done electronically via an Accelerator Pedal Position sensor sending a signal to an actuator on the throttle body, opening and closing the throttle valve, which dictates engine speed.)

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So, you think that even though our car is NOT throwing a misfire code, that it's still misfiring? I said misfiring earlier in the post because it idles up and down and the car kind of "jolts" every once in while... (I'm thinking I worded it properly by saying misfiring?) Too, do you think the blinking light and throttle body problems are related? At this point I'm just trying to narrow it down to tell the mechanics what could be possible issues... because I don't want to try a million different things in parts and labor before getting it right.

As aveo owners we all should know first hand (from this site) that our coils are faulty even if its new start with the spark plugs (use only platinum copper will burn out within weeks in this car) if that xoesnt stop the problem then coil next. Purchase at naapa for super cheap price or online for like 30 bucks plus shipping.