Engine shuts off after 15.5 seconds

Does it stall while driving or just when you let is idle? If it stalls at idle you could have a IAC motor that needs to be serviced. Here is a video to help fix it:

https://youtu.be/XMB16Gg-qNg

Please run down this guide and report back.

Fifteen seconds isn't a lot of time to get it into drive and try to drive away, but I did try that and it did still stall. So, does that change your potential solution? I'll also say the problem can be intermittent, but 60-70% of the time it will stall at the 15.5 second time. I can try to clean the IAC motor since seems no harm to have it clean. Originally, I was thinking colder air temperature had something to do with it shutting off, but now that it has warmed up, it still does it. I also use the term shut down/turn off as opposed to stall, because it happens abruptly, not a sputter out.

Lets run the codes to see what come up. here is a guide to walk you through the steps:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Please run down this guide and report back.

On Monday morning, I started the car and it turned off right at the 15.5 seconds time. I started again three more times and it still turned off, right at the exact same time. (One time I quickly put it in Drive and it still turned off.) Then at 10 at night, I started it and it ran until I turned it off with the key: I let it run for 45 seconds (it idled at 1600) until I put in gear after it stayed on past the 15.5 seconds. So this is the kind of things it does, seems unpredictable.

Anyways, the current codes are: P0301, P0305. (apparent misfires). P1135, P1155, P1411 (displayed as Manufacturer Control per the OBD tool screen.) Is cylinder one the bank near the firewall, and which is cylinder 1, nearest driver's side or passenger? Well, that's the status. I have no idea what manu. control is.

Hello,

I think we have found it the P1135 is a oxygen sensor heater which when shorted can cause the engine to stall out. lets unplug the oxygen sensor and restart the engine to see if it stalls. don't worry about the way it runs when the sensor are disconnected. here are the locations and a guide to help change them out:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-an-oxygen-sensor

Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what happens.

Are you suggesting the engine shouldn't turn off with the O2 sensors disconnected? How will I know the difference since sometimes the engine does run and does not shut off?
The codes seem to say both upstream sensors are bad. Is that likely? What is the P1411 code or is that related to the O2 codes? Also, is this one of those vehicle that requires OE branded O2 sensors in order to clear the codes in the ECU and/or turn off the check engine light? (I've come across stories where people claim a certain brand is required.)

Yes, use OEM sensor you can run the car without the sensors connected it will run from the base program. This is to see if one of the sensor heaters is causing the engine to stall which is probable.

Okay, I started the car this morning with both upstream O2 sensors unplugged. On first run, it ran and at 1 minute 45 seconds I put in reverse (kept brake on) and then at about 2 minutes 15 seconds it turned off. I restarted and it turned off again at the 15.5 second time, did restarts and turned off two more times at 15.5 seconds. The new codes are: P0301, P0302, P0304, P0305. P0100: Mass or Volume Air Flow A circuit. P0110: Intake Air Temp. Sensor 1 circuit. P1135, P1155, P 1141 (all Manu. Control.) A couple new codes. Does this tell you anything affirmatively?

Good job, lets disconnect the MAF sensor now and do the test again, you can reconnect the O2 sensors

Okay, O2s back on, MAF disconnected the car ran terribly, stalled at three seconds, restarted, gave it gas, got it to run to the 15.5 seconds and it cut off, all while I was pressing gas pedal about 1/3 to 1/2. Just two codes now: P0100: Mass or Volume Air Flow A Circuit, and Intake Air Temperature Sensor 1 circuit.

Plug the MAF back in and clear all codes, then shut the key off and then start the car and shut it off. then run the codes to see what comes up, it sounds like the coolant sensor or computer is bad.

Cleared all codes. Ran car first time, it shut itself off at 15.5 seconds, Read codes and said 0 codes. So I restarted and it shut itself off again. I did that five more times (one time I even revved RPM's to 2,400, shut off even running at 2,400). It never ran past the 15.5 seconds. The check engine light never flashed on either, previously it would around ten seconds. Wouldn't you say a bad coolant sensor would not be significant enough to cause the engine to do this? If you are still thinking the computer, is there some other way to isolate that without the expense of a new one first?

Disconnect the engine coolant sensor and try it again but it sounds more like the PCM. With a problem like this the only way to see if the computer is the problem is to replace it. You can try a used/rebuilt unit here is the location. Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what happens.

I did the disconnect on the temperature sensor, started car, and it ran rough at only 600 RPM, check engine light came on right at start up, car then turned off again at 15.5 seconds. Read code and got P0115, Temp. sensor circuit. Does this imply the PCM is good, at least for certain things? I'll look for a replacement PCM. While I wait for that, I'll ask this, do you think this problem is related at all to the fuel pump? The reason I ask is while I put a brand new one in, it was a very inexpensive less known brand. Should I check fuel pressure, what should it be? Would pump issues correlate at all to my symptom?

When the engine stalls do you hear the pump working in the tank?

I can't say I hear it when it stalls, since everything just turns off engine wise. As I understand it, Camry fuel pump doesn't turn on until turning the key to crank. I do know one time the battery was low, not enough to crank starter, but apparently enough to engage fuel pump as when I turned key I could hear pump going then. Normally I don't hear the pump because the starter noise drowns it out. It seems to me the pump functions, since the car always starts or restarts after it stalls itself. What I was thinking is maybe it just isn't putting enough pressure consistently. Just a thought. Like I said at the beginning, the cars turns off as if I did turn it off with the key, not a sputter out. Would a fuel pump problem sputter?

The only way to be sure is when it stalls use starting fluid to see if it will run, but to me it sounds like the ECM is bad which will not have a code. Also when it stalls, turn the key off and then back on again without cranking the engine you should hear the pump prime for 5 seconds.

When you say use starting fluid, do you mean I should have the throttle body area ready/open to spray in the fluid around the 15 second mark and see if the engine keeps running? Is getting to the ECM as easy as popping off the glove box door as the diagram shows?

Yes and yes, you may need to remove some additional parts to get the ECM out. Check the electrical connectors for corrosion as well.

I got my hands on another fuel pump, and the car still turned off at 15.5 seconds, and also, I did not hear the pump continue to run for 5 more seconds. So I guess we can rule out the fuel pump.
As for removing the glove box, are there any screws or just squeeze real hard the sides?

p.s. On the left side of the glov box there is a screw with a string connected. Do I need to remove that screw and string assembly?

I think so. here are institutions and diagrams to help you get the glove box out. Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what you find.

I have some new test results, and I am thinking it may change your thoughts about a bad ECM. I started the car 5 times and each time it turned off at 15.5 seconds. The sixth time I decided to try something different, that is, I revved the engine to 2500 RPM before 15.5 seconds, the engine kept running. I held it at 2500 for 2 minutes, at one minute the check engine light began flashing. Normal engine temp was achieved around 8 minutes and I let it back to idle, where it ran at about 950 RPM. I then revved it to 3800-4K RPM at 11 minutes, then let it come back to idle where it ran at about 700 RPM. I turned off with the key at 13 minutes. Ran the codes and got: P1135, P 1155, P0302, P0305 and P0301. Started engine again, cleared codes while engine was running, then a minute later engine light flashed again and got these codes and read them with engine running: P0300, P0301, P0305 and P0402 (EGR flow excessive.) Ran engine until 2.5 minutes and shut engine off with key. Does this give any better insight? New thoughts?

It sounds like the ECM is bad I would try a used or rebuilt unit. You said you disconnected the O2 sensors correct? If so the ECM is next.

For the thirteen minutes the engine ran above, the O2s were connected, (as was everything.) Should I try to repeat all that with them both disconnected?

Yes please do. it sounds like one of the heaters is shorting out.

I Disconnected O2s, engine light flashed at 8 seconds, got past the 15.5 second mark, idled for 2 min. at 1100 RPM, then revved to 2000 RPM for one min. then to 2600 for one min. then to 2800 for one minute. cleared codes with engine running, got 1135, 1455, 0302, 0301, 03015, 0402, EGR excessive flow detected, and 1410. Pretty much same results with O2s dangling. I do think there are misfires as at idle there is a slight shake to the engine. But at least it is able to run past the 15.5 second mark. Should I still try the replacement ECM? Is the EGR bad or can it be cleaned? What exactly is an excessive EGR flow?

Plug the O2 back in and unplug the EGR valve and redo the test.

Okay, disconnected EGR, started right up, ran past the fifteen second mark. Around two minutes the engine light began flashing. Warmed it up to operating temp. Kept RPM's at 2,500 for a few minutes. Idled at 800, sounds like a miss from tailpipe at idle, can't tell so much at the higher RPM. Codes were: 0300,0301,0305, 1130, and 1410. Kept running total of nine minutes. Turned car off with key, gave engine a rest for ten minutes, cleared codes, reconnected EGR, about two minutes engine light flashed again. Rechecked codes and got: 0300,0301, 0305, 0402 and 1140.

p.s. Just noticed a typo in the last message, the last code is 1130, not 1140.

So it ran okay with the EGR disconnected? Don't worry about the codes right now.

If by okay, you mean it ran past fifteen seconds, then yes, but did appear to be slightly uneven.

The code is for the air/fuel sensor still and you said you replaced it or? If not start there and if that doesn't fix it I would try a used/rebuilt ECU here is the location. Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what you find.

When you say air/fuel sensor, are you referring to the O2s? I didn't change any as we were doing these tests. Is bank 1 the side closer to the firewall?

Here is the oxygen sensor locations and a guide to walk you through the replacement.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-an-oxygen-sensor

Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know what happens.

Update: Things went from bad to worse: The OBD reader suddenly "failed to link with vehicle" and the car stopped starting at all, cranks, but no spark. I took a break these past months . Here we are now: tested crank sensor voltage. I only got .77 volts at the ECU black/red wire (to crank sensor) and at the crank sensor socket only got .77 volts. Then,
I swapped the ECU with a used one and here are the results: only got .77 volts at the black/red wire at the crank sensor, the first time, then I couldn't repeat that rending at sensor. I also got the .77 volts at the ECU black/red wire, still not the 5 volts needed. In other words, the same readings as with the other ECU. Now what? Still fails to link to OBD reader.

Have you checked the EFI and main relay? here is a guide to help and the location of the relay. Also the security light is not flashing correct?

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-an-electrical-relay-and-wiring-control-circuit

Check out the diagrams (below). Please let us know what you find.