My check engine light keeps coming on and going off. It comes on and stays on for about 3 days of driving, then goes off for for about 3 days, then comes back on. According to the codes, it refers to the cat converters. Does anyone have any ideas. I wasn’t sure if I need to have the cats replaced since the lights come on and off.

 

Need more info:
1. Are you the original owner?
2. Has this truck experienced the misfire/acceleration shutter?
3. Are the spark plugs changed regularly (every 20k-30k)?
4. Does the intercooler have the 1/16 weep hole to drain condensate?

The cats are failing on ecoboosts because the misfires over time send raw fuel through exhaust. This cooks the cats and they fail prematurely.

 

Need more info:
1. Are you the original owner? yes
2. Has this truck experienced the misfire/acceleration shutter? no
3. Are the spark plugs changed regularly (every 20k-30k) still has the originals plugs
4. Does the intercooler have the 1/16 weep hole to drain condensate? I can check.

I’m guessing I’m still a little confused because the check engine light goes off after 2-3 days of driving.
The cats are failing on ecoboosts because the misfires over time send raw fuel through exhaust. This cooks the cats and they fail prematurely.

 

Change your plugs ASAP. Have to use motorcraft sp534 gapped .030. Definitely should not go over 30k miles between spark plug changes on an eco.
Have your codes read again to verify it is the cat and not o2 sensor.

 

Rbbn62,

Welcome to the forum. You might have more luck asking up in the 2012 forum, the EB section doesn’t get much traffic.

Whatever you do, ignore Mcnawsty. He’s our local troll that is tolerated for some reason. If you have a hang nail, he’ll blame it on spark plugs and weap holes. He never provides any evidence of his claims or reason to believe his “expertise”.

Everyone else on the forum with any trusted reputation agrees 50,000 miles is a reasonable cycle for the plugs unless you’re running a modified engine. Generally speaking, raw fuel can lead to issues with the cats, but there could be multiple other issues creating the CEL.

 

Seriously? I am passing along the much needed help to this poster. I was an ecoboost owner that went through all that pain and frustration. The ecoboost owners need to get over themselves and come to terms with the common things it faces.
50k miles is WAY TOO FAR to push the spark plugs. That is begging for a misfire event. For as cheap as they are and easy as they are to change, 30k is a safe interval. Why risk it? A misfire event can be very dangerous.

 

I did re-read the code today and it read “ catalyst system efficiency below threshold bank 2”

 

It could also possibly be a bad connection causing the problem sins it is intermittant and clearing itself. I would roll underneath and check wiring and connections for bad sposts and or corrosion.


Oh an yes Ignore the troll, don't start drilling holes in your in your intercooler. I had a 2012 3.5 Eco and now have a 2015 Eco. I drilled no holes and had 0 problems with either. I also have a 2016 Escape with the 2.0 Eco, no holes drilled there either.