So I haven't drove my car for 2 days and just now I start it up to go to the store and its not running right. I got around the corner and the engine light is on so went back home. Its running rough like low idle but idle is at 800 I think and the car shakes, the exhaust makes fast puff..puff..puff sound (not smooth sound), and the exhaust smell a little like rotten egg, I think. Do you guys know what this could be? Dammit now I gotta call the dealer.

 

Dead animal in your exhaust piping?

 

check your fluids.... see if theres anything in the oil

 

I checked all the basic stuff and everything seems to be in order. Good thing my car still under warranty so I will make an appt 2morrow. I just hope that i can drive 20 miles to the dealer.

 

Is the acceleration normal? I just had this exact same problem and it turned out to be an ignition coilpack. It was covered under my warranty. I was running off of 3 cylinders for awhile, and I got it to the dealership fine, but it's only about a mile away.

 

Exhaust usually smells like rotten eggs when you've pushed your engine hard..... If the exhaust looks normal but just smells funny then it MAY be safe to drive it to the dealership but I'm no mecaninc and if I were you and SINCE it IS covered under warranty, bite the bullet, pay for the tow and don't drive it over.

 

Same thing happened to me. I took it to the dealership and they replaced the coil. Cost me $160 because of the diagnostics they ran.

 

I think it runs ok but i only drove it around the corner. I noticed the car has rough idle at the stop sign. Well let me explain rough idle. The needle on the dash is idle not jumpy but the sound from the exhaust is like when you have low idle and the car is gonna die. I left a message with the mechanic so hopefully he'll call back tomorrow.

 

Sounds like a dead cylinder.... a new Coil pack and plug is the best answer.

 

It's a coil. IMHO you're better off paying $30 to put a coil in yourself.... (5 minute job) than driving the car 20 miles on 3 cylinders. It's not super horrible... but it sure is a lot of extra work and extra vibration to put the engine through.