Heres the story.

Took the car to work today and then to a store afterwards. Everything was running fine. Get out of the store and the car wont start. It would crank for a second, act like it caught and then just kept on cranking. I can smell fuel when its cranking so I assume that its getting gas. The SES also came on so I pulled the code and it came up 12. It did the normal flashing 12 3 times, then it flashed 12 3 more times, and then 12 again 3 times. I checked it twice and all it throws is 12. So any ideas??? I know the wires need replaced, but the distributor is less then a year old so I dont think its that but I may change the cap and rotor anyway. Thanks for the help.

 

12 is the 'code' that means it is in diagnostic mode. When no codes are currently stored, then it will repeat the 3 flashes of 'code' 12.

in short, code 12 is not a code. It signifies the car being in code retrieval mode. Since nothing else was displayed, no codes are in the system.


When you mean the SES came on, do you mean: The car cranked, wouldnt start, you let off the key, and then the SES light came on?


If so, that is normal if the car is in the on position, but not running. It did not "throw a code", it merely didn't start, and went back to the regular on, but not running position.

 

nope. when you just turn the key on the SES light comes up. Referencing my diagnostic book I found out that code 12 really means "no distributor pulse reference". It flashes it at the beginning of every code pull to signify that the process is starting but it also means no distributor pulse reference. Im thinking my ICM may be bad.....

 

Are you positive about that? Why would it use the same code to signify diagnostic mode, and then for a REAL trouble code. That doesn't make any sense.

Unless, by no dist pulse reference, they mean "key in on, car off"...