I stopped and washed my car yesterday and I got through I got in and cranked it up. as I went to pull out I noticed my check engine light was blinking! I don't think I've ever seen that one. It was already on due to the PO not putting the O2 sensors back in the exhaust pipe when installing the duals, but I've never seen it blink. It quit blinking just a short time later.

 

stop by the local parts store and have it scanned for trouble codes. let us know what they are

 

Blinking is a warning that you could damage your car if you keep driving it.

Just a guess
Since you just finished washing your car my guess would water/moisture is causing a missfire (bad plug wires, cracked plug or a coil issue) The computer will blink for a missfire because a missfire allows raw fuel into your Cat. That will damage the Cat.

As craby said check for codes and let the car sit in the sun with the hood open (assuming is not rainning) After a few hours see if it is still blinking. It will store the code no matter what but it should only blink while the miss is happening.

 

A check engine light being on is one thing, but flashing means you have a more serious problem and should not be driving the car for fear of doing more damage. I'm curious though how a simple car wash would cause engine problems? Heck, I've been to literally jillions of car washes and they went without a hitch. You didn't say, but did you happen to wash the engine as well? That would certainly do it.

 

water in the ecm will do it. be there

 

For sale: nice Camaro, never seen rain, but has had tons of car washes!
Sponge baths are a lot better on the car all around btw, but sometimes less convenient.

 

It really wasn't even a wash, more like a rinse off and I've done it before AND driven it in the rain MANY times. The night I got it I drove it in a pour down RAIN. It only blinked less than a 1/4 mile if that much. It wasn't missing or anything noticeabkle. I'll stop by and get it scanned and see what shows up. Oh and no the engine wasn't washed.

 

Ok I finally got the codes scanned and here's what the printout said:

PO140
HO2S12 circuit condition (heated oxygen sensor bank sensor2)
Explaination
The power train control module uses the oxygen sensor to calculate the air/fuel ratio in the exhaust
Probable cause
1. oxygen sensor defective
2. Fuel system running very rich or lean - check other codes first
3. engine misfire condition - repair
4. fuel pressure very high or low - fuel pump or pressure regulator

PO146
HO2S13 circuit condition (heated oxygen sensor bank sensor3)
Explaination
The power train control module uses the oxygen sensor to calculate the air/fuel ratio in the exhaust
Probable cause
1. oxygen sensor defective
2. Fuel system running very rich or lean - check other codes first
3. engine misfire condition - repair
4. fuel pressure very high or low - fuel pump or pressure regulator

Being that my O2 sensors are still hooked up BUT are not in the exhaust and just tied up by the transmission could it have been water got on the exhaust and the steam made it think the O2 sensors were hotter?
First priority is to get those things put back in where they belong! Dingaling that put the exhaust on should have known better. ESPECIALLY if it was at a professional muffler shop!

 

Your O2 sensors not being installed into the exhaust has everything to do with why the codes were tripped. I'm surprised the light wasn't on before. Your engine is also most likely running too rich. Get those installed, clear the codes, and you should be good to go.

 

rain was shorting the 02s somehow. lol, dont think 02s are to good for external applications. maybe in la. i would at the least notify the shop owner of the shoddy work. that is if the owner was not doin the work.