Got a beater es300 with 140k miles a few weeks ago. Was going to refill today when I noticed the VSC/TRAC OFF lights were on. I had previously fixed it using a paperclip in the OBD, and running the electric. They were set off by a cheap OBD scanner detecting an evap leak 0441/442, (which has since been fixed, cracked hoses) and I figured it could be fixed in the same way when I got home. As I was driving, I hit 40 MPH when suddenly my gas stopped working and I came to a slow stop. I lightly tapped the gas to pull over to the side of the road, and the engine was revving accordingly, but the car was barely moving. I kept tapping the gas to creep to the side, when suddenly it jolted back to life and drove regularly (albeit with VSC/TRAC OFF factored in). I filled up, started the car, and drove home again with no issues. But every time I start now the VSC/TRAC OFF lights stay on, even when I'm in park. The paperclip trick wont remove the lights anymore, and I'm worried about this happening at higher speeds/populated areas, but its my only car. Any idea as to what could be causing it? Thanks!
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Well 100 advice driving cars is using the paper clips. Now. There are so many things that can go wrong with an old car but I would start by pressure testing the fuel pump after changing the fuel filter because it could be a clogged filter. A pump starting to go up. But if it ever does die and doesn't start, then do my video fixing the card that cranks but doesn't start up and then you'd be able to figure out what went wrong
So I ran a proper OBD again and it was showing codes P0351-356. I ordered 6 new coils OEM and 6 new spark plugs (NGK 2756 V-Power), and got them all in and wired correctly. I even ran the engine with just the front 3 coils & plugs changed, and my VSC/TRAC OFF lights went away. But after changing the same on the rear 3 under the plenum it wont run. The car starts OK but then roughly idles and slowly dies within seconds, unless I feed it gas over 2000 rpm. Any idea as to what could be causing this? Everything is wired correctly, and all the hoses are in place. I did remove the air intake unit from the throttle body, and some of the throttle body hoses/cables, in order to get to cylinder 5 under the plenum but they were all reattached. Maybe its something with the computer?