Hi this is my first time using a forum. When I turn my key to the on position without cranking the engine my engine light flashes and i dont know why, I used a code reader but there was no new codes there. the code that i normally get is the P0442 of which i fixed after two new gas caps and on the the gas cap that I have now i put a coat of pertolium jelly around the seal, seams to have done the trick.

 

What year?
What engine?
Did you recently disconnect the battery?

Is there a pattern to the flashes, such as, it stops after a certain number of times, or are there any longer or shorter pauses between any of the flashes?

 

I have a 2002, 3.9L Dodge RAM Van 1500 and it flashes 10 times and constant. Unfortunatly there is nothing in the dodge repair book about this kind of problem. I have not disconnected the battery in months but I was thinking to do so just to see if it would go away unless someone knows a reason for why it would flash.

 

I suspect you have a PCM problem.

If it were a critical emission related problem the PCM would keep flashing the check light and run the engine in "limp mode" which keeps the RPM's low (below 3k I believe) and the engine would have a constant misfire. It seems that you have neither problem.

BTW for those reading this, in limp mode you are supposed to take it to be repaired or home but not keep driving it.

Try disconnecting the battery overnight and see how it behaves and let us know.

 

I could be wrong because this is such a rare problem and I've never been able to confirm it. But I believe the 10 flashes indicates some kind of issue with the Intake Air Temperature (IAT) Sensor. It could be the sensor is giving a false reading and PCM thinks the outside air temperature is outside the operating range of the engine or the electronics. Disconnect it and see if the 10 flashes stop and a trouble code sets. If this happens, replace the sensor.

 

Well, my engine light would flash several times when I hit the gas hard to pass or while going up hills. That lasted until the exhaust pipe separated from the maifold. The engine light quit flashing.

Next, I ended up finding a place to install a complete exhaust system from the manifolds back. It seems that the clogged CAT may have been the issue to the check engine light flashing. My Ran Van B2500 started doing this at 105,000 and then replace the entire exhaust with CAT around 107,000.

The van runs better than new now, no flashing check engine light and no other codes.

All of this was just recent too.