My 2000 Windstar (3.8l, 85000 mi.) gives me a check engine light every once in a while when the car is just warmed up. Usually after driving about 2 miles first time in the morning.

The codes are usually P0171 (and sometimes P0174) and P0181 7E5 0E3 (sometimes 182 7E5 XXX). When I reset the codes they come back on after two or three days.

The engine idles well (doesn't seem to be a vacuum leak) and I have cleaned the MAF sensor. I ran some injector cleaner through two tankfuls.

Does anyone have any ideas out there? Please help.

Flew

I don't know much about the 181 codes but the 171/174 codes are very common for 99-2002 3.8L Windstars. There is a TSB that covers it and you will find enough information to fill a small library in this forum on the TSB and the codes.

Fortunately it is not a difficult repair if you are handy enough to do it yourself.

P0181 and P0182 have to do with the "fuel temp sensor" and related circuitry.

When's the last time the fuel filter was changed? It might not solve the problem, but it wouldn't hurt, either.

Dngrsone,

Thanks for the tip. I changed the fuel filter but the codes came back the next morning just after the car warmed up.

Flew

Well, it was a try :)

I don't put much stock in the over-the-shelf injector cleaners and this looks like a somewhat intermittant problem. You aren't getting any misfire codes?

Dngrsone,

The check engine light is now predictable. It comes on about every third day, only on the first trip in the morning, just after the car warms up (after about 2 miles).

I get P0171/174 codes as well as P0182 7E5 nnn (where nnn is some number). The book says 182 is a fuel temperature sensor problem. I can't find a fuel temperature sensor. Anyone know where to look?

Flew