What to do when Your Vehicle Check Engine Light Turns On and the Warranty has Expired
by Steve ----Bookmark on del.icio.us----I wish to share this simple piece of information that has saved me thousands of dollars over the past several years.
Yesterday my vehicle check engine light turned on and I knew what to do.
I have never owned a new car; I always buy used. I usually buy an American model lease back or rental return with around 25,000 miles on it which saves me $10,000 - $20,000 on each vehicle purchase, and that allows me to stay out of debt (which my wife and I abhor). The risk is that the factory warranty expires 5,000 – 10,000 miles after purchase, so I could end up with a useless car less than a year after purchase, but that hasn’t happened.
What has happened is the check engine light frequently lights after the vehicle exceeds 50,000 miles. In the past when this happened, I always took the vehicle to a dealership to have them diagnose and fix the problem. I’d have to make inconvenient commuting arrangements since I’d loose the car for 1-2 days, and a repair was required that cost between $500-$2000 dollars. Since I am a mechanical know-nothing, I accepted the dealer’s word, made the repair, and paid the bill. I don’t recall how many times I’ve been through this repetitive cycle, but it’s been often enough to cause me a lot of frustration.
I don’t remember where I learned this, but several years ago, I learned that I didn’t need to go to a dealership or another garage to find out why the check engine light was lit. I didn’t even need to buy any special equipment to find out why it was lit.
Today I take the car to an auto parts store like Auto Zone or Advance Auto Parts and tell the guy at the counter that my check engine light is on. He plugs a handheld electronic device into my car, and tells me why it is lit. Several times, it said “emissions problem” – translated - A LOOSE GAS CAP! We tightened the gas cap, reset the light, and it didn’t light again for months. Other times it was a plug misfire, which can be a complete aberration. Again, we reset the light and it didn’t light again for months. A couple times, repairs were required, but at least I walked into the dealership with knowledge, which helped me keep the cost down. With knowledge of the problem, they couldn’t B.S. me.
The best part – it’s something you can do in five minutes that may save you thousands of dollars.
To some readers this may be common knowledge, but for those of us that are mechanically challenged, it will save you cash. I hope you find it useful
October 12th, 2006 at 10:42 am
You can save yourself the trip and geek out over all kinds of interesting real-time stats and graphs by hooking up a DIY kit like this:
http://www.obddiagnostics.com/
… to your laptop and OBDII port. I’ve used this for years to diagnose check engine lights and sensor problems for everyone I know (great way to get free beer).
October 12th, 2006 at 12:12 pm
How do you reset the light?
October 12th, 2006 at 12:23 pm
The guy with the handheld device can reset it. I think you can also reset it with a combination of pedal pushes and key turns. The exact combination may be in your owners manual or online.
October 12th, 2006 at 1:20 pm
Make sure you ask the auto parts store BEFORE you get them to hook up the machine how much they will charge (if anything.)
The local store by me, Strauss Discount Auto, charges $78 just to hook up the device and give you the diagnostics readout. If you choose to repair the car there, they put the $78 towards your repair bill. Otherwise, you just pay $78 to have them hook it up and give you that information.
Long story short, be sure to ask IN ADVANCE if the diagnostics machine hook up is free or if they charge!
October 12th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
you can also reset it by unplugging your battery and letting the car sit for awhile (some cars this doesn’t work)
October 12th, 2006 at 1:48 pm
I haven’t had a check engine light since I bought this, but for the price, it claims to do most of what the auto parts store computer does, plus it’s a cool set of guages:
http://scanguage.com
I love mine. Can’t wait to clear my next “Check Engine” light myself!
October 12th, 2006 at 2:07 pm
So when your check engine light comes on and you are out of warranty, is to check the gas cap to make sure that it is on straight, it is clean and you have not filled up your tank with the key on (usually key is left on to listen to the radio). Once that is ruled out, if the light is on solid, it does mean that there is a problem. It COULD be a misfire such as a spark plug or it could be something else. The old stereotype that a dealer is going to feed you b.s. is long since over. From experience I have noticed that people that the idea put into their head that just by hooking up a computer to get the codes out will diagnose the problem for you. These people are wrong to assume this, because the codes tell you what system that the fault is in. From there, to correctly diagnose a vehicle, a manual should be referenced to pinpoint exactly where the problem is coming from. The reason alot of people feel that they are being bs’d by dealers is that a dealer charges a flat fee (same as a plummer or electrician). After seeing appr 15-20+ check engine lights in a week, a technician will start to see common problems that cause this light to come on. Does this mean that he should charge you less because he has a pretty good idea of what is causing the problem and it saves you time by skipping most pinpoint tests and testing this component first? What if you decide that you are going to avoid the dealer b.s. and have Autozone or some other place pull your codes and tell you that a code means you need this without testing and you end up having some other problem with your car that, if not taken care of right away, can cost over a thousand dollars to fix? I guess what I am getting at is that if you want to cut corners and you are successful at it then good for you, but just remember this one thing “You get what you pay for”. My recommendation for you all out there is to get your vehicle diagnosed by the professionals and when they tell you what is wrong, ask for them to explain what is needed and why it is needed and learn a little bit about what you are having repaired on your vehicle.
October 12th, 2006 at 2:12 pm
This is good advice. I just took my car in for a check engine light. I paid $88 for the diagnosis and told the dealer not to do the repair (an additional $200) . The car drives fine and the engine light is off. I wish I had known that places like autozone have the same tool.
October 12th, 2006 at 2:14 pm
An easy way to reset the Check Engine light is to look in your owner’s manual to determine which fuse(s) control the Engine Control Unit (ECU), then pull them for a few minutes.
October 12th, 2006 at 3:03 pm
freediag.sourceforge.net is an Open Source/Free Software project that provides diagnostic tools for both Linux and Windows.
October 12th, 2006 at 3:16 pm
“lose” not “loose,” first instance only.
I’m trying to convince my gf to get a used car, and sell her current vehicle which she still owes money on. This is a great bit of information.
October 12th, 2006 at 3:19 pm
“I usually buy an American model. . .”
There’s your problem right there.
October 12th, 2006 at 3:36 pm
Today’s vehicles are not repaired simply with “checking the gas cap” or replacing a spark plug. I work in a shop and these are a few of the codes I ran across just this afternoon.
P1870-Transmission Component Slipping
P0756-Shift Solenoid B Stuck Off
P1138-Heated A/F Sensor 1, Bank 2, Rich
P1780-Traction Control System Out of Range
P0325-Knock Sensor Bank 1 Circuit Fault
P1627-PCM A/D Conversion Malfuction
And guess what, none of these can be fixed with tightening the fuel cap or a spark plug.
This is just a sample of what a Tech runs across on any given day. The senario above is about as true as “Ctrl-Alt-Delete” will take care of all your computer problems. The main difference is you can replace a computer for $500-$1000, all the cars I like start north of $20K and go up from there. If you take care of your car….it will take care of you..most of the time.
October 12th, 2006 at 4:15 pm
I own a 2006 Yukon and 2001 Conv. Corvette. I maintain them and have a great mechanic for the Vette which is out of warranty. The Yukon has not needed service and is covered for 5yrs/50K. I also have “whoopie car”; a 1991 Lincoln Towncar I picked up for $900. It has a 403 engine and runs great. The check engine light was on for who knows how long and was on when I bought it. I took it to my vette mechanic and he said the ‘EGR valve, other emissions crap like O2 sensors were neededing replacing as well as the intake manifold needed flushing. Well, it was not going to pass inspection (TX-Check Engine light on -No Pass) and the repairs were going to be about $650. So, I gave him $50 cash to cut the wire to the CE light and got the Lincoln inspected. It runs fine, and I my all is well.
October 12th, 2006 at 4:19 pm
Last time I looked Wal-Mart had a Computer to plug into any 1996 and older car for $68. gave you a readout and a book to look it up. Not sure about the reset but I would think so.
October 12th, 2006 at 4:26 pm
All the controversy aside, I think having it checked for free (which I think was your point) is a good idea. Then you have information and options. I’m sure many dealers and shops are honest and skilled, but knowing the which codes you’ve got can’t hurt.
October 12th, 2006 at 4:34 pm
Thinkgeek sells the ScanGauge II Automotive Computer for $170, which will read engine trouble codes and can reset the “check engine” light.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/8426/
October 12th, 2006 at 5:44 pm
The Honda manuals say how to reset the check engine light: hold the trip reset button in while turning the ignition on till the dash indicators come on (not all the way to start). Keep holding it in until the CE light goes off. Funny thing: some cars (like Hondas) turn the light on for “regular maint.” at 20K, 60K and 100K miles. If there is a real problem, the light will come back on after you reset it.
None of this is rocket science, all you need to do is RTFM. I guarantee you, reading the car manual will be a couple hours well invested.
PS: I seem to remember this working on another car I had as well (which must have been a Saab or VW). It is currently not working on my Toyota though.
PPS: Most of the time on a Saab or VW, it means: “Somethine else expensive and a PITA to fix is broken. Wait till a few more things break, and then go in for your semi-annual trip to the auto repair and bend over.”
October 12th, 2006 at 6:08 pm
you can actually pick up a relatively cheap obd II reader that displays the problem @ http://www.canobd2.com/tool/3100c.asp thats the one i have its an awesome tool and any time a friend has a light come on you can check it
October 12th, 2006 at 7:38 pm
I own a Volvo V70. I’ve got a check engine light on. I ran it by a local muffler shop which, for $40, hooked me up to the diagnostic system and told me that I had an oxygen sensor that had tripped the engine light. Now, Volvo decided at some point that it needed to veritably stew the engine with Oxygen sensors and from time to time, especially in cold weather, they get all twitchy and start reporting bad data to the system.
So I had them turn it off. Next winter, like clockwork, the light came on again. Now I’m not going to throw down $40 to get the light turned off. I know what the problem is and it’s not going to go away short of a major engine repair to replace a sensor that serves no puropse save to turn that light on.
So now I have a bit of black electrical tape over the light. Problem solved.
October 12th, 2006 at 8:12 pm
I am 64 years old and have been driving since I was 16. I have never had a “check engine light” come on. Am I missing something?
October 12th, 2006 at 8:13 pm
Another way to fix this is to stick a piece of electrical tape over your engine light.
Problem solved!
October 12th, 2006 at 10:12 pm
Another Trick is to disconnect the battery to reset the computer. I’ve done this to reset my auto 4wd on a chevy vehicle when it got messed up in the cold. I also had my gas lines freeze up one time and it stopped reading a sensor because it gave an error (it was froze) when I got it thawed out, the car barely would pull itself. I reset it and it ran perfect and never had the problem again. So if you get stuck you can always try the disconnecting the battery.
October 12th, 2006 at 11:06 pm
For the other Mike Patterson (small world!): The tech performing the inspection is -supposed- to cycle the ignition key and watch the lights to make sure the CE light is functional before doing the OBD or sensor tests. I know they do it around here.
Mike
October 13th, 2006 at 4:20 am
Wal Mart sells the hand held tester thingie for about $100 get the read out and reset it you can also USB it to your computer to get more info
but Heath has the best answer
October 13th, 2006 at 4:30 am
And the next time you have a cancerous legion growing on your skin you can skip the costly doctor bills and slap a band-aid over it. Now that you don’t see the problem it is therefore fixed and life is dandy once more.
October 13th, 2006 at 10:39 am
Actually, the best place to start is to get a Haynes or Chilton manual for your car. Any used car owner should get one of these first thing after buying the car. Read the sections about maintenance and be sure to do everything they list. Many of these manuals will tell you how to read the ECU trouble codes without any special equipment. Subarus can be made to “blink” the codes on the dashboard. It takes a few minutes to read the codes if you have multiple errors, but it requires no special equipment. Other cars have similar procedures, and all cars have a method of resetting the check light without hooking up any extra equipment. However, you need the Haynes manual to figure it out… it’s like trying to guess the cheat codes on a game… it’s not gonna happen by accident. In the Subaru, it was something like ‘turn the key on, push the gas to the floor for 5 seconds, then start the car and drive for 30 seconds… something like that.
The important thing to realise from the article is that having the check engine light come on doesn’t ALWAYS mean you should check the engine. Sometimes the problem is somewhere else. Computers monitor all kinds of signals from various sensors all over the car. Some of the sensor readings are used to adjust other activities in the car, like the throttle-position sensor, which tells the computer whether you want to accelerate or not, and adjusts the fuel flow accordingly. Some sensors seem to be monitoring completely worthless things.
However, most computer-indicated problems are basically the computer complaining about something that happened once and never happened again, like the spark plug misfiring. A lot of things can cause that and the computer stores that error and warns you about it even though it’s not happening repeatedly. In addition to that, sensors go bad all the time, making the computer think there is an error in the system, when in reality the system is functioning fine, the computer just can’t see it. I currently have a bad power-steering fluid pressure sensor on my RX-7, and it causes the computer to beep at me, but otherwise the car functions fine.
Moral of the story… check engine light doesn’t mean much. You need to diagnose the problem, and don’t just assume that the light means a trip to the dealer. Knowing a little about your car can save you a ton of money.
October 13th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
If you google your car and “check engine light” often times you’ll find ways to check the trouble codes without the expensive diagnostic equipment. I found a forum for my (long since gone) Nissan Altima that told me exactly where the computer was (behind the radio on the driver’s side), how to check the code (there’s a plastic adjustment screw that you turn to one side or the other) and then how to reset the light. I found that I had a bad Idle Air Controller without spending several hundred dollars in diagnostic services.
Oh, and JimC, that’s not the check engine light that gets reset by holding the trip button on the ODO. That’s the Maintenance Required light. There’s a seperate Check Engine light, that you have to take to the mechanic to get reset.
October 13th, 2006 at 2:34 pm
Don’t know about other cars, but on my Sprinter disconnecting the battery means re-entering the activation code on the stereo. Much easier the RTFM and do the switch fiddle.
October 15th, 2006 at 10:14 am
Every soccer mom in the entire world who uses a mini van to ferry her kids around should read this post.
If you think mechanics were BS’ing you, imagine being a WOMAN and taking your car in. Thanks Steve, I think you just saved the entire driving public thousands.
October 16th, 2006 at 10:00 pm
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October 17th, 2006 at 6:11 am
Actron OBD II Autoscanner sells at AutoZone for about $50.
October 17th, 2006 at 9:09 am
Older Jeep Cherokee’s (I have a 1996) will allow you to determine the engine fault code without a reader, it will flash the fault codes to you from the check engine light itself. Without starting the engine, turn the ignition key ON, OFF, ON, OFF and ON within 5 seconds. The CHECK ENGINE light on the dash will begin to flash. If any trouble codes are stored in the PCM memory, the CHECK ENGINE light will flash the number of the first digit, pause and flash the number of the second digit. For example, Code 23, air temperature sensor circuit would be indicated by two flashes, pause three flashes. A long pause will appear between individual codes if more than one code is present. Carefully observe the flashes and record the exact code number(s) onto paper.After the stored codes have been indicated (or if everything in the self diagnosis system is functioning properly), the CHECK ENGINE light will flash a Code 55. If the ignition key is turned OFF during the code extraction process and possibly turned back ON, the self diagnostic system will automatically invalidate the procedure and must be restarted. The codes are:
11 Ignition
13 Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) Sensor Vacuum
14 Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) Sensor Electrical
15 Distance sensor or circuit
17 Engine running too cool
21 Oxygen sensor or circuit
22 Coolant temperature sensor or circuit
23 MAT sensor or circuit
24 Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) sensor or circuit
25 Automatic Idle Speed (AIS) circuit
27 Fuel injector control
31 EVAP solenoid or circuit
33 Air conditioning clutch relay
41 Alternator field
42 Automatic shutdown relay
44 Battery temperature sensor
46 Battery over voltage
47 Battery under voltage
51 Oxygen sensor - lean condition
52 Oxygen sensor - rich condition
53 Internal engine controller fault
54 Distributor sync pickup
55 End of Code output
62 Emissions Maintenance Reminder (EMR) mileage accumulator
63 Controller failure EEPROM write denied
October 17th, 2006 at 3:26 pm
Why can not manufactures replace the check engine light with a screen that displays a number? Then the owner could look up that number on the internet to see what is causing the problem.
October 18th, 2006 at 1:29 am
I own a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer with 47k miles. About 3k miles ago the engine suddenly started shaking (normally it’s a very smooth engine) and the check engine light came on. I took it to the dealer and it was a busted coil on one of the cylinders. Ok, I couldn’t fix that one.
About a month later the check engine light came on again. There was not obviously anything wrong with the engine. I thought “Oh crap, not again.” I dropped by the dealer and they couldn’t fit me in that day, so I drove on my way to some errands. Along the way I stopped for gas and noticed that the gas cap was hanging loose (no idea how that happened, as I’m always good about putting it back on). I remembered that the check engine light could turn on due to a loose gas cap, so I breathed a sigh of relief, tightened the gas cap, turned on my car, and…. the light stayed on. Oh crap.
But I read through the manual and it says that it can take a while for the light to turn off after you correct the problem. About half a tank later, it went off and I breathed a second sigh of relief.
Another interesting tip from the manual was that if the light is solid (as it was with the gas cap problem), it’s an emissions control problem and no immediate service is necessary, but if it lasts for more than a couple of tanks of gas, it should be serviced. If the light is flashing (as it was for the coil problem) then there’s a bigger problem and it should be serviced right away. I’m not sure if this rule applies to all GM vehicles, but if your check engine light comes on, your first step should ALWAYS be to read the manual. It could save you some time and worry.
October 21st, 2006 at 9:16 pm
Hi Everybody,
I am an ASE certified Technician. I have been an auto mechanic since 1978. I received an honorable mention award for my test scores during re-certification and i attend every seminar available in my area. That said I have some remarks and advice for you. Motor vehicles before 1996 and after 1990 used what is called OBDI. What OBDI does is monitor basic emission sensors,ie:O2, EGR valve, etc. After 1996 ALL manufacturers were required to use OBDII. OBDII monitors almost every system on your vehicle.From the air tempurature entering your engine, to whether your ECM is receiving a signal to turn your A/C on. All of these systems fall into the category of “ENGINE PERFORMANCE”
Now let me address some of your comments.Jim C, what you are resetting is the “Maintenance Required” light, very big difference, check your owners manual. Mike Patterson, 91 Lincoln Town Car, it was possible to disconnect the battery for 1 minute and reset the CE light, not anymore. Killfile, your V70 has 4 O2 sensors just like every other OBDII vehicle, they monitor exhaust emissions and adjust engine parameters through the ECM. There are 2 in front of the catalytic converters and 2 behind them to give the ECM comparison data. Brock, Yes, the light will go off if your gas cap is loose , but it had nothing to do with how much fuel you used, your vehicle went through a required number of drive cycles. Turning on the truck, driving and shutting it down is 1 drive cycle. Jerry Kindall and everyone else that wants to disconnect the battery or pull a fuse, if you cut power to the ECM it has to go through a re-learn procedure. This is not your home PC. It monitors a moving object in a hostile environment, it needs constant data for good performance. The re-learn procedure can take up to 40 drive cylces, during that period you will lose gas mileage and performance. It will be like your home PC has 30 different spyware infections. Know what I mean?Jasmine, you are the kind of person, judging from your comment, that if you went a little bit further in your research would have nailed it. be positive that you are using the correct light reset procedure,it sounds like the GM oil light reset one. Like I said all of these sensors fall into the ENGINE PERFORMANCE category. Jas, what is a worthless sensor? James….thank you for a little piece of mind. You made the most sense of this. You can go to Auto Zone and have them check the code and if it is an EVAP leak,try and put the gas cap on tighter,but what if it comes back on? Now what? DTC P0440 EVAP LEAK. posible causes gas cap, damages vacuum hose,EGR valve,EGR VSV valve,broken wire in circuit. All possible causes,and the car ran….badly. OBDII cars use what is called LIMP MODE, if there is a serious problem the vehicle will go into limp mode so it can be driven till repaired. THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO ALL PROBLEMS. I hope I’ve helped a bit,goood luck to all of you and hopefully you won’t have to see any of my colleagues for anything serious.
November 2nd, 2006 at 5:22 pm
Codes will only “point” you in the direction of a root cause. Everyone is always looking for a 10 minute solution. Often, there is a related and possibly serious/dangerous issue that needs to be taken care of when the CE light comes on. Sometimes not correcting the cheap problem up front will cost you a lot more in the long run.
No offense to people in the retail business, but automobiles are generally not their area of expertise. The impatient customers that expect years of automobile knowledge (for $7/hr salary) out of them are the ones that make their job very challenging. They (like most of us) are in no position to safely diagnose a CE light. It would be insane to be confident your vehicle is ok because the light no longer comes on thanks to a quick-fix that the scanner said needed to be done.
If you want to do some “home-work” before talking to a technician, it’s not a bad idea. Just do not be satisfied with a quick-fix. That may be all that is needed, but you won’t find that out at Auto Zone. While there are plenty of crooked people out there, do not assume some one is ripping you off just because they work for a dealer or a large shop.
And to Kate (the self-proclaimed soccer mom): Would you like school bus drivers to talk to the people at Auto Zone to see if the bus is safe enough to haul 72 children? I’m glad you are not responsible for my life. I just hope I’m not driving anywhere near you and your mini-van.
November 7th, 2006 at 2:30 am
Steve said: “I usually buy an American model lease back or rental return with around 25,000 miles on it which saves me $10,000 - $20,000 on each vehicle purchase”
What’s the original price? Or how much do you save in percent?
November 8th, 2006 at 2:58 am
Toy Yoda said:
““I usually buy an American model. . .”
There’s your problem right there.”
I have a Honda Accord ‘98 with slightly more than 50K miles on it, and the check engine light is on too. Changing the gas tank cap didn’t help.
November 30th, 2006 at 8:12 am
Dude, wtf…80 bucks..
in your area if there is a AutoZone or AdvanceAuto Parts..take it there and they will check it for free. Im 17 years old, and i have the same car and i have had it come on before and all you have to do is take it there and they check it and they tell you some codes..then what you can do if you wish is take it home and look up on the internet the codes and it will tell you if a sensor is bad or if something is leaking or what…but do not pay any one any thing until your actually getting the problem fixed.
November 30th, 2006 at 7:18 pm
If you disconnect the battery will you lose the trouble codes, and if so is there any way to get them back?
December 12th, 2006 at 4:10 pm
I have a 1999 Toyota Camry(4 Cyl.) with 102K miles. My check engine light came on about 3 months ago, and finally I took it to a Toyota dealer yesterday. I was charged $91`for diagnosis and it came back with a code of P0401– insufficient EGR flow was the readout. Dealer wanted $460 plus dollars for fixing the problem which I thought was very high. I declined to carry out the repairs and googled the code and found many sites, including this one, with helpful hints.
I took it to AutoZone and asked to borrow their scanner to erase the code. They require a $170 dollar deposit to loan one. Anyways, I read the code again and it matched what the dealer had indicated. I erased the code and have done a few trips since then and so far the check engine light has not come back on. Keeping my fingers crossed as I need to do smog check in feb. 2008. I wish I had come across this site before going to the dealer.
January 1st, 2007 at 10:55 pm
I had my mechanic do the CE diagnostic on my 98 accord v6, 93k mi. just had 90k tune up at dealer.
i have had the light on for about 3 weeks. i was told that the problem was catalyst efficient low bank 1, that my cataylyst converter needed to be replaced. my mechanic wanted to charge me 500+ for the part, honda’s cost 800.
I felt 500+ was too much, so i called around i got midas to replace the cc, they charged me 350 installed. (installed 12/31/06)
So i went back to my mechanic to get it reset, he does it. i goes after for about 24 hrs and 30 some mi. then sunday afternoon CE got lit again.
what do i do?
i will be going to Azo to get the codes pulled. maybe the o2 sensor is bad? any advice would be greatly appreciated.
gumball99@gmail.com
January 31st, 2007 at 12:28 pm
Wow, this is great news. My check engine light came on, and there’s nothing wrong with the car from what I can tell in terms of performance, speed, etc. I know where I’m going after work!
February 14th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
my engine light turned 0n t0day a few min after i put gas. it was als0 sn0wing here and the r0ad was a mess. im sure the car is in g00d c0nditi0n! its a h0nda accord 2003 with 35000 miles. any sugestion
March 5th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Thanks guys for being here.
I have a 1994 Toyota Camry LE . The wiring harness was replaced as a result of a small fire. Now there is no fire going to the starter, and when depressing the gas petal nothing happens. I have to start the vehicle by using a wire from the starter to the positive post on the battery. I was told that resetting the computer would solve this issue. is this correct? How does one reset the computer? I have already removed the battery terminals, still to no avail.
Thanks guys.
March 18th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
I HAVE A 2006 JEEP G CHEROKEE. THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS THE CAR DOESNT LIKE WINTER GAS. AND LIGHT SHOULD SHUT OFF AFTER 6 DRIVING CYCLES AFTER THE WINTER GAS IS REPLACED BY SUMMER GAS. I EXPERIMENTED BY UPGRADING THE FUEL TO MIDGRADE AND IT SEEMED TO HELP. I THEN WENT BACK TO LOW GRADE GAS. I STARTED LOOKING FOR A PATTERN. ONCE I REALIZED IT CAME ON WHEN I USED MOBIL GAS. I HAD DISCOVERED THIS WHEN I USED CHEVRON HABITUALLY THEN WAS FORCED TO USE MOBIL ONE DAY. OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS I TEST THIS AND FIND THAT THE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN I USE MOBIL. IT ALSO COMES ON IN COLD WEATHER. BUT IT ALWAYS EVENTUALLY SHUTS OFF.
March 31st, 2007 at 10:21 am
[…] March 31st, 2007 I just paid off my 97 Toyota Camry, that I bought used and recently had a few thousand dollars worth of work put into it to ensure me that it would last beyond my goal of 300,000 miles. So yesterday when my Check Engine light came on I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I got it fixed. The car was still running the same, and previously I had paid my mechanic to fix the problem which usually resulted in a faulty O2 sensor. Luckily my mechanic was booked this weekend. When I came home a google search for “My check engine light came on, Toyota Camry” brought me across Seve Olson’s blog. Following his advice and finding it to be most relevant to my situation, my problem was diagnosed and fixed within thirty minutes at the low cost of zero dollars. […]
April 2nd, 2007 at 6:56 am
My 2002 Camry V4 with 100K mile on had a CE light on once, I checked gas cap as many suggested to no result. I went to AutoZone and got a FREE read. The code said ‘Emmision Control’. After checking the filters, I replaced the dirty filter ($25) inside the glove compartment. This filter I believe has nothing to do with engine, just filter the air passenger breathe inside the car. The CE light went off and stayed off after that. Hope this might help somebody.
April 6th, 2007 at 10:49 am
Hey, i have a 2001 neon with 64,000 miles and my check engine light came on 5 days ago. So far am not plannin on doing anything, because the light is not blinkin, so its not a real problem. My dad has a 2003 pathfinder and his light comes on every month and two and its been going on for 2 years now and he just ignores it and so far no problems.
PS. my car has been ruuning better than ever, so until that changes am not blowin money on anything stupid. If your guys check engine light comes DONT run/drive to the repair shop.
April 20th, 2007 at 11:10 am
THANKS GUYS, I JUST BOUHGT A HONDA ACCORD 2000 WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, SO I WOULD GENERALLY TRY EVERYTHING YOU ALL HAVE MENTIONED.
April 23rd, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Today morning, i woke up with the CEL nightmare! (and my first encounter with this irritating ‘What if’)
I read all the comments on this site and quite a few others including inputs from the Haynes Manual for the Corolla 2000.
This is what I did and it worked to get rid of the Check Engine Light(with my peace of mind intact):
a) Got the error code after the free diagnosis at Autozone(friendly guys at rockaway, NJ). Found that it was: P0171 i.e Fuel injection system lean, in layman’s terms or getting it down to absolute dummy terms for folks like me -> Clean the Mass Air Flow Sensor in most cases.(you could google for this sensor to learn abt what power this lil thing wields!)
b) Bought the best recommended sensor cleaner for this class -> CRC Mass Airflow Sensor Cleaner, a product from CRC industries. You can get this for 7 $ from Pepboys
c) Locate the sensor in the car. Disconnect the sensor’s electricals, remove the 2 screws(a normal star crewdriver is good enuf) and release the sensor from the air filter housing
d) Spray the cleaner 10-15 times on all sides, especially on the hot-wire sensing element and the other connectors. Once its cleaned, reinstall the sensor back once its dried(the fluid evaporates pretty fast)
e) Start the engine and drive around for some time. You’ll already find an improved response from the engine.
f) Reset the code information from the computer memory by removing the negative cable of the battery.
In my case, the CEL vanished as i was driving the car after re-installing the filter. My friend who did the same thing for his Jetta got the CEL cleared after removing the negative cable in the battery.
Wear Gloves, Be Safe and best of Luck!
April 24th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
It is never easy to understand what might be causing the check engine light to come on. The only thing that you can say for sure until the vehicle is diagnosed with a scan tool or code reader is that the OBD2 system has detected a fault that may cause the vehicle’s emissions to increase.
For more technical information on this subject, see the following pages:
http://www.aa1car.com/library/mil.htm
http://www.aa1car.com/obd2help/
http://www.aa1car.com/library/2003/cm70336.htm
http://www.aa1car.com/library/warning_lights.htm
April 27th, 2007 at 8:23 am
I own a Toyota Camry 2000. Bought it used in September 2006. No problems so far, except Check Engine Light came on yesterday. Wondering if it could be engine oil or something else. Plan to hit Auto Zone tomorrow as many here have suggested but just wondered if anyone has any input before I do that. Thanks!
April 28th, 2007 at 6:43 am
Considering that I have not received any response in the last 24 hours, it seems nobody really cares about this topic any more, but I will still go ahead and say that after I added two quarts of oil the Check Engine Light went away. It took 24 hours for the light to go off.
Here’s an interesting thing I found out about the engine oil dip-stick. It is a short stick with a yellow handle that is almost hidden below the engine, not the long, unmarked one in front, that looks like it is the engine oil dipstick.
May 8th, 2007 at 6:30 pm
THANKS FOR ALL THE TIPS ON CHECK ENGINE. I WILL BE TRYING THIS ON TOMORROW.ALSO MY CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS SHIFTING GEARS WHEN I AM DRIVING I WENT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG AND IT HAS PLENTY OF FLUID IN IT WHAT IS A GIRL TO DO?
May 9th, 2007 at 4:07 am
Anpadh, Is your camry a six cylinder or four?
May 9th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Patrick,
To be perfectly honest, I am not 100% sure but I believe it my Camry is 4-cylinder. My 2 main reasons for this belief: (1). I get 25 mpg in the city. (2) My car does not accelerate as smoothly or as quckly as 6-cyl. cars usually do.
June 15th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
Briefly, this is my experience with the ‘check engine light’ on my Miata. I had just purchased a ‘94 Miata and added a car bra to cover the blemished fiberglass front end. A short while thereafter the dreaded ‘check engine ‘ indicator came on. I took it to my mechanic and he told me that it was a code 17 = ‘heated oxygen censor’. As soon as I removed the Car Bra the code 17 was removed.
June 16th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
“To be perfectly honest, I am not 100% sure but I believe it my Camry is 4-cylinder.”
You can’t tell whether it’s a four or six cylinder just by looking at the damn thing???
June 18th, 2007 at 5:06 am
I suppose I could tell if I ever bothered to look at the damn thing. However, pretty much anything that is under the hood or between the wheels is something I choose not to mess with at all. I keep my car clean, inside and out and I look at the lights on the dashboard — and that’s it.
July 11th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Dear Anpadh,
All you need to do to find out whether your ride is V4 or V6, pop the hood and count how many wires are on your engine. If you see 4, then is 4 cylinder, if its 6, its 5 cylinder.
July 12th, 2007 at 7:51 am
Jay,
Thanks for the tip. I will try to do that when I pop the hood to re-fill the wiper fluid. One tip I would like to pass on, from a mechanic, is that if the check engine light starts blinking, stop immediatey and take it to a mechanic. But if it is steady, and you know that you have sufficient engine oil and other fluids, all taken care of, you can afford to ignore the light until you are ready to take the car for service, in a month or two. My check engine light has been going on and off the last two months. I’ve taken it to more than one mechanic and they all say to ignore it, as everything seems OK.
July 19th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
2001 SAAb P3 CE lite comes on. Diagnosis reads PO0300. Been to Saav mechanic three times. Twice replaced the ignition coil set $264 + labor(all four in a unit). After 20-30 miles CE light returns. Went back today, mech reset CE. Drove off, stopped for lunch, CE light returns. This is driving me up the wall. If there is a random misfire how can it be located?
July 31st, 2007 at 10:35 am
1992 Nissan Maxim 220180 check engine light comes on and off any ideas?It has been very well maintained.
July 31st, 2007 at 3:45 pm
Brenda,
The same thing used to happen to my car. What happened in my case was that the water pump was broken and the timing belt was frayed. It cost me about $500 to get those problems fixed (parts and labor included). Now, the Check Engine Light does not come and go. Your car may have a different problem. I suggest that you go to some place like Pep Boys and have the car properly analyzed. I believe Pep Boys does the analysis for free.
August 10th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
well, after reading all of these and knowing I have a PO440 code reading on my ses light (yep, free from Autozone) and worrying about how much this will cost me to fix since my warranty is up (2003 TB), I’m going to bite the bullet and take my baby to the doc (but NOT a dealer). I will gladly pay the $80-100 for a full diagnostic and hope for the best. I’ve replaced the gas cap, air filter and fuel filter because they needed it. Now I’m hoping it’s a sensor and not the thingy in the gas tank that causes leaks that maybe a recall but I’m not holding my breath. yep, time to stop being a diehard “buy American” but I sure hate jap cars style. they have slanted tail lights . . .
August 13th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Thanks for sharing this experience. After freaking out a little when the check engine light went on in our barely driven truck, I sent my Hubby to Schucks to get it hooked up to their testing kit. They did it gladly and determined that it was a leaky gas cap. Which gave him the perfect excuse to replace with a locking gas cap, even though their prices have gone up due to high gas prices. But it saved us so much in comparison to taking it to a dealer, time AND money.
August 28th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
My hyundai sonata (64K miles) CEL was on due to Gas cap not being tight enough (TIght upto Three click sound). Surprisingly after filling up for 100 of times, this mistake can happen and CEL can light up. Amazing!
Thanks to AUTOZONE who detected it for FREE.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:17 am
I have a 2001 Nissan XTerra and the check engine light comes on periodically. It has never been anything other than the gas cap being put on too loosely. It had not happened in a while, so today I forgot and took the car to a repair shop. They tried to sell me a “knock sensor”for $700 (parts and labor). That was enough to jog my memory about the whole gas cap thing. So, I told them to give me an oil change and a new gas cap. I will fill it up with gas again and see if the light comes off with the new gas cap screwed on tightly.
Is there any real danger to driving around for a few days with a faulty “knock sensor,” in case this is not a scam??
September 6th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Check engine light 96 Grand Jeep Cherokee and when I did when another person had same car/same problem…the cruise light came on, but NO code numbers.
I don’t use Cruise Control…should I worry?
Marcy
October 21st, 2007 at 1:18 pm
I recently had the check engine light come on in my 2003 Toyota Tundra. After researching online, I went to Autozone. They said California does not allow them to scan for codes, but I could do it myself using their equipment if I put down a fully refundable deposit. I did this, used the scanner myself (which was very easy) and found a code #. The Autozone folks looked up the code and printed out a list of possible causes (leaking gas cap was one). While deciding what to do, I filled the gas tank and lo and behold, the light went out. Apparently, I had previously let the gas tank get too empty which triggered the check engine light. I had read about this happening to others. Cost of solving the problem–one tank of gas. Hope this helps someone else.
November 6th, 2007 at 7:15 am
I have a 96 Nissan Altima that refuses to pass all of the readiness tests. There is no check engine light, it just won’t get ready. The ones that won’t get ready are: 02 sensor, Catalyst, and EGR system. To pass emissions, all of the codes but two must be ready, and since I have three not readies, it won’t pass. We’ve driven it well over 100 miles over several days, and still won’t get ready. On my Saturn I had this same problem and it turned out to be a bad coolant temperature sensor. But I’m at a loss on this Altima. Any suggestions?
November 24th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
I changed the battery in my ‘01 Lexus RX300 this morning and filled up the tank with gas this afternoon. About 4pm, I went out to run an errand and noticed the Check Engine and VSC lights were on. After googling check engine light and reading what all of you have written above, I disconnected the battery and made sure the gas cap was tight. For good measure, I checked to see if any vacuum hoses near the battery had been disconnected in my zeal to get the old battery out and the new one in. When I reconnected the battery, the lights were reset and have not come on again. Pretty sure it’s “fixed”, but I’ll keep my eyes on the idiot lights for the next few days. Thank all of you who have shared your knowledge here.
December 22nd, 2007 at 10:07 am
Hi,
Thank you very much for your suggestion. It really worked for me and saved my money..
Thanks again!!!
December 31st, 2007 at 2:35 pm
Please tell me how to disconnect battery, so that check engine light resets.
thank you so much
January 9th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Ok thatis great information. But part of our problem is how do you resetr the engine loght. I have a 2002 sl1 saturn. And I don’t know where to find it’s reset. If you have any idea I would appreciate it thanks.
January 12th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I kept getting different things fixed on my car and the light kept goign off and then returning a few weeks later. Last month, a mechanic who checked out my car thoroughly told me that the light was over-sensitive. Apparently, one of the reasons it comes on has nothing to do with the engine but with the government’s anti-emission laws. If the EGR valve is even slightly off, the light comes on and stays on forever. Usually, the EGR valve itself is fine but the VSV (Vacuum Seal Valve) needs replacement. For my 2000 Camry, that means about $120 ($75 for the valve itself and the rest for labor, taxes, etc). INterestingly, however, the EGR and VSV do not affect performance in any way. And the EGR tends to last 12 to 15 years. Most mechanics tell you to replace the EGR and then, a couple of months later will tell you to replace the VSV too. Thte total cost comes to (for me) about $500 and all of it is 100% unnecessary.
January 16th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
This is a great site and I have learned some very helpful hints and insights, especially about having the CEL code checked out at the auto parts store and to ask upfront how much it would cost. I too, have a story about CE lights to tell:
I have a 2002 Corolla. In August 2007, the yellow CEL came on the night before I had to drive back to San Diego from Oakland, CA. It was drizzling. I took the car to a mechanic as I did not want to be stranded on the freeway. Mechanic said it was the catalytic converter, but couldn’t get the parts until Monday (two days later). He assured me that it was safe to drive back to SD and cleared the code. I paid him $35. Drove back to SD without incident. In October, I finally took the car to have the catalytic converter replaced.
The mechanic asked me why I thought I needed to have the catalytic converter replaced. I told him what happened. He asked me what the code was which I did not have. After learning the car only had about 90,000 miles, this mechanic said it couldn’t not be the catalytic converter. He hooked the car up to the analyzer but no code came up. He told me to bring the car back if the CEL comes on again. I didn’t have to pay him anything, which was was grateful.
In November, I took the car to the dealer for a 90,000 mile maintenance. The car was fine. Paid $350 for routine maintenance stuff. They hooked the car up to the analyzer too, and again, no code came up. Two weeks ago, the solid yellow CEL came on again, in Oakland. It was also drizzling. I added one quart of motor oil and have been driving the car with the CEL on, but I worry that it may make matters worse by ignoring it.
The dealer charges $90 and 1st mechanic charged me $35 just to check it out. Worse yet, I don’t want to pay hundreds of dollars to have the wrong part replaced. I would have been very upset if I had wrongly replaced the catalytic converter. After this experience, how do I know whatever the next mechanic told me is the right thing to do? After reading all the helpful posting on this site, I cleaned the gas cap, making sure it was straight and tight, filled the gas tank, but solid CEL is still on. I called Kragan, but they only sell the scanners. Here’s my plan:
1. Will call Autozone and see if they can pull the code for me, or
2. Borrow the scanner and do it myself (since I live in CA, they might not pull it), which I really don’t know how, but hopefully Autozone will offer some assistance.
3. Read the owners manuals.
4. Check all fluid levels and do a general inspection under the hood.
Any other suggestions?
Both times, the CEL came on in Oakland when it was cold and drizzling. Could rainy days and high humidity cause the light to come on?
January 17th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
2002 Corolla CE Light update.
As planned, I took checked all the fluid levels, and inspected the hoses under the hood. Took the car to Autozone. Ws told that they are not allowed to retrieve the code in CA any more. But could loan the scanner and instruct me to do it myself. The code was P0420, readout says: Catalytic converter low efficiency thrushold. The car has only 95,000 mile on it and I was told that catalytic converters lasts at least 200,000. Now I just don’t know what to do any more.
There is another related problem with the car. I hear high pitched squeaking sounds when the car starts up in the morning but goes away in 30 seconds or so. It is coming from the front left side of the car, may be the belts. Any other ideas?
January 17th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
You may want to look at the website. Basically, it comes down to checking 5 things: The catalytic converter itself, the VSV (vacuum seal valve), charcoal canister, purge valve, and sensors.
January 18th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Thanks Anpadh.
Autozone cleared the code for me and it did not come back on. So I’ll just wait and see. BTW. The Corolla owner’s manual does absoutely no help. It only says to take the car to the dealer.
January 27th, 2008 at 9:39 am
Well…this morning I have the dreaded CEL “ON” in my 2000 Dodge Durango. this is a car that has roared to life virtually without problem for its entire life. This morning, it wouldn’t start. Took 6 or 7 tries. Then, when it came roaring to life on the 8th try, the little light was on. It is raining like crazy here, and I’m wondering - (being a SoCal gal, where rain is rare and appreciated) - could water be the problem?
This is a “I have no money right now” issue. Honestly, I’d be happy for my local NAPA dealer to check it ($88) if I didn’t have a sneaky suspicion that driving it in the 1″/hr rain home last night was perhaps the cause of my problem….and, of course, if I had the money handy….
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:49 am
my 1996 mercedez SL320 check engine lights came on after I put gas in my tank. it is lit, but not blinking. I haven’t checked re-capping the gas tank. if that should work, i have isolated the problem. if not, then off to quality tune-up i go for code reading. any help is appreciated first before i go to the shop. thanks.
February 24th, 2008 at 11:18 pm
I will answer my own question posted above. I recapped my gas tank- no dice. CEL light still on but not blinking. Took car to my body shop mechanic. Mechanic scanned car..printout is “P4011 Secondary outflow intake” message but car is OK to drive. With my mechanic’s help we were able to isolate air pump and visually checked hoses attached to it. Car is left overnight but hopefully it is minor (If i have to replace the air pump hose, cost is only 20 bucks; airpump itself including labor will cost me about 300 dollars.) Still a bargain IMO.
February 27th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Well, the CEL came back on one week after I had it cleared for free at Autozone. I have been driving with it on. May take another trip to Autozone soon. I amy consider changing the gas cap. But is a loose gas cap is a problem, why do I need to worry about it.
I also came from So Cal. And the light only came on when I am in No. Cal. So may be the rain and the humidity did have something to so about it.
February 29th, 2008 at 7:06 am
I have a 2004 Volvo S60, and had a new catalytic converter put in about 3 weeks ago…the next week, it passed emissions. Then it started making noise again. This past weekend, the CHECK ENGINE light came on (came on Saturday night and stayed on all day Sunday…Monday, it was off again) so Monday, I took it back and the guy adjusted one of the brackets or something, which fixed the noise. Tuesday morning, the CHECK ENGINE light came back on. Car seems to be running fine. Last night I stopped at our neighborhood parts store (Advance) and the guy hooked it up to the computer, and said there was nothing wrong with it. But he said he wasn’t allowed to reset the light.
I’m trying to trade the car in this weekend, but I need to get the light turned off! Help!! I’m going to try other auto parts places today…if that doesn’t work, I’ll call the guy who did the catalytic converter, but he’s about 20 miles out of my way…
Any other advice?
March 13th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Hi beth,
I’d see the mechanic who replaced the catalytic converter. The only people who are qualified to work on issues such as these are ASE certified mechanics. Don’t assume we know what precipitates the CEL lights on. These mechanics (the one I know anyway) will hook up their OBD scanner, scan the engine, and will reset the lights for free but if you allow them to do their job, including replacing the suspect parts, that would be your best insurance from keeping the CEL lights on.
BTW, the mechanic I know was more than honest with me…he said automakers put these CEL sensors on the cars they make, not to cause internal problems within the engine but rather as an emission tool for when you need to smog check your car to comply with state DMV agencies. In other words, he said these are unnecessary expenses that we consumers unfortunately have to deal with. You want cleaner air to breathe, then indirectly we pay for it by virtue of when our CEL lights come on. Good luck.
April 1st, 2008 at 7:13 am
I have just bought a MAZDA 626 IT, American model, engine YGE22, 190 000 miles on the dashboard. The check engine light always goes on 5 minutes after I start it and goes off only when I stop the engine.
I have read all your advices, but I cannot see what I should do in my own case.
Any help ? Thanks.
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:40 pm
99 Neon CE Light went on. Code 31. Evaporator. Dealer evaporated.
April 4th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Abou — You may want to check your engine oil and other fluids. It could just be an electrical problem too. The light may be on despite there being nothing wrong with the car because bad wiring i activating the switch.
David — My sympathies! On the other hand, at least you know what to fix. And, since it is an American car, fixing it should be relatively cheap.
April 6th, 2008 at 2:25 am
Thanks David and Anpadh for these very interesting contributions. I am unfortunately not a mechanic, but I will see this with an electrician as well. I will certainly be back to share with you the results of this trial.
Cheeres.
April 27th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
I just bought my 99 Saturn SL2 about a month ago….with the engine light on(dumb right)…well within 3weeks the engine was shot…i took it back to the lot and had to pay $1100 to have the engine replaced…2 days later the engine light was back on…
April 29th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
My story is very similar to some mentioned here. Needed a smog check on my 2000 Honda Accord LX , check engine light has been on for months without any issues, procrastinated on it until I absolutely had to get it turned off for the smog check. I took it to a friend of mine who works at a car repair place. They charged me $20 to diagnose it but couldn’t figure out how to shut it off , just so i could pass my smog. Took it to the dealer where they wanted to charge me $100 just to see why it’s on. Came home all frustrated and did a few google searches and found THIS site.. I read some of the suggestions and figured I’d give some of your ideas a shot. Went out to my garage (first made sure I had my code to set the antitheft code back for the radio) and unhooked my car battery for 3 minutes, hooked it back up and to my amazement the light is now OFF. I can now get my car smogged without the inconvenience of paying hundreds of dollars to have the damn thing shut off. Did it myself and it took less than five minutes. Make sure you have the code for your radio before doing this. Thanks everyone for helping me.
May 5th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Disconnecting the battery can help with a stubborn check-engine-light, but the computer will note that it has been disconnected recently. You’ll need to drive around for ~100 miles to give the computer enough history to pass your smog check.
May 9th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
Este es unaoteccion de los gobiernos para vender mas carros nuevos
porque si tu ves esa lus no andas agusto y luego tratas de comprar un carro nuevo.
ppero en realidad no pas nada si tienes engene lights on
despreocupate o funele el foco y ya estuvo