Check Engine Light

[emiller]

Same here my wifes 2004 Nissan Titan has a tire presure light come on the dash after you hit a dip or bump and stays on until you shut off the truck and turn it back on. I don't have that problem on my 1972 ford F-100 or my 1939 Chevy coupe.

A 39 chevy Coupe with a Check engine light ???

It must have a prototype test car

That's why I don't have that problem with either no dumy lights on either.

[deputydogrick]

down here you can take the vehicle to your local PepBoys store, they will do a free scan and sell you what ever parts you need. You can buy a reader there for about $65. Try their web site for purchase. Good luck
Rick

[Geron]

I'm with Jim - your engines are sucking the air outta the sky and we're all gonna die soon if you don't get your problems fixed.

I'm gonna get right on it -- Honest No sick humor this time.

G

[Ira]

down here you can take the vehicle to your local PepBoys store

TAKE THAT BACK!!!

NEVER go to Pep Boys, unless you're shopping off the shelves:

They're responsible for more "Oooops--I forgot to screw in the oil plug" after an oil change than any other company on earth.

[sunny16]

I have had this problem with my Ford Ranger every time the weather gets cold, under 40 degrees. To reset I undo the battery for about 15 min and hook it back up. Light goes off until it gets cold again. I took it to the shop and after 2 days of checking they finally said it was a leak in the intake manifold. $600.00 to fix! This was after it was in for a new fuel pump and some other work done on it. $1400.00 for that trip to the shop. (I think they want to get me back for making them pay for a free tow and a rental car while they figured out the "real" problem. The Pepboys check said it is the oxygen sensors. Truck still runs fine without any fix at all. I just have the light on the dash all the time. Good luck!

[Leon]

If it is the O2 sensors (and they don't last forever) you are running in the open loop mode and burning way too much gas compared to what you could be, and that extra gas is washing down the cylinders causing more wear. Whatever reason that it's on, that light was put in the dash for a reason. Find someone to troubleshoot it or learn it yourself, but don't drive it around with the light on thinking it doesn't matter. If it wasn't needed the manufacturers would have left it off and saved the $.25 per car that it took to put it in.

[Geron]

OK, OK, I went and bought an O2 sensor today!! Thought I'd start there for $18.99 cause it's probably been 6 years since it was replaced.

Auto Zone can't check anything older than a '96 so I'm looking at 60 dollars for a diagnostic fee. That'll come after the sensor is installed and the light stays on!!

Now, Jim and Freebird you can breath easier now (Pun intended)
Just trying to do my part to stop global warming and GRAVITATIONAL PULL.

G

[starleen2]

The check engine light that comes on and the diagnostic code are just a tool to locating the problem – as many posts have said. It could be the EGR valve, the O2 sensor, even the Gas you are using. The code is a diagnostic tool, not a replace module guide. My suggestion is to get a good repair manual for your automobile and it will tell what could be causing the error code as well as possible fixes. As for that little light – ever want to know why it is yellow? – yellow means that it is a problem that needs attention, if the light is red – like the oil indicator, brake, battery, then the problem is severe and would likely damage the condition of the engine and needs to be fixed right away. Usually the check engine light has to do more with emissions than with mechanical problems. I had a Buick century that had the spark plugs burned nearly off and the check engine light never came on – even though the fuel air mixture made the car run rough. My advice – get the code reader and good repair manual – even if your going to have it repaired by someone else. That way you can be sure of what the problem MAY be and not get ripped!

[Jiminsav]

I have had this problem with my Ford Ranger every time the weather gets cold, under 40 degrees. To reset I undo the battery for about 15 min and hook it back up. Light goes off until it gets cold again. I took it to the shop and after 2 days of checking they finally said it was a leak in the intake manifold. $600.00 to fix! This was after it was in for a new fuel pump and some other work done on it. $1400.00 for that trip to the shop. (I think they want to get me back for making them pay for a free tow and a rental car while they figured out the "real" problem. The Pepboys check said it is the oxygen sensors. Truck still runs fine without any fix at all. I just have the light on the dash all the time. Good luck!

Sunny16, now that you mentioned that, my wife's 2000 Mountaineer did the same thing..when it got cold, the light came on and it ran rough first thing in the morning and then ran fine all day..took it to my mechanic and he found the gasket blown out somewhere under the head..fixed it and no problems after that till some butthole t-boned it and it was written off.. that was a damn fine vehicle.

[Bobgorilla]

I was told I had a bad O2 sensor years (maybe 5?) ago. A mechanic told me if you run premium gas for a couple of tanks and the light goes out then it is just the sensor. I've been running hi test for a couple years now averages about $1.50 per week extra so I'll put up with it.

[Lesbest]

First BEFORE ANY answer can be attempted, we need to know, make, model, year, and engine. Egr codes and their respective repairs are NOT universal.
If the car is a Ford with a V8 of the 95 to 96 era it could be a bad tube that runs from the valve to the exhaust pipe, if it is of the 99 to 02 era it could be carbon build-up under the trottle boby on the intake manifold.
If it is a GM car with the electronic valve with 3 solinoids it could be carbon in one of the orifices, or the passage to the valve could be coked up and 27 new valves won't fix it--you need to do a router rooter job to the clogged passage. If it is a Vortex V6 in a truck the valve rarly gets clogged, but has carbon get stuck under the seat and cause the valve to stay open slightly, and maybe cause a high idle or a stalling at idle condition.
All of the manufacturerss have trouble charts for trouble diagnosis of all codes and you have to follow each test and answer yes or no. No maybe. Once you enter a chart you are going to replace something. When that doesn't fix it you use the computer to help diagnose the problem-usually the old part is not faulty then, if the results were the same. The computer can't "see" what it expected to see and tattles on itself. A code for a coolant sensor could mean that the wire is broken somewhere, the sensor is faulty, it is unplugged, the computer is bad on that circuit, or nothing is wrong, the computer is confused. It does not tell you the sensor is lying to the computer--sensors says it's 100, when it is a cold engine at 35.

The logic to fix cars with computer controls can't be confused with throwing parts at it. The spark plugs with no electodes is not something the computer can see or looks for. If the ignition coil can fire the fuel mixture the computer doesn't care.

OBD I On board diagnostics used from 1981 to 1996 uses different logic to repair than OBD II which is 96 to current. To turn off the light in OBD I you unhook the battery, OBD II have to use a code reader, unhooking the battery will not turn off the light, but you will have to reset the radio and the clock.

You can thank all the legislators for their help in causing this to occur, but one of the pluses is that we now can get 35mpg with some cars that previously would not gat anywhere near that, all with 200hp. too.

Hope this helps, but we need to know what we are working on?
Les

[Podunkfla]

They're responsible for more "Oooops--I forgot to screw in the oil plug" after an oil change than any other company on earth.

I don't know about that Ira... Our local Walmart averages buying about one engine a month! They almost had to buy me one about a year ago after an oil change... I was lucky and noticed it befor it did any damage running with no oil.

[asianflava]

I never posted here about my oil change experience.

I took my fairly new truck in for its 2nd oil change. I brought it to the dealership because I have free oil changes for as long as I own the truck. They are also open till midnight so I can get it done on my lunch break.

I drove it back to work, then home when I got off work. The following day, I drove it back to work. We took it out to lunch and one of the guys noticed that something was leaking. I had backed into an inclined space so it was visibly coming out the front. I drove it back to work and watched the oil pressure gauge; it stayed in the normal range. I checked the oil and it was barely on the tip of the dipstick, I was gonna add some oil but I couldn't get the oil cap off; I left it there for the weekend.

Monday I went to the dealership and asked for a service manager. I told him the problem and he and a technician followed me to work to look at the truck. The tech pulled the stick and verified that there was no oil. He filled it back up so that we could get it out of the parking garage. From there they put it on a flatbed and brought it to the dealership. I don't think there was any damage which is why I wasn't a big jerk about it. I figure that even though it was just on the tip of the stick, there was still 4Q left inside.

They pretty much did what I wanted without me having to ask. I wanted them to tow it back (at their expense), fix the problem (pinched O-ring on the oil filter housing, no it doesn't use a spin on filter), clean off all the oil that leaked on the truck (they detailed it inside and out including underneath). He also gave me a ticket for a tank of gas. I told him that he was lucky because I just filled it a few days ago. He just signed it and told me to bring it when it was empty.

This the dealerships doing a routine oil change on their brand. I've heard of people having problems with oil changes on this model. Toyota is trying to be "environmentally correct" and going with a cartage filter, what a mistake. If it happens again, I'll drive it till it seizes up. Then I'll stick them with a $20,000 bill for a new engine.

[Micro469]

Let me guess, you have a Ford product… Check the hose from the EGR valve to the controller. Replace it even if it looks ok, it’s under a dollar. When you are at the parts store pick up a INNOVA 3100 code reader, under $100. Follow the directions on how to clear the code. Dive it a little while and recheck with the reader. That will most likely take care of the problem, if that doesn’t take care of it them do another post.

The INNOVA 3100 is a newer version of what Danny posted.

Yeah , It's a Mercury Mystique.. The mechanic replaced the sensor, but it didn't help. He wants $200.00 +, I ain't gonna pay until he fixes the problem........

[emiller]

Freebird don't thinkl everyone is mechanical minded. A gal here in Phoenix had a local repair shop change her oil and paid for the service got a couple of blocks and the engine siezed due to no oil. She got a new engine and a rental car out of it. I guess the auto mechanic didn't test drive the car, The shop didn't want to pay for the repair because the customer drove the car and they said the same thing that she should have known. But the court found the shop in the wrong and awarded the lady the new engine and to pay for a rental and a sum of money. What if Rocky didn't see that leak. He shouldn't have to pay for someones misstake or bad repair job.