"Check Engine" Light Advice Needed

Go to pep boys and have them pull the code. They should do it for free.

Driving around with a CEL is a bad idea.

 

Autozone also has a tool loaner program. The code readers are included in that program. They'll charge your CC when you take the reader and then credit it when you return it.

 

Steady check engine light is generally a smaller issue than a blinking CE light. Could be something as simple as a bad O2 sensor or a loose gas cap.

 

uuhhhhhhh are you just making stuff up?????? a cel is a cel is a cel. if its is on it is on. now it could be something small like the ac pressure switch that would not effect driving around, but if it is a bad O2 sensor, you could do some damage, like telling your ecu it is running lean and then dumping fuel to correct it. buying a new cat because it was ruined by excessive fuel would really suck, dont you think??

check the code and go from there, what ever the problem is have it fixed, the light came on for a reason. if you disconnect the battery, the light will probably come right back, but it could also take a drive cycle to throw the light.

The $100 is a diagnostic charge and they should tell you what is wrong (the code) and what it will take to fix it, pretty standard, my shop charges the same thing. Even if you ge tthe code yourself and take it to a dealer and tell them what the code is, they will still cahrge you 1 hour diag and pull the code themsleves. then they will tell you what it will take to fix it.

How many miles are on it and what is the warranty for that year and model??

 

Not making anything up.

Maybe you misunderstood me...I did not mean to drive the thing cross country with a CEL 'on'. What I meant is that the CEL does not necessarily mean that you have a seriously misfiring engine (btw it could mean that too) and it can probably be fixed quickly and relatively inexpensively.

BTW my first brand new car's CEL would come on when I didn't pay close enough attention to making sure that the gas cap was secured, when I made sure that the gas cap was secured properly (turn till it clicks) the light went off.

Good luck with the light...I had one come on in both of my cars this week (it's been a bad week) took both cars into the dealerships (both still under warranty) and had them mysteriously go off before the mechanic could plug it into a computer to discover what was wrong. Fortunately the leases are up on both cars in the next few months.

 

So you've been driving a car with the engine light on for 3 weeks and no you ask if it was and still is the right thing to do? Then you add statements like "the car didn't blow up or flip over once, it MUST be al right".

I find it very funny when these things come up.

You should have stopped the car and checked things over, checked your manual, tightened your gas cap, called a dealer, anything!

Why would disconnecting the battery help anything?

 

Could be any number of things. It could even indicate a bad torque convertor that is not locking up on the highway (my mother-in-laws Cadillac did this). Our vans light came on, I took it to AutoZone and the code let me know that the EGR valve was not working properly. Just take it to Pep or AutoZone and let them give you the codes. Could be something small or will alert you to something else of a more major consequence for ignoring it.

BTW, unplugging the battery will usually shut the light off until the engine gets back to normal operating temp and then it will come back on. A false feeling of security.......

If your car has about 60k miles on it, it may be time for a new O2 sensor. They usually go about that time and it will set the light on.....

 

Serious drivers get the 5-speed Camry.

 

The CEL on my '94 Saturn has been on for about 10 years. Never had it checked. Have some 250,000+ miles on it. Guess I should get a dianostic check done, eh?

 

Your O2 sensor got carboned up and it went into the auto safe mode. Does not change the air/fuel mixture going into the engine. It will continue to drive okay if that was it......

 

You guys are making me feel bad. My Lexus RX300 (02) has had the CEL light on now for about 1.5 years. Car runs great, but the cruise doesn't work as a result of the CEL. Any ideas?

 

Like it was said, it isn't always a major issue but if it were to be, then you basically damaged your car for no reason other than to gamble on the hope that it wasn't a problem.

 

Well, I'm no gambler, but who has time to drop their car off at the shop for a day or two?

 

Diagnosing any car doesn't take a day or two, it doesn't even take hours.

Ferrari, Porsche, MB, Audi, VW, Pontiac, GM, all manufactures make cars that come out as lemons and every few years each car maker has a flaw in a series of cars. No one is exempt.