Check engine light

See: Ping,knock,and pre-detonation.

Reply to
Brent P
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?In article , RPS ?wrote: ? ?> Yesterday the "check engine" light came on. I dropped whatever I had ?> planned to do and drove to the nearest garage to get it checked. When ?> the guy restarted the car, the light wasn't there. He said the computer ?> can only diagnose when the light is on, so I had to drop the idea. ?> ?> What could this be? Well, anything I suppose. I'll try again if it ?> comes on. (I wish they would just flash the error code on an lcd ?> display instead of this ckeck light.) ?> ?> What is a good cheap place (Chicgao area) for this kind of diagnosis? ? ?The check engine light reacts to a bunch of things. The Oxygen sensor, ?and a few other sensors that don't come to mind at the moment. When they ?get out of whack, the light comes on. In my car, I had that problem and ?whenever I stopped at the garage, it wouldn't come on, so I had to come ?back...as they could only read the thing with the light on.

Wouldn't it be nice if instead of a 'check engine' idiot light, they provided a small LCD display to tell you the code? I think this is a scam to make money. One local Toy dealer up here in Canader has a sign, minimum charge $80. Guess they don't get a lot of requests for oil changes, but $80 to read 'your' engine code. Who owns the car, them or us?

Reply to
Father Guido

In chi.general RPS wrote: : Yesterday the "check engine" light came on. I dropped whatever I had : planned to do and drove to the nearest garage to get it checked. When : the guy restarted the car, the light wasn't there. He said the computer : can only diagnose when the light is on, so I had to drop the idea.

: What could this be? Well, anything I suppose. I'll try again if it : comes on. (I wish they would just flash the error code on an lcd : display instead of this ckeck light.)

: What is a good cheap place (Chicgao area) for this kind of diagnosis?

Did you read your manual? On my GMC it came on a lot depending on if I had just bought gas. Most times, just losening and tightning the gas cap will be enough to fix it.

Blinking was bad for the GMC, solid was a fuel issue... I have yet to see it come on for the Ford...

--
John Nelson
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Reply to
Chicago Paddling-Fishing

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At the above website, you can puchase an OBD-II interface adaptor which will convert the OBD-II protocol into a PC readable interface. The software is free but hte adaptor costs about $80.

Anyone ever used one of these? I was thinking of dedicating an old junk laptop for this purpose.

Reply to
kiselink

I also had the same idea - why not display the code instead of the stupid 'check engine' light. My friend had the check engine light on, went to dealer, and paid $85 for scan. They said the oxygen sensor is bad.

Reply to
joandjo

If they did that, it would not be an idiot light.

Reply to
Mark A

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-Ian-

Reply to
Ian S. Salisbury

Hi ! Few days ago I reset car's computer and this light gone, but it came back very next day. Yesterday morning when my wife started the car she heared loud boom from under the car and this light is gone. What is that ?

control) -

Reply to
EugeneN

?Hi ! ?Few days ago I reset car's computer and this light gone, but it came back ?very next day. Yesterday morning when my wife started the car she heared ?loud boom from under the car and this light is gone. ?What is that ?

The idiot light blew up!

Reply to
Father Guido

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