When accelerating from a stop and through the first 2 or 3 gears, check engine light comes on and remains lit for 10 to 20 seconds before finally flickering and going off. This happens each time I accelerate from a stop. Doesn't matter if engine is warm or cold. Other than that, the car drives fine.
Any ideas what might be causing this? Thanks.
Your Cavalier is OBDII compliant. You need to have the codes read out to determine what is failing. It could be anything. Many auto parts stores will read the code, AutoZone's for one....
Tried using a scan tool, but no codes are stored. I'm assuming that the codes are only stored when the CEL condition exists and are only retrievable if I have a continuously lit CEL?
The codes are stored with or without the light, and some codes can be generated (and stored) without the light even appearing. Not sure how your car's system is wired, but it could be something as simple as low rpm low oil pressure, low oil level, slipping belt, or coolant temp temporarily out of range.
And the scan tool you used was? You need to be able to look at freeze frame data, current codes, pending codes and advanced data. A generic code reader doesn't give all the data....
Ah, I think that's the problem. My friend's scan tool can't read pending codes, and since I don't have a CEL on all of the time, he can't tell me what it is.
We recently got my teenage daughter a '97 Cavalier Raly Sport. Lately, I've noticed that the "Check Engine Light" have been on constantly. I have not noticed any change in the vehicles handling.
Today, I decided to get it checked out in hopes that it was not anything major. I drove it over to the local AutoZone and had them do a diagnostic check. It came back that the fuel cap was at fault. He went ahead and reset th system and said if the light went on again, I would need to repalce the cap. Being an inexpensive part ($7.99) I went ahead and replaced it.
I am a happy camper!!
Jes
Same thing happened to my nieces husbands 95 Cav.
check for chaffed wire around the clutch line unde the hood some where not routed right
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