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23 votes
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What possible causes for the "check engine" light can I check for myself?

You've come to the right place. There's a lot that you can do on your own. Even if all you end up doing is gathering more information for the mechanic who ends up working on the car, they never mind ...
Bob Cross's user avatar
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16 votes
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Sharp cornering is turning my Service light on for a second

It could be that you are cornering so hard that you're pushing the oil in the sump to one side, away from the pickup pipe. This temporarily means you're oil pump is sucking up air and you are ...
Steve Matthews's user avatar
14 votes

What CAN'T the check engine light tell you?

A Set of Standards for Error Codes I'm sure that someone is going to come up with a much more exhaustive answer, but for a good start, you need to understand that there are MANY different standards ...
Lynn Crumbling's user avatar
10 votes

why the check engine light on 75 mph speed?

A P2757 DTC is a torque converter clutch solenoid valve issue The valve engages a torque converter at higher speeds to lock your transmission and engine at a 1:1 ratio. This engagement, obviously, ...
DucatiKiller's user avatar
7 votes
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How do I pull error codes from my Kawasaki motorcycle?

How do I pull error codes from my Kawasaki motorcycle? Here are the instructions to pull error codes from your 2001 or later Kawasaki street motorcycle. Step 1 Pull off your seat and near the battery ...
DucatiKiller's user avatar
7 votes

My BMW 325xi smells like gas

The fact that you can smell fuel in the exhaust is a strong indication that the engine is running rich. This means that there is more fuel than required by the engine. There are many things which ...
Zaid's user avatar
  • 39.1k
7 votes

What possible causes for the "check engine" light can I check for myself?

I think you may have mistaken a service interval indicator for a check engine light. Modern cars will ask to be serviced at regular intervals, even if no fault exists. There indicators can usually be ...
Steve Matthews's user avatar
7 votes
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Meaning of dashboard "Check Engine Light" on motorbike

That's the check engine light, or CEL - if it lights up, you have a problem with the engine and should stop and investigate it. If it's blinking, count the number of flashes, as this will indicate a ...
Nick C's user avatar
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6 votes
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Does waiting until the gas cap become faulty cause any damage?

I was able to find the exact verbiage on Amazon for a Toyota gas cap. It implies that you will get a CEL (check engine light) and you could, which could cost you money to get it checked out. Here is ...
James-Jesse Drinkard's user avatar
6 votes
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Why does the check engine light have a pulley on top?

Maybe its a stylised 1950's era air-filter pancake on a carburettor throat? source Icons tend to be retained long after the thing they were based on has changed substantially
RedGrittyBrick's user avatar
5 votes
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Why does the Check Engine code for emissions failure disable traction control and cruise?

Because it's dangerous with erroneous data This is actually very smart on Subaru's part. I have to give them credit. If you have sensors that are faulting you could be giving an ECE false or ...
DucatiKiller's user avatar
5 votes
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OBD-II reader has power but shows nothing

Turns out this particular issue wasn't due to me running the car out of battery (I believe) but actually to a blown fuse. I guess I had previously left the OBD II plugged in for awhile and apparently ...
rogerdpack's user avatar
5 votes

2001 Ford Explorer High Idle

The P1506 code is an idle air control overspeed error. From autocodes.com: The P1506 code means that the engine idle is out of factory specification. Sometimes the Idle Air Control (IAC) may have ...
anonymous2's user avatar
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5 votes

Is the vehicle code gone or does a mechanic have to clear it?

If you're worried about the car passing emissions testing, seeing the check engine light go off is a good sign. Where I live, you can't be failed because the light used to be on. The status of the ...
Bob Cross's user avatar
  • 24.3k
4 votes

99 honda civic motor issues

It sounds to me like you mechanic friends are correct. From your description, the car was driven too long on low oil and is now suffering the effects. If you have topped the oil off and are still ...
Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2's user avatar
4 votes

Read error codes without scanner on Pontiac G6

As this article points out, the ability to blink codes was available with older OBD-I vehicles. Once the OBD-II standard hit, the ability to "blink" out codes was lost. This changeover to ODB-II ...
JPhi1618's user avatar
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4 votes

Does the checkengine light clear itself on it's own or require manual clearning?

If the condition that caused it to come on is a minor fault, and stops occurring, then yes, it will clear itself. If the condition indicates a larger problem, then it will stay on until cleared ...
The Busy Wizard's user avatar
4 votes

What CAN'T the check engine light tell you?

The check engine light comes on for issues that the ECU can detect from its many sensors. The ECU controls fuel and spark. This means the ECU will not come on for mechanical issues that cannot be ...
rpmerf's user avatar
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4 votes
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revving sounds and the engine cut

Those symptoms could well be caused by an air leak allowing unmetered air into the engine. This would cause a weak mixture when driving which could explain the lack of power and the cutting out. It ...
HandyHowie's user avatar
  • 24.9k
4 votes

No Acceleration, loss of power, backfiring, CEL, stalling

There are scanners that will talk to OBD1 computers, but most shops (I would guess) don't have the equipment anymore. I got rid of my OBD1 equipment last year. I've seen ≤ 2 cars that required me to ...
Ben's user avatar
  • 10.7k
4 votes

Can mixing octanes cause the check engine light to come on?

Using a higher octane fuel should not have caused the SES light to turn on. The only fill-up-related thing I can think of which would cause the SES to turn on is if there is a bad batch of fuel (...
Zaid's user avatar
  • 39.1k
4 votes
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Hyundai Tucson dash lights

The engine oil stayed on because it indicates low oil pressure, theres no oil pressure until the engine is running. The battery light stayed on because it indicates the alternator isn't charging. It ...
Newbie Noob's user avatar
  • 2,781
4 votes
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P2646 after Head Gasket Replacement....WRONG or NO OIL?

A straight answer to Did they use the wrong oil causing this to happen??? No. The wrong oil wouldn't, at leas not 10W30 instead of 5W20 would make no noticeable difference in 30 minutes. Maybe ...
kyle_engineer's user avatar
4 votes
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Mysterious Check Engine Light but no codes

The CEL can be triggered for a number of reasons, depending on what the manufacturer wanted. Only some of those reasons are emissions-related. Everything in the OBDII code list is, in some way, ...
3Dave's user avatar
  • 3,149
3 votes
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Does a full fuel tank speed up the CEL turning off after changing the fuel cap?

There is know way to know how the software was programmed for any given car, from that I know most systems will not do a fuel tank integrity vacuum check when the tank is either past 3/4 or below 1/4, ...
Moab's user avatar
  • 8,010
3 votes

My BMW 325xi smells like gas

Sounds like a possible evaporative system issue involving the purge valves that vent fuel vapor from the gas tank. If the OBDII -on board diagnostic code that triggers the check engine light is P0440 ...
Old_Fossil's user avatar
  • 3,917
3 votes

Does waiting until the gas cap become faulty cause any damage?

I've never seen replacing the fuel cap as any part of the maufacture recommend maintenance. Some vehicles now don't even have one, the seal is made internally or by the fuel hatch door. Once on an ...
Derek's user avatar
  • 128
3 votes

Intermittent CEL, several codes

P0171 - System Too Lean (Bank 1) (Immature) P0507 - Idle Air Control System RPM Higher Than Expected (History) (Immature) Potential vacuum leak: I can hear a steady hissing sound near the intake ...
Zaid's user avatar
  • 39.1k
3 votes

How to fix P1167 in a 2001 Honda Accord, with a F23A4 engine

This is assuming you don't have access to a scantool that can communicate with a Honda ECM and without bidirectional controls. Key On Engine Running (this may work Key On Engine off) disconnect the ...
Ben's user avatar
  • 10.7k
3 votes
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Does P0420 on a Vibe result from a pre- or a post- O2 sensor?

Dealing with mechanics If you're going to take it to a mechanic anyway, you are probably better off letting that same mechanic do the diagnosis and obtaining the correct part(s). Bringing parts and a ...
Edward's user avatar
  • 2,847

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