Automotive DOH

[susandennis]

When I got near the house after running errands this morning, my check engine light came on. I have an Automotive OBD-II adapter and it even sent me an email that my check engine light was on and it said that 'cylinder 3 misfire detected' which sounded kind of ominous. It does tell me that I can clear the check engine light and see if it comes back on only the app wouldn't do that.

So I started to stew. Finally, I decided to get in the car and drive around and assess. It drove fine but the light was on. So off to the Mercedes place. I pulled in at 2:30 and finally someone asked if I wanted help and told me they were getting ready to close - at 2:30????

I stood my ground - looking old and desperate and pitiful. Finally this guy came out and said I'd need to make an appointment. I asked him about driving with the light on and he then he asked...

And I'm sure there are car people reading this who have already guessed the answer...

Did you recently put gas in? 2 miles ago. He took the gas cap off and screwed it back in solidly. He said that if that was it, the light will go out but not for two or three driving cycles. I asked if I could go as many as 20 miles with it on and he said 'oh sure!' And he said that if it started driving differently to pull over and call.

Fair enough but I'm totally sure it's the gas cap. That happened to me before in a different car. Anyway, I'm no longer stewing.

I did get all my errands done. Even tomorrow's.

And I got a couple of dolls made...

Comments

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

The check engine light means that something is wrong with *something* in the entire ignition to exhaust cycle. It doesn't generally mean anything horrible if you have no other symptoms.

Now, if your car had jerky acceleration and a check-engine light on, yeah, get it fixed. But if it's running smoothly with it on? You want it fixed, and sooner if you can afford it - but it's unlikely to cause you to be stranded when the car is in otherwise good condition.

I saw one article that said that a lot of the check engine stuff is to protect the catalytic converter, which is very expensive. I'm not sure I believe that entirely but I do know that there are issues that won't cause immediate problems of any sort that can turn the light on.

[lifeinroseland.livejournal.com]

Are those the new fabrics?

Such pretty girls.

[susandennis]

Thank you and yes! They are the fabrics I got at the Sew Expo show I went to last week.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

Our car (which is now 13 years old) often displays its Check Engine light, especially in warm weather, and jwg found out how to read the code and reset it. The dealer says it's something about the tumbler valves, that it's not fatal, and would be expensive to fix, so we live with it. There are other reasons to suspect that the car is nearing the end of its useful life anyway.

Check Engine

[damitwayne.livejournal.com]

The best fix is to get a small piece of electrical tape, about the size of the check engine light. Take the tape and cover that sucker up...Problem solved! It's from the Scarlett O'Hara book of wisdom. "I'll think about that tomorrow".

Re: Check Engine

[susandennis]

hahaha I actually thought about that! Nice black tape.

Re: Check Engine

[kk1raven.livejournal.com]

I've been intending to cover the light in my car for pretty much as long as I've had the car. Somehow I never get around to doing it. It comes on relatively often, never for anything that needs immediate attention. Its current issue is that it decides the idle speed isn't correct periodically.