Check Engine Light and Inspection?

[Colonel Taylor]

Last year I drove around with an overdue reg. and inspection for 4 months due to NO ONE including the 2 Dealers being able to get my check engine light to go out. I spent around $400.00 on several parts and it wouldn't go out, as I was having a discussion with the service manager and him wanting ANOTHER $400.00 to maybe get it to go out the mech. came over and said it just went out. I had to wait like three days and went back and got it inspected. Well it came back on but I'm not due for a while so no worries right now. I was just at the dealer a month or so ago for a call back issue(which I was told they no longer have to tell you about, sounded fishy to me). The service manager wanted to change the same part he changed only 7 months ago saying this is why the light is on, when I asked if he could guarantee that he of course said NO.
Have a friend who was pulled over the other night with the same thing but he has spent nearly $1,100.00 and still comes back on with in a day or two.
Anyone else have this problem and what is one to due if you don't have an endless money pit? Just curious is all.

[Leo Lyons]

Remove the check engine light bulb. Out of sight, out of mind.

[Wneglia]

Last year I drove around with an overdue reg. and inspection for 4 months due to NO ONE including the 2 Dealers being able to get my check engine light to go out. I spent around $400.00 on several parts and it wouldn't go out, as I was having a discussion with the service manager and him wanting ANOTHER $400.00 to maybe get it to go out the mech. came over and said it just went out. I had to wait like three days and went back and got it inspected. Well it came back on but I'm not due for a while so no worries right now. I was just at the dealer a month or so ago for a call back issue(which I was told they no longer have to tell you about, sounded fishy to me). The service manager wanted to change the same part he changed only 7 months ago saying this is why the light is on, when I asked if he could guarantee that he of course said NO.
Have a friend who was pulled over the other night with the same thing but he has spent nearly $1,100.00 and still comes back on with in a day or two.
Anyone else have this problem and what is one to due if you don't have an endless money pit? Just curious is all.

You might try googling check engine light problems for your year, make, and model car. Might find something.

[Leo Lyons]

You might try googling check engine light problems for your year, make, and model car. Might find something.

I've tried that route for various issues. All you get are shade tree/armchair mechanics voicing their opinions or sites that are trying to sell you something. Useless as tits on a boar hog.

[bannination]

Remove the check engine light bulb. Out of sight, out of mind.

That won't do you any good for inspection purposes.

[bannination]

Last year I drove around with an overdue reg. and inspection for 4 months due to NO ONE including the 2 Dealers being able to get my check engine light to go out. I spent around $400.00 on several parts and it wouldn't go out, as I was having a discussion with the service manager and him wanting ANOTHER $400.00 to maybe get it to go out the mech. came over and said it just went out. I had to wait like three days and went back and got it inspected. Well it came back on but I'm not due for a while so no worries right now. I was just at the dealer a month or so ago for a call back issue(which I was told they no longer have to tell you about, sounded fishy to me). The service manager wanted to change the same part he changed only 7 months ago saying this is why the light is on, when I asked if he could guarantee that he of course said NO.
Have a friend who was pulled over the other night with the same thing but he has spent nearly $1,100.00 and still comes back on with in a day or two.
Anyone else have this problem and what is one to due if you don't have an endless money pit? Just curious is all.

What part did they change? Any idea?

BTW, one of our cars has a fairly well known ... issue with something that makes those quick oil change places fail the inspection. I've tended to take this particular vehicle to a real mechanic (NON-DEALER) who also does inspections. They tend to be more understanding over such common issues. It's not check engine light related, but ... might help you.

It would also help you to get a code reader (or get it read free at advance) and then google the error code along with your vehicle make/model. That may give you some pointers.

[Colonel Taylor]

The first part was a crank case sensor, light didn't go out, then some type of solenoid for the gas tank right on top of the engine, light still didn't go out. Then as the butt head was trying to talk me into a Body Control Modular ($400.00 total, part, install and programming)because now the radio, remote key lock and a few other things weren't working properly the mech. came over all happy saying it's out. It was out just long enough to go thru insp. then came back on.
As they were doing the recall he checked the readout because the light was on and tried to tell me the solenoid was bad. I went into the glove box and pulled the receipt and he said oh let me check. He came back and said the wire was just loose, cost $140.00. Light came back on within 2-3 days. This is the only authorized dealer around here for my discontinued car.
I can buy the BCM for about $80.00 and install it but he is the only dealer who can program it.
Sad part is once it's in YOUR car the part is yours even when THEY are WRONG and I wasn't going to chance another $400.00 on a MAYBE.

Last year I drove around with an overdue reg. and inspection for 4 months due to NO ONE including the 2 Dealers being able to get my check engine light to go out. I spent around $400.00 on several parts and it wouldn't go out, as I was having a discussion with the service manager and him wanting ANOTHER $400.00 to maybe get it to go out the mech. came over and said it just went out. I had to wait like three days and went back and got it inspected. Well it came back on but I'm not due for a while so no worries right now. I was just at the dealer a month or so ago for a call back issue(which I was told they no longer have to tell you about, sounded fishy to me). The service manager wanted to change the same part he changed only 7 months ago saying this is why the light is on, when I asked if he could guarantee that he of course said NO.
Have a friend who was pulled over the other night with the same thing but he has spent nearly $1,100.00 and still comes back on with in a day or two.
Anyone else have this problem and what is one to due if you don't have an endless money pit? Just curious is all.

What part did they change? Any idea?

BTW, one of our cars has a fairly well known ... issue with something that makes those quick oil change places fail the inspection. I've tended to take this particular vehicle to a real mechanic (NON-DEALER) who also does inspections. They tend to be more understanding over such common issues. It's not check engine light related, but ... might help you.

It would also help you to get a code reader (or get it read free at advance) and then google the error code along with your vehicle make/model. That may give you some pointers.

[Crock Hunter]

It would also help you to get a code reader (or get it read free at advance) and then google the error code along with your vehicle make/model. That may give you some pointers.

Often, unless the auto is very new.. turning the key switch on-off-on-off-on will initiate a code blink routine where the Check Engine light will start blinking the trouble code... e.g. blink, blink, pause, blink, blink, blink = 23.. ..

Then Google up the code.. .. ..

[Reality]

Change the gas tank cap.

[Reality]

Me too!

[rstrong]

Any car made in the last 15 years should have an OBD-II data port. Even my 1998 Oldsmobile had one under the steering column. The codes it outputs will tell you WHY the Check Engine light is on. Often there's more than one reason, and the port will output a code for each reason.

I have a cheap OBD-II reader. My car had an on-going "Slow Vapor Leak" error, so the 'Check Engine' light on the entire time I owned it. The reader let me reset the error code and turn off the light, and it let me check to see if there were any new problems that the on-going error was masking. Without paying the shop $70 each time I wanted to check what the light was telling me.

[Colonel Taylor]

I've been very happy with AutoWorx in Hendersonville. They tell me what I DON'T need to spend money on, often.

Vrede if I remember you have the same vehicle brand as me, these vehicles can not be programmed anyplace but one dealer in Asheville. That in my opinion is the problem!

[Colonel Taylor]

I have a Ford and a Saturn. I only take the Saturn to Asheville Chevrolet for power train/hybrid warranty work. Everything else - diagnostics, repair - AutoWorx does for me.

I used to go to Hunter Chevrolet for my Saturn but they told me anything to do with the computer only Asheville Chevy can do because they do not have the programs. They couldn't even re program my remote.

[Wneglia]

I have not had that problem at AutoWorx, but maybe I will someday.

Do try replacing the gas cap, it was my Saturn that showed the light when it was loose. Who knows, it might work. Let us know if either that or AutoWorx, should you try them, fix the problem.

I agree with Vrede. I had the same problem on a Chevy Trailblazer, and tried the gas cap replacement trick which worked.

[rstrong]

I used to go to Hunter Chevrolet for my Saturn but they told me anything to do with the computer only Asheville Chevy can do because they do not have the programs. They couldn't even re program my remote.

Any two-bit shop can can read the error codes - and lots of other data - off the computer of almost any car made in the last 15 years regardless of make or model. I'm not a car person let alone an amateur mechanic, and I can do it.

This is the scan tool I use. You can get them for a quarter of that cost, but this one had some PC connectivity features that I wanted and the database of what each code means is built-in.

[Colonel Taylor]

I used to go to Hunter Chevrolet for my Saturn but they told me anything to do with the computer only Asheville Chevy can do because they do not have the programs. They couldn't even re program my remote.

Any two-bit shop can can read the error codes - and lots of other data - off the computer of almost any car made in the last 15 years regardless of make or model. I'm not a car person let alone an amateur mechanic, and I can do it.

This is the scan tool I use. You can get them for a quarter of that cost, but this one had some PC connectivity features that I wanted and the database of what each code means is built-in.

Many auto parts stores here will read the codes for free but that wasn't the problem. The first code said bad crankshaft sensor, they replaced it. When the computer wouldn't reset a new code said solenoid they replaced it. Still didn't reset then he wanted to keep going with a BCM when it went off, but it came back on after a few days. It keeps spitting out codes that obviously are wrong. Well I have 5-6 months before I have to worry about it. My remote still don't work for the lock, trunk and such but I can live without it.
Someone said remove the bulb you can't do that here because the car is linked to the DMV during inspection and it will show a code.

[rstrong]

You have to wonder about the training that auto technicians are receiving today.....throwing parts at a problem until something works seems to be the norm these days.....and it ain't only cars!

Being a computer tech, I used to do a lot of board-level repairs. Until computers reached around 20MHz clock speeds, half the chips were socketed and I could use my cheap oscilloscope built for TV work.

Once clock speeds went beyond 20Mhz I needed unaffordable test equipment, none of the chips were socketed, and there were more and more VLSI chips that couldn't be desoldered or tested. The boards got cheaper too. And so repairs soon meant throwing parts at the problem (replacing a whole board).

No doubt that's what happens in the automotive world too. Parts are designed to be swapped out, rather than repaired. There's no money in making repairable parts.

How does the DMV know a bulb has been removed? :-0?> What if the bulb is burned out?

They'd hook an OBD-II reader to the data port on the car. Pretty much every car made in the last 15 years has one of these ports. Instead of an on/off alert, they'll get any of hundreds of codes like:

C1100 ABS Pump Switch Circuit Failure
C1101 ABS Hydraulic Valve Circuit Failure
C1102 ABS Acceleration Switch Circuit Failure
C1103 ABS Hydraulic Brake Switch Circuit Failure
C1104 Traction Control Active Lamp - Circuit Short to Battery

Just the code, that is. The plain text part is supplied by the reader or laptop. (Or phone. You can buy a cable to connect your Blackberry to your OBD-II port.)

Some of the error codes are more vague. But you can Google the code together with your model of car, and find plenty of people who have had the code & model to learn a lot from their experience.

[Reality]

Col, have you changed the gas cap yet?

[Colonel Taylor]

Col, have you changed the gas cap yet?

That was the first thing I did when the gas cap kept scrolling across the odometer on the dashboard. My observation and from my googling is it has to be the computer that is sending the wrong codes, but again they just guess. If I replace the BCM and that isn't the problem I will be in the thousand dollar range and still have a light on. I can not believe these dealers do not have a spare around for such problems.
What other industry other then Government can you be 100% wrong and still get paid for just guessing? And as I said Asheville Chevy is the ONLY Authorized Saturn Service Center in the area so you are at their mercy of Incompetence. It stinks because this car gets 35 MPG Hwy or city and other then this has been awesome.

[Colonel Taylor]

Still could be the gas cap. Try one more new one, it's cheaper than $1K.

What makes you think that going to an "Authorized Saturn Service Center" protects you from "Incompetence"? My warranty is still valid no matter where I get the required regular maintenance done and AutoWorx is lots cheaper and more convenient than Asheville Chevy.

Vrede the next time you go to AutoWorx ask them about computer issues, they do not have the programs other then to read the codes. As I said earlier I went to Hunter and they even told me they don't have the programs necessary to program the BCM let alone re program the remote if I was to buy it and install it my self. You are at their mercy.
Also check into a recall for the power steering motor they have been recalled but don't have to tell ya about it. I only found out it was a freebee by searching on line after I nearly went off a mountain, when it goes out it's much harder then the old manual steering and even at 30 or 40mph it's very very hard to control a younger or older weaker person would never be able to handle it.
I will call AutoWorx because I looked I have until Feb. so no big hurry. I do miss being able to hit the horn button in parking lots when I lose my car though.