Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community  

Go Back   Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community > Interests > Tilted Motors


 
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 09-08-2003, 04:08 PM   #1 (permalink)
Crazy
 
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
I think I didn't tighten my gas cap! :eek:

I had to take my car into the dealer because the "service engine soon" light was on.

Turns out it was a problem with the po440 test, meaning either the gas cap wasn't tight enough or there was a small leak in the fuel evaporator. But the problem started right after I got gas, so...

Now, I think even if that WAS the problem and I knew it, I'd still need GM to reset the "check engine" light anyway. But if this happens to anyone, and it's right after you got gas, and the car runs fine.... that is probably why.

Details about car, if relevant: 2002 Oldsmobile Alero, 2.2 liter GM Duratec 4-cylinder engine.
__________________
We may lose, and we may win, but we will never be here again.
jfranco13 is offline  
Old 09-08-2003, 06:11 PM   #2 (permalink)
Junkie
 
That sucks when that happens. When I worked at a dealer I felt bad when we had to charge a customer to tell them their gas cap is loose. Oh and it can happen on pretty much any vehicle 1996 and newer.
laconic1 is offline  
Old 09-08-2003, 06:27 PM   #3 (permalink)
Addict
 
Location: Wherever I am!
Try taking the leads off the battery for about 1/2 hr. This should reset the computer. A lot of cars have this nowadays, its part of the smog systems.
__________________
If ignorance is bliss, then wipe this smile off my face!
Hard8s is offline  
Old 09-08-2003, 09:34 PM   #4 (permalink)
Junkie
 
Location: San Diego, CA.
if you figure out teh problem, the car will reset/turn off the code automatically. AFter so many restarts, i forget the number, without throwing that code, it will automatically clear it for you usually.
__________________
Dont cry kid, It's not your fault you suck.
Peryn is offline  
Old 09-08-2003, 10:05 PM   #5 (permalink)
High Honorary Junkie
 
Location: Tri-state.
Yeah sorry to hear that. And crazybill, here is a time that I actually believe a car dealer :-)
macmanmike6100 is offline  
Old 09-09-2003, 09:53 AM   #6 (permalink)
MSD
The sky calls to us ...
 
MSD's Avatar
 
Super Moderator
Location: CT
If you look around, usually in wholesale discount stores (I go tmine at National Wholesale Liquidators, but I'm not sure if they're a nationwide chain) you can get a tester to hook up to your engine computer to read error codes. They go for about 30 bucks, and they had them for most makes. It can read and clear the codes for you. If you have a Chilton/Haynes manual for your car, it has a section on how to use a voltmeter and ground wire to read the codes. You don't always need to go to a garage.
MSD is offline  
Old 09-09-2003, 02:01 PM   #7 (permalink)
Insane
 
Location: Arlington, VA
I can't speak for anything but VW's, but I think this should be true of most cars.

If you throw a CEL because of a gas cap, after fixing the problem and starting the car 4 times with it running for more than 15 minutes, the light automatically turns off.
aintyoboyfriend is offline  
Old 09-09-2003, 05:02 PM   #8 (permalink)
Loser
 
Quote:
Originally posted by Hard8s
Try taking the leads off the battery for about 1/2 hr. This should reset the computer. A lot of cars have this nowadays, its part of the smog systems.
Yep, give this a shot first.
WarWagon is offline  
Old 09-09-2003, 07:02 PM   #9 (permalink)
Addict
 
Location: SouthEast
Auto parts places like Advance Auto, and Auto zone will do this for free too....the wife has a habit of not tightening the gas cap on her 02 trans am (ws-6) tight enough...
__________________
don't worry, I'm not lookin at you
maddemon802 is offline  
Old 09-09-2003, 08:15 PM   #10 (permalink)
Custom User Title
 
Craven Morehead's Avatar
 
Right after I got my car I was stuck in traffic in Chicago and the check engine light came on. I called the dealer's service department to make an appointment for the next day. The service manager asked if I had just filled up with gas. I had. He said it was probably the gas cap. Told me to retighten it and after so many starts (I think 3) the light would reset itself. Which it did. Saved me the cost of a service call.

BTW - Buick Regal GS 3.8 L V-6
Craven Morehead is offline  
Old 09-10-2003, 06:24 AM   #11 (permalink)
Psycho
 
KeyserSoze's Avatar
 
Location: Lost Angeles
Quote:
Originally posted by crazybill5280
That sucks when that happens. When I worked at a dealer I felt bad when we had to charge a customer to tell them their gas cap is loose. Oh and it can happen on pretty much any vehicle 1996 and newer.

If a dealer is charging you and the car is under factory warranty they are RIPPING YOU OFF!!

Any time a check engine light comes it is covered under the warranty for the diagnosis and cure.
__________________
THERE IS NO KEYSER SOZE!!
KeyserSoze is offline  
Old 09-10-2003, 08:14 AM   #12 (permalink)
Crazy
 
Yea, autozone has a codereader that they will use for free and tell you the problem. Right after I put the longtube headers on my truck I had to drive it with no o2 sensors and no cats to the exhaust shop to get it all welded up, so I was throwing codes left and right. After it was all welded up the light went away after taking off the battery cable for a while, except after driving it for a little bit it came back on. Seeing as I now had my o2 sensors and cats installed, I knew that it wasn't either of these so I took it to autozone and they handed me the reader and said "have fun" basically you just plug it into the OBD2 port under the dash (1996+ vehicles) and hit the power button on the scanner then hit scan and the little LCD shows you what errors you have and what they mean. In my case I was getting a P303, which on a GM vehicle means misfire in cylinder 3, so 15 minutes and a $1.69 sparkplug later I was free to go with no check engines and a good running truck . PS on some codereaders there is a reset codes option, but I have been told that this works for some errors but not others, so your milage may vary. With something emmissions related such as a gas cap loose or broken o2 sensor, I'd imagine that you can safely reset the codes.

Oh yeah, one more important thing for anyone that doesn't know... You can usually safely drive short distances with a yellow check engine light on, at the cost of a little fuel economy, but if you ever get a red check engine light stop immediately. Yellow is emissions related stuff, and red is stuff like overheating, and oil pressure loss.
Lyaec123 is offline  
Old 09-10-2003, 09:48 AM   #13 (permalink)
Lost!!
 
Scorps's Avatar
 
Location: Kingston, Ontario
Re: I think I didn't tighten my gas cap! :eek:

Quote:
Originally posted by jfranco13
I had to take my car into the dealer because the "service engine soon" light was on.

Turns out it was a problem with the po440 test, meaning either the gas cap wasn't tight enough or there was a small leak in the fuel evaporator. But the problem started right after I got gas, so...

Now, I think even if that WAS the problem and I knew it, I'd still need GM to reset the "check engine" light anyway. But if this happens to anyone, and it's right after you got gas, and the car runs fine.... that is probably why.

Details about car, if relevant: 2002 Oldsmobile Alero, 2.2 liter GM Duratec 4-cylinder engine.
to reset engine light.....shut engine off push gas pedal to the floor 3 times hold last for 3 seconds let off start car,...should turn off.
Scorps is offline  
Old 09-10-2003, 01:39 PM   #14 (permalink)
Junkie
 
Quote:
Originally posted by KeyserSoze
If a dealer is charging you and the car is under factory warranty they are RIPPING YOU OFF!!

Any time a check engine light comes it is covered under the warranty for the diagnosis and cure.
We didn't charge them while it was under warranty. Only after it expired.
laconic1 is offline  
Old 09-10-2003, 04:19 PM   #15 (permalink)
Crazy
 
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Quote:
Originally posted by Lyaec123 Oh yeah, one more important thing for anyone that doesn't know... You can usually safely drive short distances with a yellow check engine light on, at the cost of a little fuel economy, but if you ever get a red check engine light stop immediately. Yellow is emissions related stuff, and red is stuff like overheating, and oil pressure loss.
Cool, thanks. I was wondering about the light and if it would do something worse if it was really bad. What I really need are 2 lights, one that says "you should fix this soon" and one that says "stop driving NOW"

Thanks also to everyone else for all the help. You guys are great!!
__________________
We may lose, and we may win, but we will never be here again.
jfranco13 is offline  
Old 09-13-2003, 09:18 AM   #16 (permalink)
Dumb all over...a little ugly on the side
 
Sion's Avatar
 
Location: In the room where the giant fire puffer works, and the torture never stops.
note: disconnecting either one of the battery terminals for 2 minutes will be sufficient to clear ANY trouble code stored in the computer's memory. there is no hard disk in there, so, no voltage means memory is cleared.
__________________
He's the best, of course, of all the worst.
Some wrong been done, he done it first. -fz

I jus' want ta thank you...falettinme...be mice elf...agin...
Sion is offline  
 

Tags
cap, eek, gas, tighten

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 11:18 AM.

Tilted Forum Project

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2
© 2002-2012 Tilted Forum Project

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360