Check Engine

So my 01 double cab has about 115k miles on her and has been everything I could ever ask for the whole time i have had her. However, about 3 days ago the check engine light came on. It hasnt been running funny, getting hot, or anything of that nature. I took it to the dealership to get them to possibly check it out and they wanted 85 dollars just to run the diagnostics on it. I wasnt big on that so i thought id ask for some advice on here before i take it anywhere else for service.
Thanks in advance.

 

You need to get the code read so you know what condition triggered the check engine light.

If you know anyone with an OBDII scanner (or someone or some store that'll lend you one) you can read the code.

 

I have heard that the auto-zone guys do those tests for free. Any word on that?

 

Yes, autozone will do it for free, or do what cmack suggested.

 

I had never even heard of that until you said it and i looked it up. We obviously dont have one of those around here. Im pretty sure that auto-zone does the same type stuff though.

 

Thanks steve. Ill have to get that checked out soon. What type of problems usually trigger that? Hopefully something that wont dent my wallet to much.

 

did you ever not tighten the gas cap enough? I did that once and it made my CEL come on. I always tighten it good now.

 

You can go to AAMCO , they'll do it for free also.....

 

Well as stupid as this will make me sound i better share it anyways. I honestly have never heard that you are suppose to tighten the cap until it "clicks" 3 or 4 times. For all I knew i thought it was stripping something but when someone asked me if that was the case the other day I felt about dumb. Would that type of thing show up on one of those scans?

 

I can't remember what my code was but the guy at autozone suggested that I probably had not tightened the gas cap enough. I always let it click about 4-5 times now.
I just unhooked the battery for a minute to reset it and it hasn't come on again since, and that was over a year ago.

 

Yes ... If the gas cap isn't completely sealed / seated, it can trip a code indicative of insufficient pressurization on the emissions control system.

... Which helps to illustrate that a wide variety of things can trip a code. It only takes one code to make the CEL come on.

That's why you need to get the code read to see what particular condition was detected ...

 

Well hopefull its something of that nature. Thanks for the help fellas.

 

Just searched up this thread. None of the parts stores here will pull the codes for me (carquest/checkers/napa) so I need to buy a code checker. Anyone have any suggestions for a good one?

 

I would buy the scangauge 2. Here is there link http://www.scangauge.com/

 

Interesting. So you leave it plugged in and it gives you the live data as well?

 

Yep. Thats about it. Has all kinda a good stuff that you can display. I think that it is more useful the buying just a scanner.

 

A search of the forum for scangauge has turned up that taco guys seem to be big fans of it. I think I foresee one in my near future heheh.

 

instead of getting the scanguage i got the Bully Dog WatchDog system for my truck. Its just a higher end scanguage. It cost more than the scanguage does but i like the way it looks and displays things better. they both do pretty much the same thing. both plug into the OBDII port.



but autozone will do the check for free.

 

Do any of these scanners work on the ABS lights? If not will AutoZone or any other place check the ABS?

Thanks,

Killer