YACT: So my check engine light came on yesterday...

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

...at 5500 miles, 3 days before I drive 400 miles to get home for Thanksgiving break. Naturally, there were no words to describe how unamused I was.

So I immediately make an appointment with the dealer to leave my car with them the next (this) morning, then proceed to spend the whole day wondering what the fvck could have caused the light to come on so early in the car's life, and how screwed I'd be if it couldn't be fixed in 2 days.

I gave them a call back in the afternoon, and they said "oh, you're car's done and ready to go." I was, of course, extremely relieved as I asked, "what was the problem?" The reply: "We needed to update the software for your sensors."

My car needed a software update?!!? OMGWTFBBQ!!!

 

[NutBucket]

Its possible

 

[kt]

All newer cars have onboard computer chip on them to control all those sensors, etc.

 

[Pepsi90919]

you don't know much about modern cars do you?

 

[T2T III]

With the new firmware, maybe you can overclock it a bit easier.

 

[Ornery]

I already know too much about friggin' "modern cars". I think I rather have one that I can diagnose myself, and doesn't require a GD E-check! :|

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
you don't know much about modern cars do you?

1'|\/| |\|07 @$ 1337 @$ j00.

I'm familiar with fact that, yes, there are electrical circuits in my car. But a firmware update?

Put an Ethernet plug in the thing and let me run Windows Update from home, for chrissake.

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech
With the new firmware, maybe you can overclock it a bit easier.

Need some "Intel Inside" decals.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: TheLonelyPhoenix

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
you don't know much about modern cars do you?

1'|\/| |\|07 @$ 1337 @$ j00.

I'm familiar with fact that, yes, there are electrical circuits in my car. But a firmware update?

Put an Ethernet plug in the thing and let me run Windows Update from home, for chrissake.

well these 'electrical circuits' are apparently more sophisticated than you think. my 99 GM had an ECM, PCM, EBCM, BCM, and the instrument cluster had its own electronics. all these modules are linked on a serial bus.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: TheLonelyPhoenix

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
you don't know much about modern cars do you?

1'|\/| |\|07 @$ 1337 @$ j00.

I'm familiar with fact that, yes, there are electrical circuits in my car. But a firmware update?

Put an Ethernet plug in the thing and let me run Windows Update from home, for chrissake.

Glove compartment, OBDII port.

- M4H

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: TheLonelyPhoenix

Originally posted by: Pepsi90919
you don't know much about modern cars do you?

1'|\/| |\|07 @$ 1337 @$ j00.

I'm familiar with fact that, yes, there are electrical circuits in my car. But a firmware update?

Put an Ethernet plug in the thing and let me run Windows Update from home, for chrissake.

Glove compartment, OBDII port.

- M4H

Stick in some paper clips, splice a little Cat 6, throw in a soldering iron and some duct tape... presto?

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: Ornery
I already know too much about friggin' "modern cars". I think I rather have one that I can diagnose myself, and doesn't require a GD E-check! :|

While I see your point of view and I myself love older cars I find working on the new cars rather easy. The same rules of mechanics apply to the basic stuff and if the problem is electronic in nature I can use a scanner to have the car tell me what is wrong with it in a matter of minutes. I have gotten so used to the newer computer controlled EFI engines that I am completely updating one of my 66 Mustnags with all new drivetrain from a 93 EFI car.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: Ornery
I already know too much about friggin' "modern cars". I think I rather have one that I can diagnose myself, and doesn't require a GD E-check! :|

While I see your point of view and I myself love older cars I find working on the new cars rather easy. The same rules of mechanics apply to the basic stuff and if the problem is electronic in nature I can use a scanner to have the car tell me what is wrong with it in a matter of minutes. I have gotten so used to the newer computer controlled EFI engines that I am completely updating one of my 66 Mustnags with all new drivetrain from a 93 EFI car.

plus EEC-IV does the whole self-test routine thing, engine off and engine on.

 

[isekii]

It could've been something easy as a gas cap that couldn't gave the warning light.

 

[Ornery]

While I see your point of view and I myself love older cars I find working on the new cars rather easy. The same rules of mechanics apply to the basic stuff and if the problem is electronic in nature I can use a scanner to have the car tell me what is wrong with it in a matter of minutes. I have gotten so used to the newer computer controlled EFI engines that I am completely updating one of my 66 Mustnags with all new drivetrain from a 93 EFI car.

Swell. My son's '95 G. Marquis stalls when it's first started, but runs fine after a restart. It throws no code. Now WTF am I supposed to do with that? Start throwing $50.00 parts at it, one after another? Let a mechanic throw parts at it for $75.00 per hour, plus the inflated price of parts? Pisses me off...

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: Ornery

While I see your point of view and I myself love older cars I find working on the new cars rather easy. The same rules of mechanics apply to the basic stuff and if the problem is electronic in nature I can use a scanner to have the car tell me what is wrong with it in a matter of minutes. I have gotten so used to the newer computer controlled EFI engines that I am completely updating one of my 66 Mustnags with all new drivetrain from a 93 EFI car.

Swell. My son's '95 G. Marquis stalls when it's first started, but runs fine after a restart. It throws no code. Now WTF am I supposed to do with that? Start throwing $50.00 parts at it, one after another? Let a mechanic throw parts at it for $75.00 per hour, plus the inflated price of parts? Pisses me off...

are you saying it doesn't have a code because the light isn't on?

 

[Ornery]

Nope, there is no error code when plugged into a scanner.

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Originally posted by: isekii
It could've been something easy as a gas cap that couldn't gave the warning light.

I'm going to assume that meant "Something as simple as a gas cap could have thrown the warning light."

Checked gas cap and oil dipstick seating as soon as the light came on, as those are the two easiest things to check on (that I know of) that can throw a warning light. Speaking of which, anyone know of any other simple things that can lead to a check engine light?

 

[Ornery]

Yeah, any one of the many simple, wondrous EPA regulated sending units or components malfunctioning will light up your dash with the cheery glow of your check engine light. Cool, eh? :roll:

 

[SilverTorch]

Originally posted by: TheLonelyPhoenix

Originally posted by: Tiles2Tech
With the new firmware, maybe you can overclock it a bit easier.

Need some "Intel Inside" decals.

I have a "Boost Inside" sticker on mine

I would think that all EFI type cars would need some sort of ECU or PCM.

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Originally posted by: Ornery
Yeah, any one of the many simple, wondrous EPA regulated sending units or components malfunctioning will light up your dash with the cheery glow of your check engine light. Cool, eh? :roll:

I meant simple as in "I can check this myself in 5 minutes or less".

 

[Ornery]

Once that slick little light pops up on your dash, you can check ALL of them yourself in 5 minutes or less. You have to plug in the scanner to figure it out, no matter what triggered it.

 

[Ronstang]

Ornery......it sounds like the idle air bypass/idle speed control solenoid or whatever they call it on your vehicle is faulty and most of the time it won't throw a code and it is almost always the culprit whenever you have any kind of idle anomoly.

 

[SuperTool]

On my Maxima, you don't even need a scanner. You just turn a screw on the ECU and it blinks the error codes with the check engine light. You can also reset it with that screw.
I had an evap system code last week, but then when I came back from a plane trip this weekend, it went away

 

[Ornery]

Ornery......it sounds like the idle air bypass/idle speed control solenoid or whatever they call it on your vehicle is faulty and most of the time it won't throw a code and it is almost always the culprit whenever you have any kind of idle anomoly.

Thanks, I'll pull that apart and clean it. It's at least $40.00 for the part, so I'm not going to just buy one to try. I also know it could be the fuel pump or a fuel injector. I guess I'll throw a fuel filter at it, since it needs to be replaced anyway. Car runs like a champ otherwise, and the mileage is great thanks to the EFI, so I guess that's the give and take...