CEL - On again, off again, on again, off again...

A

alexfranke

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Hey there. I tried searching on this, but I wasn't quite successful...

Seems like our check engine light goes on for a few days, then goes off. A few days later, it's back on again, then a few days after that it's back off. It's not flickering on and off -- it's staying on or off for 1-7 days usually.

We brought it in when we were on vacation over the holidays after it had already turned off again. After giving them $100 or so, they said they fixed the problem, but it turned back on again on the way home.

Any ideas? Thanks!
 
Take it back in to who ever you had the work done over the holidays.

With out knowing the codes it would very hard to help from your description.
 
gcwimmer said:
Take it back in to who ever you had the work done over the holidays.

With out knowing the codes it would very hard to help from your description.
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Problem is they're in Ohio and I'm in North Carolina. :(

Maybe I'll give them a call and see if the have the codes -- maybe that service center can tell my local service center what they did...
 
mine does that and its the o2 sensor but run to auto zone and have them run the codes its free
 
Yeah get the codes read first. Otherwise none of us will know where to start.

A CEL that comes on and then off after some time is usually a sensor indicating partial failure or intermittant failure. The CEL will reset itself after severl on/off engine cycles if the sensor behaves itself in the meantime. If the sensor detects another failure it will turn the CEL back on.

Usually a flashing CEL indicates a sparkplug misfire, usually the coils. This will come and go but can happen more frequently.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson
 
kwazy said:
run to auto zone and have them run the codes its free
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then run away, DONT BUY ANYTHING THEY TRY TO SELL YOU! then post the codes to us, should be like, ex Po301, thats a cyl 1 missfire code, but the code they tell you should be formatted like that
 
My engine light does that randomly and I was told it's because someone pumped unleaded fuel into my tank while I use premium, doesnt mix. but what do I know I'm a noob :shifty:
 
chickenviii said:
they lied!! do it again and post the code. ive had to mix 87 and 93 in a pinch, its ok, it can mix
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:I


and please tell me that you really didn't take it to a shop with the check engine light off, and actually paid the guy when he said he fixed it....:eek: :eek:

if you put $50 in my paypal account ill tell you its fixed to!!! lol
 
my light has been off since I started pumpin 91 only :shifty: <<dont ask, i think the face is funny, my only problem lately is the airbag light, in which i fixed in seconds with a tiny black peice of tape.
 
cmoney23 said:
:I


and please tell me that you really didn't take it to a shop with the check engine light off, and actually paid the guy when he said he fixed it....:eek: :eek:

if you put $50 in my paypal account ill tell you its fixed to!!! lol
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the engine light check was free. all he did was give me a suggestion, using 2 different types of gas could of been the problem he said and so I asked anybody who have used my car if they put in any gas and my brother said unleaded and i said well maybe thats the problem, so I made sure it's always 91 and havnt had an engine check ever since.
 
i think alex got ripped...they disconnected the battery and after 30 minutes they made $100 and now they'll say something else is tripping it besides the THING they fixed...typical mechanic strategy
 
that's why I learned to diagnose our cars before talking to a mechanic and when the time comes to talk to a mechanic, It's Chess time.......
 
he said he brought it in when the cel was off, guy just made $100 for nothing. How can he fix something when he doesn't know what it is?????????
 
Okay guys -- I finally went picked up a OBD reader (got a good deal at Harbor Freight). When the light came on again, I checked the code -- it's 2272, which, according to the CD that came with the OBD reader is "O2 Sens Signal Stuck Lean Bank2 Sens2"

So it appears to be an oxygen sensor. We also realized that it only seems to come on while driving up one particular long but shallow hill when going out to visit the in-laws. :confused:

Are the o2 sensors pretty easy to replace?

CobraStar_LS8 said:
that's why I learned to diagnose our cars before talking to a mechanic and when the time comes to talk to a mechanic, It's Chess time.......
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..and this is actually why I decided to just go out and buy the reader. :)
 
Sence its sensor 2 it should be pretty easy to get to. Thats the one after the cat. I have alot of O2's give faulty reading while driving on highway. If peep comes in and says CEL popped on while driving on highway 90% of time its an O2.
 
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