Check Engine Light Pulls a Fast One
Wednesday June 10, 2009
A couple of weeks ago I received a letter from David, who was having problems with his check engine light -- it was staring at him. He took it to a shop which told him that he needed a pricey amount of work to replace a number of parts in his EVAP system. Not completely convinced, David decided to wait a minute on the repairs to see if there was a different diagnosis, or to see if he could do the repairs himself to save some money. It looks like he did the right thing. After checking and rechecking all of the potential culprits, he realized that his gas cap had been replaced at some point with an aftermarket locking version. He threw out the locking cap, replaced it with an original equipment cap, and what do you know? No check engine light. This is a great example of somebody using their head to save a serious amount of money. Way to go David!
Current automotive technology is being used to successfully “lock out” car owners from being able to repair and maintain their own vehicles, requiring them to return to the dealership for repairs and making it impossible to shop around for the best price. The Right to Repair legislation fights for consumers. Got a story about high repair costs or having trouble finding someone to fix your car? We’d love to hear it at http://righttorepair.org/takeaction/sharestory.aspx
While you’re there, visit the homepage to sign a petition to Congress supporting the Right to Repair Act. http://www.righttorepair.org
It seems that whenever I comment, I always harp on one topic. Information. An informed consumer can real hundred’s of dollars of benitits from just reading the owners or repair manual for their car. Point in case. From 2003 through current year, the Toyota “check engine” light will come on if the gas cap is loose or a locking cap has been installed…and that information is found in the owners manual.
The same light will once again proudly display itself as a “soft code symptom” for a number of different reasons that are all described in the owners manual and many of the commerically available repair manuals.
I owned a repair facility for years and the boys have it now, but we see cars almost daily with the same problems. The info is out there in abundent and simple forms.
Now, if you have so much money that you would rather continue to pay shops like ours, please do but for about 1/5 of what a shop typically charges to make that pesky light go off, you can purchase a repair manual and be your own hero.
Far too often evap. system codes & o2 codes are missdiagnosed and too much $$ spent on repairs. sometimes it is as simple as replacing a cap or vacuum hose,but an honest mechanic/shop will do the right thing,if parts/labor profit us no charges are given for scanning & diagnostics.
Crooks are in every industry. It’s a shame we can’t be honest with each other. All in the name of the almighty BUCK!!! God is watching you…..
Just because the diagnosis is for a simple matter, it doesn’t mean the shop is crooked for charging you.
I’ve been charged $75 for an OBD reading. I think that’s exorbitant. However, I happily acknowledge the right of the repairman to charge me SOMETHING. After all, I came to him. I asked for his help. The guy has to make a living.
YUP, WE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A LOOSE GAS CAP ON OUR THEN NEW 2003 FORD F-250 10 CYL. P.U. TRUCK,…… TIGHTENED THE CAP, DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, TO RESET THE CODES, = SOLVED !!!! THE DEALER EVEN CONCURRED WITH MY DIAGNOSIS !!!!
We have had a lot of evap issues latly in the shop and we do get large evap codes in the system. We had to go out and buy a smoke machine for $2500. So we have to charge $70 to run the computer, and smoke the sytem to see where the problem is. Fixing the problem is not like it use to be. 90% it’s not a gas cap but a bad line…
Go to any Advance Auto Parts store and they will scan your engine for free!
Yea, David! Always be suspicious.
From my experience most shops are not knowledgeable enough to repair check engine light problems. They use scan tools that show problems, then replace a lot of parts. I’ve had two Nissans with problems. The first one a Maxima had several codes starting with a EVAP and a knock sensor. I payed $600. to fix it. My Altima had the same codes, I replaced the purge solenoid on the canister for $95.00 and after a week the knock sensor code cleared by itself. EVAP problems not fixed can cause other codes to pop up.
A $20.00 Haynes repair manual has a lot of info.
I READ THIS ARTICLE ABOUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME WITH MY TOYOTA. I PAID TOYOTA $95.00 AND MAYBE I COULD HAVE HAD SOMEONE DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. IT’S JUST “WHERE AND DO YOU TRUST SOMEONE ANYMORE”?
i am happy that some of you got lucky that auto zone or any other parts house help you fix your “check engine ” problems. i cant count how many ppl come to our shop having just left one of those places after purchasing part they did not need. you really cant expect some one working behind one of those counters to be able to properly diagnosis a problem without the right tools and knowledge. their job is to sell parts. and no we dont charge for reading the codes outta a costumer’s car either. but to spend time on diagnosing the problem takes time and know-how. so please ppl quit being paranoid when a mechanic charges you. autozone may do it for free but they are most likely going to do it wrong.
The price of diagnosis is actually under valued.
It usually takes profitable shop time away from the tech. and the cost of diagnostic scanners average above $2500. I’ve seen some priced over $5000, plus the cost of software updates that have to be done on a regular basis. It all adds up. If they charge $50 to plug your car in, their breaking even. Hoping to get your business.
i just had this very same issue with my 05 Neon. i had a locking gas cap, mainly due to the fact that my ex is nuts & would not stop at vandalism, and i cant use it anymore cause it turns my engine light on. *sigh* guess its back to sniffing the gas hole every morning…
I went to a national company to have my car repaired because it failed the state emissions test. Their $59 diagnostic led them to “clean” my EGR valve at a cost of over $200 to me. The light went out. The next day, the light came back on, after I had driven it 40 miles as advised by the shop. I took it back, they diagnosed that the EGR valve needed to be replaced – for an additonal $271. My $10 emissions test stated that I needed to replace that valve, but the manager refused to look at the report – both days. So why couldn’t they find what the state found? Why should I have to pay more money when, not cleaning, but replacement was what was needed? How can I remedy this? I complained to the manager, and just finished writing a letter to headquarters. Any other ideas?
Oh, and could a faulty gas cap be the culprit?
My check engine light doesnt come up again after replacing my 98 camry with NGK V-power spark plug…. cant really explain what happened there…I am happy cos I save more gas and better performance now
I ALSO TRUSTED THE DEALER,
THE CK ENG LITE CAME ON.
I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE CONVERTER
ON THE DRIVER SIDE.OK CKED AROUND AND HAD AUTO ZONE CK TO AGAIN THE RIGHT SIDE CONVERTER TOOK AUTO TO MUFFLER SHOP THEY ALSO
FOUND SAME CAUSE.OK I PAY FOR THE CONVERTER
$620.00 IN 3 DAYS THE LITE CAME ON AGAIN
I WAS SO UPSET MAD AS HELL,TOOK IT TO ANOTHER
DEALER SAME CODE.I TOLD THEM I HAD THE CONVERTER CHANGED.THE CK SOME THING UNDER THE HOOD ON THE LEFT SIDE AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS A VACUM CANISTER.AND I MAY HAVE CHANGED A GOOD
CONVERTER.WHATS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE??
I TRUSTED. WHY DONT THEY CK THE LITTLE THINGS FIRST INSTEAD OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE.
I WISH CARS WAS EASY FIXED AS IN THE PAST.
IT SURE WOULD HAVE SAVED ME ALOT OF MONEY$$$
630.00
Turn off your caps lock!
First of all most of the time when cars would come into my shop I would here this alot “the other shop said this or someone told me this was wrong.” I’m sure I will be speeking for alot of independent shop owners , the code reading is done like one person said mainly to help gain your work.Ive had contracts with low income assistance programs that people would take there vehicle to one shop and be told it was the catalytic converters $1800.00 cost to fix, turned out to be two bad spark plug wires (parts and labor $250.00). When doing code reading all good mechanics look at were the problem could of originated instead of what in the last affected,codes tell you what system is affected ,you always got to follow it back to see if something else set that code.I’ve had a $ 4.00 cracked spark plug tell me an oxygen sensor was out.My advice get two opinions don’t share information from the first with second .Each may draw there own conclusion and you may be suprised at the cost difference.99 % of all mechanic work is the actual hands on knowledge not what some code reader tells you .They like most repair manuels are a guide as where to start looking.