Keyboard Shortcuts
ctrl + shift + ? :
Show all keyboard shortcuts
ctrl + g :
Navigate to a group
ctrl + shift + f :
Find
ctrl + / :
Quick actions
esc to dismiss
Likes
Search
Check Engine light mystery
|
cactuspaws
I have a 2002 EV Weekender. A few months ago the check engine light
came on and stayed on till I was able to get it in to the shop a month later. Miraculously, the light went off some time before I reached the shop and didn't come on when the mechanic took it in. The computer showed that it had been on but they couldn't determine what caused it. I was told that when it comes on the engine is running rich so gas mileage is reduced but there is no damage. I left without having any more diagnostics performed and the light stayed off for several months... then came on again a few days ago. Anyone have an idea what might be going on? I don't really want to make the 35 mile drive to the shop to run another inconclusive diagnostic, but I'm not happy about it running rich when gas is so expensive, and I worry that something awful is happening to the engine. Is this a quirk anyone is familiar with? Karen |
|
Miles Koppersmith
A typical cause is not putting your gas cap on tight enough. After you finally get it tighten it will generally take a number of start and stop cycles for the computer to recognize the problem is resolved and then reset the check engine light so that it will turn off. If it does not go off by itself before your next service just have them check it next time you have it in for service. Or you could stop by AutoZone and they will read the code for you for free.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Hope this helps. ----- Original Message -----
From: "cactuspaws" <awaytome@...> To: <ev_update@...> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 2:03 PM Subject: [ev_update] Check Engine light mystery I have a 2002 EV Weekender. A few months ago the check engine light |
|
dave_king_ev
What was the code that the computer stored? Not being able to figure
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
out what caused the code is one thing, but your mechanic still should have told you what code was stored. (Otherwise, whether or not the engine goes into a rich mode depends on the problem causing the code. Not all problems result in the rich mode. Most don't.) --- In ev_update@..., "cactuspaws" <awaytome@...> wrote:
|
|
cactuspaws wrote:
I have a 2002 EV Weekender. A few months ago the check engine lightSame here! I also have a 2002 EV MV. Last fall, the "check engine" light came on for a few weeks. I drove to the dealer, and it turned off before they looked at it. Again, they said there were no diagnostics as to why it was on (they charged me $85 to "check codes" anyway). It certainly did not affect my gas mileage. I have a little book in the van that I record all maintenance, repairs, and even gas purchases and amounts. The van ran perfectly fine, and my gas mileage was unaffected while the "check engine" light was on. The light just came back on again (exactly 3000 miles after it was at the dealer's the last time). Is it possible that they programmed it to turn on? Maybe it means, "Boat payment due; turn on revenue enhancement light" :-) -- Ring the bells that still can ring Forget the perfect offering There is a crack in everything That's how the light gets in -- Leonard Cohen -- Lee A. Hart, 814 8th Ave N, Sartell MN 56377, leeahart_at_earthlink.net |
|
dave_king_ev
What was the code? Even if there is "no diagnostics" they still read
the code, and charged you $85, so what was it? --- In ev_update@..., Lee Hart <leeahart@...> wrote: light came on for a few weeks. I drove to the dealer, and it turned offbefore they looked at it. Again, they said there were no diagnostics as to why |
|
Karen,
You might consider buying a lower end OBDII scanner like I did and I bought mine from my and everyone's favorite retailer, Walmart. It can be used on any post 96 vehicle. Need I say more. I keep it in my EVC and can get an immediate reading of the code whenever the CEL came on and then get rid of it using the scanner. This is real peace o mind in case a real serious CEL came after the first one. The connection is behind a tab that is located on the upper left side of a gang of such tabs on the dash. Buy it and you will like it a lot like I do. I think everyone should do this. My EVC came to me with a VAG-COM that I never used. No need for it yet. AC --- In ev_update@..., "cactuspaws" <awaytome@...> wrote: The computer showed that it had been on but they couldn't determine whatrich so gas mileage is reduced but there is no damage. I left withouthaving any more diagnostics performed and the light stayed off for several |
|
cactuspaws
--- In ev_update@..., Lee Hart <leeahart@...> wrote:
The light just came back on again (exactly 3000 miles after it was at Ha! I think you hit the nail on the head! :-) I haven't really noticed any difference in gas mileage either... the dealer told me it would be affected... so I'm glad to hear you actually keep track of that and have seen no difference. In the meantime I'll make sure the gas cap is seated properly. Took me a while to find the service receipt to check for codes. This makes no sense to me but maybe someone else understands: Check engine light on scan for codes #17559 Bank 1 mixture adaption Rangel below lean limit P1151 E.O.I. Karen |
|
gti_matt
--- Miles Koppersmith <miles@...> wrote:
A typical cause is not putting your gas cap on tight enough. After youThere's that (gas cap) or about a gazillion other things. You really have to get the code and go from there. The CEL also isn't necessarily an indicator of something going into rich mode...it just means that something, somewhere isn't within specs for vehicle emissions but it can be many things (ignition, mixture, vaccuum, etc) as well as non-engine things like the evaporative emissions controls. |
|
Jonathan Levin
Well, strange this came up, since I was going to write about this myself about our 2001 EV MV WK.
Our check engine light has come on from time to time, and I determined that maybe it was a bad tank of gas. I (sadly) always use premium. Ussually if I run the tank close to empty and then fill up, the situation would clear up and no more CEL. Even with the CEL on, the van seems to run just fine. The only thing that I notice is that imediately after ignition, the engine revs just a bit fast for a second before settling in at a normal idle. Interestingly, this seems to happen in the spring, I'm guessing when refinerys change there recepie to a summer blend. Also interesting, is that it would mostly happen if I bought my gas in Indiana. I live in Chicago, but camp in the spring in central IN. This year has been a different story. The check engine light came on after filling up with gas in Indiana, so I ran that down to just about empty. We had a real rainy humid day here that coincided with that tank of gas being at just about empty, and when I started the van, the idle was just awful. It sound and felt like three of the six six cylynders were firing. Went to my gas station filled up with premium, problem with idling solved but CEL stil on. So my situation as it stands now is that the light is off (for now), van running fine. I called my VW service dept and they to mentioned the gas cap and that if I took the cap off and then back on, it still might take 48 hours for the computer to reset. I was also told that I could drive it as long as the light wasn't "blinking". Their charge for hooking it up to the diagnostics was $140.00 which I went ouch. Any ideas? Jonathan (absent for a while) |
|
Judy
My CEL acted the same way-it was the cat converter at 55K, replaced under warranty.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Judy 02 WK ----- Original Message ----
From: gti_matt <gti_matt@...> To: ev_update@... Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 11:00:36 AM Subject: Re: [ev_update] Check Engine light mystery --- Miles Koppersmith <miles@...> wrote: A typical cause is not putting your gas cap on tight enough. After youThere's that (gas cap) or about a gazillion other things. You really have to get the code and go from there. The CEL also isn't necessarily an indicator of something going into rich mode...it just means that something, somewhere isn't within specs for vehicle emissions but it can be many things (ignition, mixture, vaccuum, etc) as well as non-engine things like the evaporative emissions controls. ------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from this group, send a message to mailto:ev_update-unsubscribe@... Yahoo! Groups Links |
|
dave_king_ev
Go to AutoZone and get the code read. Premium is often more economical.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
--- In ev_update@..., Jonathan Levin <jonathan@...> wrote:
|
|
Lee,
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Try Autozone to get the codes read for free. They may have the ability to also decode some of the EV codes and tell you what is wrong. But do write down the code(s), let us know what they are, and we can make some recommendations, some of which may solve the problem. Bob W. In a message dated 5/30/2008 10:13:39 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
leeahart@... writes: cactuspaws wrote: I have a 2002 EV Weekender. A few months ago the check engine lightSame here! I also have a 2002 EV MV. Last fall, the "check engine" light came on for a few weeks. I drove to the dealer, and it turned off before they looked at it. Again, they said there were no diagnostics as to why it was on (they charged me $85 to "check codes" anyway). It certainly did not affect my gas mileage. I have a little book in the van that I record all maintenance, repairs, and even gas purchases and amounts. The van ran perfectly fine, and my gas mileage was unaffected while the "check engine" light was on. The light just came back on again (exactly 3000 miles after it was at the dealer's the last time). Is it possible that they programmed it to turn on? Maybe it means, "Boat payment due; turn on revenue enhancement light" :-) -- ****Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with Tyler Florence" on AOL Food. () |
|
Jonathon (absent for a while),
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
Get thee to Autozone store (preferably on a slow weekday) and ask them to read the codes for free. Let us know what they are. Bob W. In a message dated 5/30/2008 11:36:22 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
jonathan@... writes: Well, strange this came up, since I was going to write about this myself about our 2001 EV MV WK. Our check engine light has come on from time to time, and I determined that maybe it was a bad tank of gas. I (sadly) always use premium. Ussually if I run the tank close to empty and then fill up, the situation would clear up and no more CEL. Even with the CEL on, the van seems to run just fine. The only thing that I notice is that imediately after ignition, the engine revs just a bit fast for a second before settling in at a normal idle. Interestingly, this seems to happen in the spring, I'm guessing when refinerys change there recepie to a summer blend. Also interesting, is that it would mostly happen if I bought my gas in Indiana. I live in Chicago, but camp in the spring in central IN. This year has been a different story. The check engine light came on after filling up with gas in Indiana, so I ran that down to just about empty. We had a real rainy humid day here that coincided with that tank of gas being at just about empty, and when I started the van, the idle was just awful. It sound and felt like three of the six six cylynders were firing. Went to my gas station filled up with premium, problem with idling solved but CEL stil on. So my situation as it stands now is that the light is off (for now), van running fine. I called my VW service dept and they to mentioned the gas cap and that if I took the cap off and then back on, it still might take 48 hours for the computer to reset. I was also told that I could drive it as long as the light wasn't "blinking". Their charge for hooking it up to the diagnostics was $140.00 which I went ouch. Any ideas? Jonathan (absent for a while) ****Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with Tyler Florence" on AOL Food. () |
|
Go to wiki.ross-tech.com and type 17559 in the search box and read the article.
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
It appears that the mechanic who read the fault thought it might be a problem with one of the O2 sensors, but did what I would do: reset the code and see if it recurs or was just a transient glitch. On 5/30/08, cactuspaws <awaytome@...> wrote:
--- In ev_update@..., Lee Hart <leeahart@...> wrote:The light just came back on again (exactly 3000 miles after it was at --
Sent from Gmail for mobile | mobile.google.com |
Lee Hart
to navigate to use esc to dismiss