Service Engine LIght and Emissions testing

[Swatcat27]

Ha, wife called and the little icon with the car and 4 open doors is back on again. Lit up like a Christmas Tree.

Anyone need a car, fresh out of Illinois emissions testing?

Got a pothole ??

[jim]

Ha, wife called and the little icon with the car and 4 open doors is back on again. Lit up like a Christmas Tree.

Anyone need a car, fresh out of Illinois emissions testing?

Got a pothole ??

The car is gone. Someone elses troubles now.

Actually, we gave the car away including paying for the title transfer to a desperate teenager in Rockford who is some kin to my wife that I haven't quite figured out yet. She seemed happy to take it off of our hands.

[Socnorb11]

My "check engine" light and "check gas cap" light have been on for almost a year. I assume it's nothing major, or it would have puked out by now. 2004 Grand Prix.

[docellis]

My "check engine" light and "check gas cap" light have been on for almost a year. I assume it's nothing major, or it would have puked out by now. 2004 Grand Prix.

I guess you aren't in Missouri?

[paskal]

I wouldn't say that the testing is a scam, but that your mechanic was trying to scam you/has been scamming you.

[Socnorb11]

My "check engine" light and "check gas cap" light have been on for almost a year. I assume it's nothing major, or it would have puked out by now. 2004 Grand Prix.

I guess you aren't in Missouri?

No, why?

[jim]

My "check engine" light and "check gas cap" light have been on for almost a year. I assume it's nothing major, or it would have puked out by now. 2004 Grand Prix.

I guess you aren't in Missouri?

No, why?

Emissions testing. In Illinois if you live in the metro Chicago or St. Louis area you are required to have your car pass this test every 2 years after the car is X years old. In Illinois the tests are ran by the state, I understand in Missouri you can take it to an authorized mechanic who might be willing to pass you if you treat him right.

In Illinois, part of the test is checking for this light. If it's on, you fail. End of story. We gave the car to someone in Rockford, where you don't have to go through this song and dance.

[JL21]

I know we have talked about this before, but I just got a call from my wife confirming what I suspected - State Emissions testing is a scam! I'm going to try to keep this short, but if you have ever had a "Service Engine Soon" light come on you might want to listen to this...

We own a 1997 Ford Taurus with 126,000 miles on it that my son has been driving for 4 years. Never a mechanical problem, but the body and interior are in pretty bad shape. For the past couple of years, we constantly get the "Service Engine Soon" light. This has always required us to pump some money into it, and we learned quickly that when we do put the money into it you better drive it straight to the testing center because that light isn't going to stay off for long.

Well, a couple of months ago we take it our mechanic to try to get it to pass the testing again, and he informs us that the patches we previously were doing won't work anymore. We need a new converter, the cost of which is greater than the value of the car. So we decide (with help from GRB) to dump it, get me a new vehicle and give my old vehicle to my son. On Monday, I drive down to school to exchange vehicles. When I pick up the vehicle and drive it, I see not only the "Service Engine Light" on but the light on telling me that a door is open. I had forgotten about that sensor going out, but it added a nice touch of red to the yellow Service Engine light.

Strange thing happened on the way home. First, the Service Engine Light shuts off. It has never shutoff, and after talking with my son he said he never remembers that turning off. I actually take the vehicle to the dealer Tuesday night, and with only the door lights on I feel better about trying to trade in the vehicle. I get a trade in offer of $200, so I passed and just decided to keep the car and give it to a relative who doesn't have to mess with these tests.

Anyway, start the car up last night and guess what? The door ajar light is off! No service engine light, no door ajar light - nothing. My first reaction was the car was about to blowup and catch fire - it had to be something bad causing the lights to go off as they hadn't been off in years. With a perfectly clean slate, my wife decides to run it to the testing center.

It passed, with flying colors.

This emissions testing is a scam. You take a vehicle with the light on to a center and it automatically fails. We did absolutely nothing - maybe I hit a pothole too hard or something - and now the state says it's perfectly fine.

Long story short... I had the same thing happen. I don't even remember what it was that had to be fixed but it was something very inconsequential. And it didn't cost THAT much to get fixed but it had no effect on the performance/safety/emissions of my car.

[Spider John]

A little info that I hope will help.

Assuming Auto Zones are the same everywhere, you can go to them and they will hook up a computer to check your service engine light, and can reset it for you so it will go off. State law may not allow them to do that in Mo and Illinois, but it won't hurt to ask.

Also, the gas cap not being tight will cause your check engine light to come on.

The van I drive was sold new with a 70000 mile warranty. I thought it was suspicious that as soon as it turned to over to exactly 72000 miles that the check engine light came on. It is probably programmed to do that shortly after the warranty expires to generate service work. Just another case of the man keeping us down.

[Leroy]

A little info that I hope will help.

Assuming Auto Zones are the same everywhere, you can go to them and they will hook up a computer to check your service engine light, and can reset it for you so it will go off. State law may not allow them to do that in Mo and Illinois, but it won't hurt to ask.

Also, the gas cap not being tight will cause your check engine light to come on.

The van I drive was sold new with a 70000 mile warranty. I thought it was suspicious that as soon as it turned to over to exactly 72000 miles that the check engine light came on. It is probably programmed to do that shortly after the warranty expires to generate service work. Just another case of the man keeping us down.

'tis always good to hear from spiderman!