Man come on now. I have a Mechanical Engineering degree from Rice. That doesn't make me an expert on cars, but I know a fair amount about them. My problem is that I don't have the time or the tools to repair them. I'll let somebody else slave under the hood. Unfortunately now I know I should be more selective about where I take my truck.
Amen to that, Behad. I could learn how to fix things on my car, but a couple of things prevent me from doing so: 1) I have a '97 Maxima and have had very few problems (the only real problem is constantly getting flat tires for some reason) 2) If I tried to fix something myself, then it would cost EVEN MORE for a mechanic to fix the actual problem AND the problems created by me, heh. 3) I am not mechanically inclined. It is the reason why I dropped out of being an engineer in college. I was never good at making and designing things.
Ford check engine lights are a joke. Nine times out of ten it is a faulty sensor. I can't tell you how many times I have had that happen to me. I never rush it because if the car seems to be running fine...then it's probably nothing that requires immediate attention. Each time I have taken my car in for a check engine light it has been a faulty sensor that needed to be replaced. I guess there is that very slim chance your car could just die in the next few moments but those moments are few and far between. I've been told just pumping your car with gas if the car is on can cause a check engine light to come on(who does that?). And, don't you just love when they come out with a list of all these other problems. The number one thing they do is come out and tell you your spark plug and spark plug wires need to be replaced. Their not causing any problems but they will say the wires are frayed and need to be replaced. Then, they will tack on the air filter. They never just stick to the one problem you brought your car in for because their such good sumaritans. That is why I hate taking my car in anywhere...because they will do whatever to turn your repair job into a repair job plus all this extra stuff. So, I guess you recommend Pep Boys? I wonder if your $400+ rebate will hold. Somehow, I don't think it will. LOL.
I'm pretty sure that there is some type of secret contract between auto makers and repair shops that results in the check engine light going off periodically
are you kidding? I absolutely HATE working on cars...why do ya think I quit doing it? now, if you have computer problems, sure... being able to do basic maintenance is something anyone that owns a car should be able to do, but when it comes to emission/computer control problems...even with those little scanners they sell at the auto parts stores...it isnt something that just anyone should tackle. The only way I would recommend that your average untrained person attempt to fix the computer control systems is if you are a mechaniclly inclined person with a decent understanding of the interdependencies of the CC systems that is equiped with a decent manual, the proper scanner and a good digital multimeter. Most diagnostic procedures outlined in the service manulas require going thru the CC systems with a multimeter to check for voltage levels...that is the ONLY way to figure out whcih sensor has gone bad. and yes, the reason why most check engine lights indicate bad sensors is because that is basically what the CC system is...a bunch of sensors with a computer module at it's heart. There are very few mechanical parts to wear out in a CC system....EGR valve, catalytic converter, vapor recovery canisters and their related hoses, PCV valves, and injectors/throttle bodies. and once again, I reiterate to the poster that insinuated that ALL shops tack on extra work.... NOT ALL shops are that way.. dont condemn the entire industry because of the actions of some.
Update: I took my truck back to Pep Boys this morning, and after 10 minutes of work, the guy comes back to me and says that the "check engine" light just needed to be reset. So he did that and gave me back my keys. I'm somewhat worried that he just disabled the light somehow instead of addressing the problem, but my truck seems to be running fine. I wasn't going to press the issue any further...
bigtexxx, I wouldnt worry about it anymore. What he said is absolutely correct. What happens is, when the check engine light comes on, it will send an error code to the ECM module (basically the brain of the car). The tech will then plug in a device (code reader) into the ECM to find out what the error code is. The error code will tell the tech exactly what caused the code in the first place so they know what to fix. However, fixing what actually caused the error code, will not cause the error code to go away. The codes have to be cleared by the plug in device to make it go away. If the problem wasn't actually fixed, then the error code/check engine light will come back on after they try and reset the ECM. This is an oversight that happens frequently. Techs get engrossed in fixing the problem and then forget to clear the codes. The good news is, there is no just unplugging the ECM to make the code go away. If they did that, then the car wouldn't run period.
Bama, Rockets 2k, Codell, thanks for ya'lls help on this. You guys really know your stuff. One question for the bbs, for the next time I have car trouble (hopefully never), can somebody recommend a good repair shop? I live near downtown (midtown), so perhaps something inside the loop? Someplace that you've personally had a good experience with pricing and quality of work would be appreciated.
Dude, that SUCKS. I admire you for sticking to your guns, though. Don't let the bastards cheat you. Good luck.
No I don't believe it was unnecessary. The EGR valve was screwed up and carbon was building up in my engine. They cleaned it out and replaced the EGR valve and related items. I think they just forgot to reset the code to clear the "check engine" light, as codell suggested.
A messed up EGR valve? The TBI needs to be cleaned out? Sounds like some stuff a mechanic would say to some chick in high heels and a mini skirt to scam her out of a few hundred bucks.
On all of our cars, the manual has always indicated to wait 3 cold starts (as long as the car is running O.K.) to see if the check engine light turns off. If it hasn't then we were advised to take it in. On one occiasion it didn't and there was a problem that was luckily covered under warranty as it took 2 separate trips to the dealership (each one lasting at least a week) and a couple of thousand dollars worth of warranty work to check it out and find the culprit. Unless you have a mechanic you trust, the dealerships tend to be good places to go, especially the one you bought the car from in the first place.
I agree with Bobrek about dealerships being the best choices. They do tend to have higher labor rights than independent shops. However, one must keep in mind that independent shops have more to gain by overinflating repair prices than dealerships do. Overall, dealerships are much more honest about what it takes to fix a car, even though they might charge more for a specific repair.
You can buy a code reader for about $30.00. I stopped taking my car to Pep Boys when: 1. The idiots lost the lock to my pony rims 2. Lost the second lock to my Pony rims 3. Didn't tighten down the lug nuts on the rims. I don't bother with Pep Boys service station. They wanted to charge my dad an outlandish amount of money for an overheating problem when it was just a $3.00 stuck thermostat. The only thing I get from them are my Z-rated tires...and I am looking around...believe me.
