Loose Gas Cap CEL
Token Toyota Mod
iTrader: (50)
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 52,306
From: Palo Alto, CA
Car Info: Something german
Originally Posted by FUNKED1
My cap was flopping around and caused a CEL. I fixed the cap but the CEL stayed on. Do I have to get it cleared?
(Yes I don't know crap about CELs)
(Yes I don't know crap about CELs)
turn on your car CEL gone!
VIP Member
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 3,639
From: Longing for my ol' white '02 WRX :(
Car Info: 2016 Acura RDX ... meh. Um, nice subwoofer?
Originally Posted by soggynoodles
Yea that's one way of reseting the ECU and keeping your radio station presets. 

What's with not pressing the hood ? You just don't want him to dent it?

jason
Guest
Posts: n/a
CEL/Gas Cap
For the second time in a few months, I got a CEL from the gas cap not being tightened. The first time the local dealer (BK Subaru, Rockland County, NY) reset the code for free as a warranty issue, the second time they made me pay for it.
Both times it was after I filled up in New Jersey, where "safety" regs prohibit you from filling your own tank, and a lazy pump jockey didn't close the cap right.
Frankly, I think it's a serious design flaw that the car won't tell you whether the check engine light is something serious or something as stupid as a gas cap issue--especially if the CEL won't go away for "several driving cycles" (sayeth the dealer) after it's fixed. It leads to all kinds of false alarms, and then eventually people treat it like crying wolf, and the CEL will be ignored, even when it's a serious problem.
I asked the dealer several times how to reset it myself and they didn't tell me anything, I guess disconnecting the battery isn't officialy sanctioned, but it's good to know!
As much as I otherwise despise GM, I think their built-in diagnostic codes through the "count the blinking lights" method, should be universal.
Both times it was after I filled up in New Jersey, where "safety" regs prohibit you from filling your own tank, and a lazy pump jockey didn't close the cap right.
Frankly, I think it's a serious design flaw that the car won't tell you whether the check engine light is something serious or something as stupid as a gas cap issue--especially if the CEL won't go away for "several driving cycles" (sayeth the dealer) after it's fixed. It leads to all kinds of false alarms, and then eventually people treat it like crying wolf, and the CEL will be ignored, even when it's a serious problem.
I asked the dealer several times how to reset it myself and they didn't tell me anything, I guess disconnecting the battery isn't officialy sanctioned, but it's good to know!
As much as I otherwise despise GM, I think their built-in diagnostic codes through the "count the blinking lights" method, should be universal.
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