Check Engine Light On

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Nov 18, 2004 | 08:37 PM

FD3S

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Check Engine Light On

So, yeah, I've been looking for an RS for a while now, and finally found one close to me. (About a two hour drive.) I work until 5 and when I was finally able to drive up there was around 7:30. (Can you believe that this car dealership was open till 9:00??) So I called them, let them know I was coming and at about 9:20 I was there. Saw the Subaru, loved it, and did all the paperwork for it. It was around 11:20 when I started getting home. Not even halfway there, my check engine light comes on. I stop at the nearest rest stop and check the oil and everything I can think off. I checked my fuel cap and made sure everything was tightened down. I went back ont he freeway and noticed that when I sped up, my speedometer took a second too catch up. It was also randomly go back down to 0 (while driving at around 80mph) then slowly go back up to 80....

I called the dealership and they said I need to go back up there to get it fixed for free under the warranty. But I don't have the time to drive all the way up there for something I could probably fix....

Any ideas? Could the check engine light be on due to the speedometer not working? Or is there acutally something wrong with the engine??

Nov 19, 2004 | 06:34 AM

Preza-I

Registered User

Joined: Jul 2004

Posts: 68

From: Michigan

Car Info: 1998 Subaru Impreza 2.2l

Is there a local Auto Zone? If you gan get to one, they will check you CEL for free and tell you what is wrong... Thats a start... : )

Nov 19, 2004 | 02:32 PM

FD3S

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went to autozone and got the codes pulled.

P0420

Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1)

(this one I got twice) -----> P0031

Heated Oxygen Sesnor Bank 1 Sensor 1 Heater Circuit Low.

Any Ideas???

Nov 19, 2004 | 09:57 PM

Crashmaxx

Registered User

Joined: Apr 2004

Posts: 175

From: Lusby, MD

Car Info: '02 2.5 RS

I got a PO420 a while ago. Reset it with either the computer checker you used to get it or disconnect the battery for about a minute or so. If it comes back the O2 sensors or the cat may be bad, but it should be fixed under warrenty.

Mine never came back after I reset it. Just hoping if it does it is before 80k miles when the emmisions warrenty expires and I have to pay for it.

Nov 30, 2004 | 08:35 PM

imporacer

Registered User

Joined: Aug 2004

Posts: 90

Delete the code by disconnecting the battery for 15 min. If it comes back the next time you drive on the freeway for more that 10 min, replace both (front/rear) O2 sensor, and depending on mileage replace the spark plug too as well. Your computer runs a Cat efficiency check on the O2 sensor on constant freeway speeds 55 mph > with a duration over 10 min. That's why this code will trigger your CEL when your doing freeway speeds longer than 10 min. Basically, one of the O2 is not counting right giving the computer false information that you have an exhaust leak somewhere. However, Crashmaxx is right, you have a 5 year 80,000 mile warranty on any emission related problems. Take advantage of that first. Don't wait like I did.

Dec 1, 2004 | 08:16 PM

Kevin M

Registered User

iTrader: (12)

Joined: Nov 2002

Posts: 18,369

From: Reno, NV

Car Info: 1993/2000/2001 GF4 mostly red

Quote:

Originally Posted by FD3S

P0420 is very common for the RS to get. Does your car have aftermarket headers? That's usually the culprit. However, the P0031 makes me think that your O2 sensor probably just needs replaced. This may or may not be covered under the warranty still (factory or aftermarket?) but if not it's cheap and easy. don't worry, your car isn't in danger of suffering damage, but you'll have to get it taken care of before the next smog check comes around.

Dec 2, 2004 | 06:24 PM

scoobylvr

Registered User

Joined: Nov 2003

Posts: 205

From: Tyler, Texas

Car Info: 1998 Impreza L EJ22

Yes, I agree. I work at the Zone, and you probably just need to replace the first oxygen sensor, that should fix your problem.

By the way, how is your gas mileage doing?

Dec 28, 2004 | 05:23 PM

FD3S

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Yeah! So i went to subaru to ask them to check it out and they said that the Cat. Converter was under the 80,000 mile 8 year warranty!! It was replaced free of cost and now the car is just fine! Just to let people know out there that there might be warranty service on parts......

gas milage is good. about 28 for city and 32 for highway.

Dec 29, 2004 | 10:23 AM

FD3S

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Geeez! It's on again and now my 2nd cylinder is misfiring! Oh well, I guess I'll just have to get the version 7 motor now..

Feb 7, 2005 | 11:26 AM

#10

bluheadted

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Gage and Check engine light

98 Forester Speedo stopped working and shortly there after the engine light came on as well. I suppose all the readings in the world about the cat and O2 sensors make no difference if it's not reading the speed of the car correctly. Am I correct on this? I need to know how to troubleshoot the speedo issue, fix that and then see if the light stays off. I'm guessing that it would be the sensor rather than the guage as I am sure it reads from the sensors and not the guage. Is this correct as well? It being the engine diagnostics.

Thanks

Blu