Check Engine light!
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 228
From: Herndon, VA
Car Info: 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX
Check Engine light!
ugh,
just hit 50K in my '02 wrx sedan, and as if on queue this freakin check engine light comes on. The manual says something about it could be emissions control unit going bad and to take it to subaru authorized dealer, blah blah blah......or that it could simply be not screwing on your fuel cap till it clicks, but also mentions that it could take a few drive trips for the light to go away if it is because of the fuel cap.....if it doesnt go away to take it to subaru authorized dealer to get it checked......
any experiences/ideas???
just hit 50K in my '02 wrx sedan, and as if on queue this freakin check engine light comes on. The manual says something about it could be emissions control unit going bad and to take it to subaru authorized dealer, blah blah blah......or that it could simply be not screwing on your fuel cap till it clicks, but also mentions that it could take a few drive trips for the light to go away if it is because of the fuel cap.....if it doesnt go away to take it to subaru authorized dealer to get it checked......
any experiences/ideas???
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iTrader: (10)
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,180
From: An ALMS race near you
Car Info: 03 MBP WRX
It could be a hundred different things. Take it to an auto repair place and have them pull the check engine light code, or if you are a diy kind of person buy an obd-II scanner and check it for yourself.
Yeah, it could be any number of things.
Even if it goes away, it still may come back. I had an 02 sensor fail on my last Subaru around 50k miles. The light would go away after driving for a while, but then come back after a little bit. It only seemed to create an error after warming up to operating temperature. Driving around town wouldn't trip it, but longer drives would.
It's supposed to take two 'trips' to clear the CEL. I don't know how the ECU defines trips, because you can't just flick the motor on and off a few times to clear the CEL. But, if it comes back, I'd get it checked out.
If you feel like looking up the error yourself, you can get an OBDII scanner (or rent one, I believe Kragen or places like that rent them for cheap) and then look up the error code on the internet. That should at least tell you how bad the CEL is.
Even if it goes away, it still may come back. I had an 02 sensor fail on my last Subaru around 50k miles. The light would go away after driving for a while, but then come back after a little bit. It only seemed to create an error after warming up to operating temperature. Driving around town wouldn't trip it, but longer drives would.
It's supposed to take two 'trips' to clear the CEL. I don't know how the ECU defines trips, because you can't just flick the motor on and off a few times to clear the CEL. But, if it comes back, I'd get it checked out.
If you feel like looking up the error yourself, you can get an OBDII scanner (or rent one, I believe Kragen or places like that rent them for cheap) and then look up the error code on the internet. That should at least tell you how bad the CEL is.
Last edited by Nick Koan; Jul 5, 2005 at 01:09 PM.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 228
From: Herndon, VA
Car Info: 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX
Originally Posted by nKoan
Yeah, it could be any number of things.
Even if it goes away, it still may come back. I had an 02 sensor fail on my last Subaru around 50k miles. The light would go away after driving for a while, but then come back after a little bit. It only seemed to create an error after warming up to operating temperature. Driving around town wouldn't trip it, but longer drives would.
It's supposed to take two 'trips' to clear the CEL. I don't know how the ECU defines trips, because you can't just flick the motor on and off a few times to clear the CEL. But, if it comes back, I'd get it checked out.
If you feel like looking up the error yourself, you can get an OBDII scanner (or rent one, I believe Kragen or places like that rent them for cheap) and then look up the error code on the internet. That should at least tell you how bad the CEL is.
Even if it goes away, it still may come back. I had an 02 sensor fail on my last Subaru around 50k miles. The light would go away after driving for a while, but then come back after a little bit. It only seemed to create an error after warming up to operating temperature. Driving around town wouldn't trip it, but longer drives would.
It's supposed to take two 'trips' to clear the CEL. I don't know how the ECU defines trips, because you can't just flick the motor on and off a few times to clear the CEL. But, if it comes back, I'd get it checked out.
If you feel like looking up the error yourself, you can get an OBDII scanner (or rent one, I believe Kragen or places like that rent them for cheap) and then look up the error code on the internet. That should at least tell you how bad the CEL is.
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,646
From: NYC
Car Info: 02 WRX WRB
You can go to Autozone and they will scan it for free. Be sure to get the specific numerical code(s) that are stored in Pxxxx format. Then look the codes up online, search for threads on those codes here and on NASIOC, or if you can't find them (unlikely) post them and you'll get more help.
Also you can ask in your local forum (here and at NASIOC) to see if there is someone near you who has a scanner and can meet up with you.
Until you get a scan and find out the codes there is no point in speculating on the cause of the CEL, as there are literally hundreds of possible things that can set codes.
Also you can ask in your local forum (here and at NASIOC) to see if there is someone near you who has a scanner and can meet up with you.
Until you get a scan and find out the codes there is no point in speculating on the cause of the CEL, as there are literally hundreds of possible things that can set codes.
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