On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 02:47:29 GMT, "Traveling"
Post by TravelingMy 1999 Ford E450 Van Chassis has just illuminated the "Service Engine
Soon" warning light after turning 80,000 miles. I've checked the items
listed in the manual, including checking the dip stick to insure it's
seated. The motorhome runs normally.
I'll have the motorhome serviced soon but is there a way to turn off
this light manually in the meantime?
Well, I did it on my mom's van (after doing a scan to make sure
nothing was wrong that mattered) with a piece of black electrical
tape.
Through the OBD-2 port one can reset all the non-continuous test
results which will extinguish the MIL (malfunction indicator light).
Depending on what is wrong, the MIL will return in anywhere from a few
minutes to as long as 4 or 5 days. Certain non-continuous test
results will clear after a specified number of successful runs. The
classic one is the evaporative emissions system leak code caused by
leaving the gas cap loose. It'll reset in a day or two (actually a
certain number of qualifying "trips") after you tighten the cap.
I highly recommend that anyone who owns a 96 and above vehicle acquire
one of the inexpensive OBD-2 scan tools that are now available. I
think I saw one at Wallyworld the other day in the $40 range. These
tools only display the OBD code (Pxxxx for powertrain problems, for
example) but there are many places on the net to look up the meaning.
Even if you never plan on turning a wrench yourself, the scan tool
allows you to protect yourself from the many thieves who pretend to be
mechanics and service writers.
This whole concept of charging a "diagnostic fee" for doing a scan is
just so much smoke and mirrors to take advantage of the uninformed.
Does the mechanic charge an extra fee for hooking up a DVM to find a
bad switch? Noooo. A separate fee for using a feeler gauge for
setting valve clearance? Nooooo. Those are merely the tools needed
to perform the job that they're already being paid for. Just like the
scan tool is necessary to diagnose the computer systems.
Funny this question would arise now. I had an exquisite moment
yesterday regarding this same thing.
My manager recently bought a used late model Lincoln from the local
dealer. Both EPA and OEM warranties still apply. Her MIL came on a
couple of days ago. Today I agreed to follow her to the dealer and
give her a ride back home after she dropped off the car.
So I'm standing there listening to this service writer give her the
typical BS that females get. Even though the EPA 100kmile emission
warranty precludes such practices, he told her that she'd have to pay
an $85 "diagnostic fee" to "hook the car to the computer". I was
about to jump in when I had a better idea.
I recalled that I had my laptop bag in the car. I have a trimode
network gateway from http://www.obd-2.com/ that turns the laptop into
a scan tool. A very good scan tool. Without saying a word, I got the
laptop out, connected the gateway, retrieved the trouble code and
turned the screen around to the service writer. I suggested that he
write down the code so that he'd not have to use his expensive
computer. Then for good measure I reset the MIL. It'll come back on
in a couple of days but that's beside the point :-) The fault code is
now clear so he has no justification at all to hook up his machine and
still try to charge her.
I wish I'd had a camera handy. The look on that guy's face and the
smirk on my manager's face was absolutely priceless.
Before I disconnected the gateway I scanned all the other computers on
the bus (airbomb, ABS, climate control, etc) for codes (nadda) just to
make sure they didn't "discover" any other non-warranty problems to
nick her with. I made a big ceremony of saving the dataset to disc
while telling my manager in a fairly loud voice that we now have a
record of the car's state as it entered the shop.
That service writer was pissed.....
One of the things I can discover during the scan is the elapsed time
since the MIL was reset. Thus I can see if they just reset the thing
to get her to go away instead of doing the repair. I also know what
parts to look at to see if they're new.
These petty thieves that work for car dealers just don't have any idea
how technology can be used against them. Hehehe.
John
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John De Armond
***@johngsbbq.com
http://www.johngsbbq.com
http://neonjohn.blogspot.com <-- NEW!
Cleveland, Occupied TN