Has anyone experienced your check engine light come on for no apparent reason? I bought my GT2 brand new in 2002 and had a GIAC tune done basically immediately, a month after buying the car. I have since put on a muffler and new wastegates, I have never had an issue with the car and have never, ever seen a check engine light, until......... today! I took my car out for a drive and to gas up and when I was coming home running about 50 mph in moderate traffic when the CEL comes on for no apparent reason? The car was running fine and nothing seemed out of the ordinary all guages fine! So when I got home I unhooked the battery for a couple minutes and then reconnected it and the CEL was out, so I took the car back out for a short drive and everything seemed fine just as it did when the CEL light came on, and this time the CEL did not reappear? Anyone have any direct knowledge or educated opinion on what might have caused it? Should it absoultely go into the dealer to be checked? Looking for some feedback!
thanks in advance

 

1. Get the codes read,
2. Since it did not come back don't worry about...probably just some sensor out of the limit for a second.

 

I just dealt with a flashing CEL. I have an OBDII reader and the codes came back with multiple misfires from cylinders 1, 2, and 3. I think you should see if it threw any codes.

To make a long story short I changed my spark plugs and it didn't help. I dropped the car off at the my shop and they changed the coils on that side, didn't fix it, and then changed the vario cam solenoid and that didn't work either. It turned out to be a $10 bracket that holds the tappet locking solenoid. She is running great now.

So, try the OBDII reader and good luck.

 

Where could I get an obd2 reader? I hate to take my cars to dealer, and I am fairly intelligent and can probably diagnose it with the proper equipment.

 

happened to me right after washing ...... belt slipping me thinks.... unhooked the batt and it never returned

 

Have the dealer check the codes, that should be a half hour charge for them. So you're looking at 60-70 dollars, that way you have an idea what to look for.

 

You can get a reader from AutoZone...they take your credit card info so you don't run off with their reader....but just borrow it and take it outside, plug it in and read off your codes.

I've had several instances where for no reason the PSM and ABS lights will come on. One time it started flashing PSM...Drive to dealer....then alternately flashed ABS...Take to dealer. I pulled off the side of the road, turned off the ignition and restarted the car and the lights cleared. This has happened several times for no apparent reason. I had Loren (RennTech) read my codes and all he could find was one reference to random misfires on cylinder 2 and 3....but the car runs just fine. It could be some bad gas that throws off a sensor or who knows what. As long as the lights don't start flashing you should be ok. I've had the brakes checked and they're almost new....so who knows what gremlins are carousing around under the hood.

 

I actually own several Pawn Shops and I started thinking I probably have one of those readers in one, and it turns out I do! I will hook it up just to see what it says? But I think I am going to follow you guys advice and if it doesn't come on again I am not going to worry about it, if it does I will take it to the dealer.
thanks for all the help!

 

Jamie: Looking at your signature block.....the pawnshop business must be good....you've got a lot of nice cars there that guys have left with you and not picked up? Wanna' get rid of some of that excess baggage?

 

That is one sick line up of Cars Jamie.... Kudos your collection!


S

 

Well none of those came through the pawnshop, but I did keep a 64 Ford Thunderbolt clone and a restored 1956 Belair with a 427 that came through the shop several years ago but have since sold those 2. I was an electrical contractor for many years begining in 1981 and started getting into cars then and I would buy 1, enjoy it , save up some money sell the current car (hopefully for a profit) then upgrade to a more desireable one to me. That is how I ended up with the cars I have now, I got into the pawn business and out of the electrical business in the early 90's during the last recession because I was tired of getting beat out of money by builders, as they almost bankrupt me not paying their invoices due me. Yes the Pawn business has been good to me, but is only a part of the reason I have the cars, time and lots of it passing is the other reason!

 

Jamie: Great write-up and very interesting background. My compliments to your success and the wonderful stable of cars you have.

Chuck

 

Thanks! I hooked up the Mac Tools obdII reader to my car yesterday and it said no codes found? Sytem ok. Go figure?

 

Then youre good to go....

 

I just got back from an 800 mile spirited drive along the Calif coast and into the various river watersheds....great roads for spirited driving.....but my point is that twice during the trip, I threw CEL's for ABS and PSM. The CELs were always after I had got on it and hit between 90 and 110.....then I'd look down and there they were. What I've found is that I just pull over to the side of the road, turn off the engine, restart, and they're gone.

when I've had Loren run his PIWIS on the ECU....there's no reference in there to the event. I do know that on the trip, I blew out the left rear strut...leaked out all the oil, but that shouldn't cause any CEL's that I know of. If the strut did cause a CEL, then the CEL should stay on and not clear when I stop and restart. I chalked it off to gremlins and ordered a new rear strut from Sunset.