Kwik Kar Gal and Kwik Kar Guy – Check Engine Light
Republished from “The 380 News” - originally published July 9, 2011.
Marta and Frank Dudowicz are the local owners and operators of four Kwik Kar Lube and Auto Service Centers in the area (three on Rt.380). They have 10 years experience in running their businesses. Frank prior to opening his business was a senior executive with Pennzoil/Quaker State (Motor Oil). http://www.kwikkardenton.com E-mail your questions to md@kwikkardenton.com
Marta and Frank answer your questions with honest answers
Check Engine Light
Marta – A recent e-mail from a reader caught my attention because this subject comes up a lot, especially when a vehicle fails a state inspection. She wrote “What’s this check engine light thing and why did it cause me to fail my inspection? I thought the light comes on when I need to do an oil change or something?”
Frank – Well, first of all, the place where she got her state inspection done should have given her more and better information about her situation.
The State of Texas vehicle emission testing regulations states (for vehicles 1996 and newer) that if your dashboard light illuminates displaying the Check Engine or Service Engine Soon or the International Engine symbol at the time of inspection – the vehicle fails the test. Here is the reason why. The “Check Engine” light is a warning indicator set up to go on when your vehicle’s computer senses that there is a problem within the emissions system. The State of Texas has determined if that light is on, there is an emissions problem – the car fails – period. During the State Inspection the inspector will check to see if the light is working properly. The process for this is that the light must come on when the ignition is turned to the ON position and the light must go off when the engine is started. But, the inspection process is also set up to give you diagnostic code information as to why the computer kicked the light on. These codes give the auto technician or mechanic information to do troubleshooting diagnostics and repair the faulty component or parts.
Marta
–Why only 1996 and newer vehicles?
Frank – I hate to go into too much technical stuff to keep this from getting too complicated.
Marta – I think we are getting use to this! However, your technical stuff is very helpful.
Frank – OK, here goes. When the vehicle’s computer (On Board Diagnostics) system detects a malfunction in the emissions system it turns on the check engine or Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL). It also stores one or more diagnostic trouble codes in the engine control module. These codes will remain in the computer until the problem is fixed even if the check engine light goes off (which can happen if a bulb, fuse or a wire malfunctions and even if someone tampers with the light). During the State inspection process the inspector will connect a plug from the inspection station computer into the vehicle’s On Board Diagnostic (OBDII) port from which the State’s software checks and downloads the stored data from the vehicle’s computer and will identify by codes specific areas that are not in compliance. So you can fail even if the check engine light is not on but the computer has detected a malfunction. The emissions test results will print and describe any codes found.
Marta – Here’s a fact – vehicles that are 24 years old or have diesel engines only need a safety inspection and are not tested for emissions. So for these cars it doesn’t matter if the check engine light is on.
Frank – That’s right. Though, if the check engine light is on there is a problem and it should be investigated even if the vehicle is not experiencing any obvious noise or drive ability issues. The check engine light might be an early warning signal to a major problem.
Marta – Earlier you mentioned OBDII. You should give our readers some more insight what the “II” means.
Frank – The “II” in OBD stands for “second generation”. By US Government mandate, every vehicle manufactured for sale in the United States from 1996 on, has to have an On Board Diagnostic System – with the second generation protocol. This allows all vehicles to be tested at the point of manufacture and must pass an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) test called the Federal Test Procedure.
The second generation of the OBD system dictates that all vehicles have a “generic” readability so that the government’s testing system will be able to read all make and models. Prior to 1996 each manufacturer had their own “proprietary” language or OBD codes that only allowed specific manufacture “authorized” tools or scanners to read or diagnose any problems.
Marta – There is one other area that is related to the OBDII and is another point of frustration for vehicles going through the state inspection process – The “Not Ready” status indicators.
Frank – Yes, the vehicle’s computer has a number of monitors set up to read specific emission components. When these systems are working properly the monitors are considered “Ready”. When a problem is detected the computer registers the fault codes and puts the monitor in the “Not Ready” mode. This Not Ready status will remain even if the trouble codes have been cleared by a scan tool during the repair process OR if the battery has been disconnected for any reason. In order to get all the systems back to the “Ready” mode the vehicle must go through a “Drive Cycle”. I tell people it’s like a computer re-boot process. The drive cycle can vary by vehicle make and model but it is a combination starting and turning the vehicle on and off city and highway driving at various speeds for a set period of time. Ultimately the drive cycle allows the vehicle’s computer system to do a self test and if all is good reset each system back to the “Ready” mode. FYI before October 2008 the State Inspection process allowed for 2 of the 12 monitored systems to be in Not Ready status. If more than 2 Not Ready’s, the vehicle fails. After October 2008 the State changed the rules. Now vehicles 1996 through 2000 cannot have more than 2 Not Ready readings but vehicles 2001 and newer will fail if more than 1 OBD monitor is reading Not Ready.
Why is this particularly frustrating? We see owners /drivers all the time who have just come from making a repair to their vehicle or having changed out a battery, coming in for a State Inspection only to be told they have failed because of having “Not Ready” status readings. These vehicles needed to go through their “Drive Cycle” to re-boot their computer systems and they did not know or were not told to do this.
Marta – It is important that people don’t confuse the check engine light with other maintenance or service needed lights on their dashboard. Your Owner’s Manual will show and describe what other dashboard warning lights your vehicle has.
Also, I hope everyone understands that Inspectors are doing their job and following the rules set by the State of Texas. Please don’t take out your frustrations on the Inspector if your car fails an inspection. Boy, cars today are so complicated. I’m glad I have you to explain all this.
Frank – I’m happy to help! Next month we will answer a number of questions we have gotten about Air Conditioning problems.
Marta – Cool–It’s a date!
Kwik Kar Gal and Kwik Kar Guy – Marta and Frank Answers your Automotive Questions with Honest Answers
Republished from “The 380 News” – originally published June 7, 2011.
Marta and Frank Dudowicz are the local owners and operators of four Kwik Kar Lube and Auto Service Centers in the area (three on Rt.380). They have 10 years experience in running their businesses. Frank prior to opening his business was a senior executive with Pennzoil/Quaker State (Motor Oil). www.kwikkardenton.com E-mail your questions to md@kwikkardenton.com
The Summer Driving Trip
Marta
One of our readers has a question for us – She writes, “My family and I are planning our summer vacation and will be driving our family car. What do I need to do to get my car ready for a long road trip?”
Frank
First, I would like to break the discussion into two parts. One is the safety and don’t break down part and the other is the efficiency or gas mileage part. The later part, because this is a major concern with the current state of gas prices and in some cases these two areas can be related.
Frank
– That’s exactly right. Boy, are you smart! I bet you learned that from me. OK let’s get started. Most of the items that one needs to do to get ready for the road trip are the common sense things we all should know. But I will briefly mention them as well as to emphasize others that we might not readily think about. Before your trip have all of your fluid levels checked – Motor oil, Transmission oil, Differential oil (and as a side note, while checking any fluid observe any possibility of leaks or wet spots around these areas for signs of beginning trouble), Brake fluid (and if this is low consult a trained technician who will correctly advise you about the cause of this), Power Steering fluid, Engine coolant (check the coolant overflow reservoir first; if it is at the safe level you should not need to open the radiator cap which should only be opened when the engine is cooled down) and Windshield washer fluid. – I bet you mean that if you have your vehicle properly maintained you will get better gas mileage and ensure that your car won’t break down while on your trip.– Great question. Many of us are planning trips now that school is over. Whether you are going on a short day trip or a long road trip there are several important things you should know and do.
Again, while you are checking some of these items under the hood, it is important to check the belts and hoses for cracks. The serpentine belt controls the electrical, power steering, water pump, and air conditioning systems. The hoses affect the cooling system that protects your engine.
Make sure your front and back lights are working correctly. Burned out tail and brake lights can be dangerous. Also take the time to clean your headlight lenses so you will be able to see better at night. This will be important as you might be driving on unfamiliar roads. And as you stop for gas along the way, clean your headlights and the side mirrors as you clean your windshield.
Frank
If you haven’t rotated your tires in the last 10,000 miles consider rotating them before your trip. Next, make sure your tires are inflated to their proper level. Since heat makes air expand make sure to check your tire pressure when the tires are cool. Not only is this a safety issue but an important component to getting the best fuel efficiency out of your vehicle. Studies have shown that underinflated tires do reduce fuel economy.
Frank
Test all three systems before you go so that you don’t have this problem. Most people think that the cold weather up North is the worst condition for a car’s battery. Not true. Heat- heat-heat destroys more batteries than the cold. In fact, the Southwest (Texas is included in this) has the highest number of sales of replacement batteries in the country. And July and August are the highest months for sales of batteries. Consider the strain on your electrical system driving long distances at 100 plus degrees with the AC on full blast, the radio and the kids DVD player going. Oh, and do you have one of those plug-in coolers also?
Here are the additional ways you can make sure your car is in peak condition for the best fuel economy and performance. Most people forget that the way the driver drives can have a significant impact on fuel economy. Aggressive driving speed can reduce gas mileage by 30%. Driving at speeds over 65 mph decreases gas mileage significantly. So drive smart.
Also, there are some other things that you can do that I have not mentioned so far. One is that dirty air filters can waste gas and cause problems with your engine. Air filters that are even the slightest dirty can cause the sensors in the fuel injection system to compensate with a heavier fuel mixture or to run rich which uses more gas. Studies indicate that a clogged air filter will reduce fuel economy by as much as 10%.
Excessive idling can waste gas as does jackrabbit acceleration from a stop position and aggressive passing of cars on the road.
Here is one most people don’t think about – excessive weight – carrying lots of cargo. They say each extra (unnecessary) 100lbs can cause 1 to 2% loss in fuel economy.
Marta
Traveling with children? Planning is the key! – Check out on line – tips to entertain children on a road trip – they have great ideas for all ages. Frank, remember all the road trips we took with our girls when they were growing up? So many great vacations and memories!
