Service Engine Soon
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Port Angeles WA
Service Engine Soon
My 92 is getting ready to role over the 60k mark. Recently the “SERVICE ENGINE SOON” light has been coming on intermittently, mostly when I’m driving around kinda slow(crusin). It hasn’t come on while driving down the hiway. My dumb question for the day is- does this light actually do anything or it just another way for the dealer to reel you in for servicing . I do my own maintenance on the car. Is this light like the change oil light that can be reset or does it actually do something? 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,753
Likes: 9
From: Louisiana
Yes, the SES light does something. When the SES light comes on the PCM has seen a signal outside its normal limits. There is a way to retreive information that tells you why the light came on. Use a paperclip and make it into a U shape. The ALDL is located under the drivers side dash about knee high on right. You will need to insert te paperclip into terminal G and A (last on top row and first on bottom row). Now turn the key to the on position and watch you speedometer guage. If no codes show up you will see (---). If a code exist it will give you numbers to tell what sensor the PCM saw out of range. If its just intermittant you might have to try several times to catch it. 
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,891
Likes: 2
From: Baltimore MD
Better yet buy the ACTRON 9150 code reader for ODB I/II - once you set it up for you car it reads the codes and translates them into english. Especially helpful if you are throwing multiple codes.
