Recommendations for a scanner - Check engine light on
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 426
Likes: 129
From: Buffalo, Texas
Recommendations for a scanner - Check engine light on
Check engine light on after I filled with gas last night. It happened on my 2006 C6 Z06 for the first time. I've had it happen on my C5 and I could reset the code manually, but not on the C6.
I tried the normal stuff, starting the car a few times, and made sure the gas cap was on correctly. Now I guess I'm headed to Autozone so they can check the code and clear it. I'd like to buy a scanning tool so if this happens again, I can do it myself. What do you recommend? And also any recommendations on how to stop this from happening? Should I replace the gas cap? Thanks!
I tried the normal stuff, starting the car a few times, and made sure the gas cap was on correctly. Now I guess I'm headed to Autozone so they can check the code and clear it. I'd like to buy a scanning tool so if this happens again, I can do it myself. What do you recommend? And also any recommendations on how to stop this from happening? Should I replace the gas cap? Thanks!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,457
Likes: 297
From: corpus christi Texas
Check engine light on after I filled with gas last night. It happened on my 2006 C6 Z06 for the first time. I've had it happen on my C5 and I could reset the code manually, but not on the C6.
I tried the normal stuff, starting the car a few times, and made sure the gas cap was on correctly. Now I guess I'm headed to Autozone so they can check the code and clear it. I'd like to buy a scanning tool so if this happens again, I can do it myself. What do you recommend? And also any recommendations on how to stop this from happening? Should I replace the gas cap? Thanks!
I tried the normal stuff, starting the car a few times, and made sure the gas cap was on correctly. Now I guess I'm headed to Autozone so they can check the code and clear it. I'd like to buy a scanning tool so if this happens again, I can do it myself. What do you recommend? And also any recommendations on how to stop this from happening? Should I replace the gas cap? Thanks!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 426
Likes: 129
From: Buffalo, Texas
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,825
Likes: 443
From: Boca Raton Florida
The code you had nothing to do with the gas cap, it would have said evap system if it was. So you wasted some money. You cannot throw on parts when you get a code hoping it will fix it. In addition sometimes codes happen as a glitch, you clear it, if never comes back you had a glitch, if it does you have a legitimate problem that needs to be properly diagnosed. And for that you need the shop manual. If not do inclined, and you have to take it to some place for it to be diagnosed, this way at least you know the effected area so the dealers cannot bs you and try charge you for something else, which is known to happen. That happened to me and they were red faced when i knew that they were bs ing. It increases your knowledge and the awareness.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 426
Likes: 129
From: Buffalo, Texas
The code you had nothing to do with the gas cap, it would have said evap system if it was. So you wasted some money. You cannot throw on parts when you get a code hoping it will fix it. In addition sometimes codes happen as a glitch, you clear it, if never comes back you had a glitch, if it does you have a legitimate problem that needs to be properly diagnosed. And for that you need the shop manual. If not do inclined, and you have to take it to some place for it to be diagnosed, this way at least you know the effected area so the dealers cannot bs you and try charge you for something else, which is known to happen. That happened to me and they were red faced when i knew that they were bs ing. It increases your knowledge and the awareness.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 4,362
From: Chirper Island
Most of us can't screw the cap in the wrong way (turn clockwise until the threads engage, then pull on the cap to finish closing and make sure that three clicks are done before stopping) without getting a CEL the next ignition cycle.
Last edited by owc6; Sep 18, 2016 at 11:01 PM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 7,188
Likes: 1,546
From: Florida
The code you had nothing to do with the gas cap, it would have said evap system if it was. So you wasted some money. You cannot throw on parts when you get a code hoping it will fix it. In addition sometimes codes happen as a glitch, you clear it, if never comes back you had a glitch, if it does you have a legitimate problem that needs to be properly diagnosed. And for that you need the shop manual. If not do inclined, and you have to take it to some place for it to be diagnosed, this way at least you know the effected area so the dealers cannot bs you and try charge you for something else, which is known to happen. That happened to me and they were red faced when i knew that they were bs ing. It increases your knowledge and the awareness.
All the good info that comes from CELs and often misunderstood, wasted, or some run right to the gas cap. It's just too easy and not very costly to acquire a scan tool for P-codes. Another bad practice is to just throw new parts, at random, in the general direction of the code.
And it is unfortunate with any modern car that there is such a gigantic leap in diagnostic tool cost to read the other three code sets - B, C, U codes.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,493
Likes: 809
From: West coast CA
Or, say, hold down the recirc button and the trunk release and the nav/radio screen becomes a Tech 2.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 7,188
Likes: 1,546
From: Florida
And to exacerbate that, every manufacturer has created its own proprietary system to do the exact same thing. None are available/affordable to the public. Enthusiasts seek to acquire these tools, but even so, they get outdated. Case in point, I've owned Jaguars on the Ford platform. I've spent a fortune on Ford's WDS, then the newer IDS, even that is now updated and Jaguar has left Ford.
Same thing with GM, I've headed down the Tech2 path but already outdated. I used to be into Mopar too, but thankfully for my wallet, not in recent years.
Someday, prob 20 years from now, these relics are going to become unrepairable.
Last edited by BlindSpot; Sep 20, 2016 at 12:09 PM.