Got my first Check Engine light!

[timmer]

On my way to work this morning my check engine light came on. I was about a mile away from my house and I had to punch it a little to merge into traffic. About 5 seconds later the light comes on. It was pretty neat because I caught it right away and actually blinked a couple of times to make sure I wasn't imagining it.

So I pull into a parking lot and fish out the manual because its never happened before. Manual says not to sweat it and if it stays on bring it to a dealer. Like Hell I will, I fire it back up, the light is still there but the Libby is running fine.

While on the way to work I start running different things though my head The gas cap has got to be on unless someone tried to siphon my gas, a quick look at the fuel level show it where it should be - a little under 1/4 left. My next thought is COOL, now I have an excuse to get a scan tool!

I left work a couple of hours later and stop by Harbor Freight and pick up an OBDII-CAN reader and the light is still on.

I get home, read the directions and pull a P0442 - Evaporative Emission Control System Leak Detected (medium leak). After resetting the error I go fill up with gas and run some errands for about an hour, no more light - yet.

If you're waiting for the "moral of the story" there isn't one, I got to get another tool though!

 

[tjkj2002]

Nothing like getting a new tools!!!!!!!!!I can't even go to Sears anymore ,can never leave that place without buying something.So far I have resisted getting a Sears card.

 

[timmer]

I almost went to Sears last weekend to get one of those rolling work-stools with the tool bin underneath it, I resisted though.

 

[JeepJeepster]

Glad you got the scantool!













You do know that your Jeep will tell you the codes without that.. right??

 

[hyde]

I wish you checked here before. It is very easy to read the codes from the Jeep. So return it.

 

[timmer]

I know you can do the ignition thing to get the codes and do a battery reset to clear the codes.

No big deal, its not like it's Jeep specific or anything. Besides, I want to play with it and see if there are any hacks I can do to it.

I've also been thinking about getting a CarChip which you can read about it here Rainy Day Magazine.

 

[hyde]

How much $$$?

 

[Dave]

On my way to work this morning my check engine light came on. I was about a mile away from my house and I had to punch it a little to merge into traffic. About 5 seconds later the light comes on. It was pretty neat because I caught it right away and actually blinked a couple of times to make sure I wasn't imagining it.

So I pull into a parking lot and fish out the manual because its never happened before. Manual says not to sweat it and if it stays on bring it to a dealer. Like Hell I will, I fire it back up, the light is still there but the Libby is running fine.

While on the way to work I start running different things though my head The gas cap has got to be on unless someone tried to siphon my gas, a quick look at the fuel level show it where it should be - a little under 1/4 left. My next thought is COOL, now I have an excuse to get a scan tool!

I left work a couple of hours later and stop by Harbor Freight and pick up an OBDII-CAN reader and the light is still on.

I get home, read the directions and pull a P0442 - Evaporative Emission Control System Leak Detected (medium leak). After resetting the error I go fill up with gas and run some errands for about an hour, no more light - yet.

If you're waiting for the "moral of the story" there isn't one, I got to get another tool though!

So it was just the gas cap. That's good (that it was nothing serious or expensive). Like previously said, you do not need a scan tool to read KJ codes. Turn the key on/off 3 times and if there are codes they will display. If no codes it will read "done". Take the scan tool back and save some $$$. Harbor Freight is not too impressive. Stick with Craftsman and S&K and you'll be better off in the long run.

Dave

 

[timmer]

How much $$$?

$ 59.99

 

[hyde]

not that bad

 

[thecause17]

I have a scan tool also, but I had it before I had the KJ...it's paid for itself numerous times with other cars though. Anytime somebody I know gets a cel, they borrow it. I originally got it to pull codes off of a ZX2 I had, and it saved me a huge headache of tracing down a problem. The car was rebuilt and when it was put back together nobody plugged in the gas tank pressure sensor, and it kept throwing a code for high tank evap pressure.

I had the exact code you did a few days ago (P0442) and pulled the code both ways to make sure it was the only one. I cleared it and made sure my gas cap was on tight and it hasn't come back. First light I've seen come on in my KJ. About to roll over 50k miles.

 

[hyde]

I had 442, dealer fixed (cleared) , now I have 441, that disappeared last week, though..

 

[thecause17]

That scan tool is worth to me alone just so I don't have to take it anywhere to get cleared or disconnect my battery and lose all my presets.

 

[2003KJ]

KEEP THE SCANNER!!!!

In addition to being able to read codes on your vehicle, you can read them on all your buddy's vehicles (making you become THE MAN )

I use mine on all my friends, neighbors, and co-worker's vehicles when needed. Save them about $75 (the average price for a diagnostic check) each time

 

[2003KJ]

That scan tool is worth to me alone just so I don't have to take it anywhere to get cleared or disconnect my battery and lose all my presets.

If you still have the stock radio, you should still have your presets if you disco the battery. When I changed my battery in December, I still had my presets and trip odometer settings when I hooked the new battery up.

 

[thecause17]

Cool, I never tried it with the KJ, since I already have the scanner...everything else I've ever owned has lost the settings though.

 

[JeepJeepster]

Ive never heard of another vehicle being able to tell you the codes.. But I dont read up on other vehicled since there isnt a need..

 

[thecause17]

A lot of the OBD I cars were able to read out codes to you, but it requires the jumping of a couple pins in the diagnostic plug under the hood. When you do this, the check engine light blinks out sequences which translate into code numbers. Long flashes are the 10's digit, and short flashes are the 1's digit....done that many times on previous cars.

but as far as reading out a code on the odometer...Chrysler products are the only ones I've seen do that.

 

[JeepJeepster]

but as far as reading out a code on the odometer...Chrysler products are the only ones I've seen do that.

Thought so.

You wouldnt happen to know if the new Wk's can give the codes like that do you?

 

[thecause17]

I'm not sure, their starting to get so complicated anymore...are they even still OBD-II? Or did III come out yet? If it's II they should still do that I would imagine...if you have access to one try it, I'm curious now too.