Check Engine Light
 

I've had the car on the road for about 40 days and the CEL came on. Code said Cam stuff (can't recall actual wording) I bought from a private dealer and will be bringing it to them for servicing (warranty thing)
My question is can I drive it 60 miles to the dealer with the CEL on? I have an 8am appointment tomorrow.

I love the car and I've had fun driving it. Just looking for guidance. I know a lot of people have had the CEL issue here so I hope they can help me.

Well that is a tough call to be honest. "Cam stuff" could mean a minor sensor issue all the way up to and including you are gonna push a valve through the block (very worst case don't panic).
If the car has not gone into "limp mode" where it restricts revs and power you are probably just fine. Make sure you take it easy though.

The CEL isn't a timer for a bomb and your car will explode. It should be fine,just don't drive like a jackass.

if limp mode has been triggered yourncruise control wont work and the vsc/trac light should stay on all the time

This is what is happening. I will be limping to the garage that I now know. Thank you for the quick responses. I was tempted to clear the codes but I'm gonna leave that to the dealer

Your vehicle is not in limp mode.

If the CEL is flashing, do not drive the vehicle. If it is steady, it is ok to drive.

If you are in the first 3 year 36k from the original date of sale, you have roadside assistance. If it's a Toyota, this part of my reply could be false.

Also, if you are taking it to the dealer, please never clear the code prior. Our computers can see a lot of info behind the code, which most non-oem code readers can not.

Source: I'm a Subaru Service Consultant

So you're saying that when the traction light is on, the A/C and cruise are disabled and the car isn't generating full power, that's not limp mode?

'Cause if it's not limp mode, most of us on the board have been referring to this condition incorrectly for quite a while.

I do not have the manual at work but am pretty sure that is what is written in there someplace. Could also just think that because I have heard it so many times though.

I bought this used but got an extended warranty. I did not erase the codes for the exact reason you specified (good guess on my part). I may be limp mode so I will be taking my time getting there and not using the highway. The code was p0018. Crankshaft position. Crankshaft correlation. (Bank 2 sensor A). This not being a Toyota scion dealer is possibly going to make it difficult?

Unless you are beyond the 5yr/60K manufacturer's drivetrain warranty, I would strongly encourage you to get it to an Toyota/Scion dealer.

At what point did he mention loss of power and a/c?

Please realize, most of my training and knowledge is Subaru specific.

Every CEL that comes on in a Subaru is accompanied by other lights, and the loss of cruise control. At no point in my years of doing this, has this been referred to as "limp mode." The manual simply calls them "malfunction lamps."

My apologies for any confusion, as I know online terminology can differ from industry terms.

You're right, he didn't. He didn't actually clarify either way. I just assumed the loss of cruise always happened together with the diminished power and loss of A/C, since that's what has happened with mine in the past when I got the U0074 code. I was surprised then that power would be diminished for a communication code, but that wouldn't be the weirdest thing about this car.

Which is why I asked. I learned something new.

There could be a .1 mm leak coming from the gas cap and the CEL can be triggered and you'd lose cruise. This is an example of what can cause the CEL to be steady.

You could have an under-performing alternator causing a misfire (aren't electronic ignitions fun?) which will cause the CEL to flash, and you to lose cruise. Flashing is bad. This is the "limp mode" you speak of. Pull over.

The area I'm in has a lot of retirees, most of my day is spent explaining CELs and telling people to tighten their gas caps. Life is awesome.

I had my secondary O2 disconnected and got a similar mode, mine was no cruise/CEL/TC but car had full power and drove as normal. I was running a wideband for a bit to monitor things, everything seemed good in logs :iono:

Maybe its like some "half limp" mode like when your prom dates parents walk in to you checking her oil on the family couch

It's not the "limp mode" I was speaking of, because there appears to be a mode in the middle between those two extremes. I had the situation where using Torque caused the U0074 CEL. The CEL never flashed. I got the traction light, loss of A/C, loss of cruise and a decrease in power.

It wasn't half power like when a diesel goes into protected mode and won't let you go above 50 mph. It was just a general sluggishness, not wanting to wind out as quickly, not providing 100% power when you ask for it. And what's more, the sluggishness doesn't go away immediately after clearing the code but needs a few cycles before getting its pep back, like it was relearning how to make power.

I'm not the only one who has experienced this. Other people have reported the same effect on the board. If someone brings you a car you don't drive every day, you probably wouldn't notice it. But when you drive it every day and then lose a few horses, it's definitely noticeable.

That's what some of us have been referring to as "limp mode," because it definitely feels like the car has a bit of a limp. I'm not arguing with what the service manual says, but I think maybe there's a mode that isn't quite fully described in your manual.

Oh, and also, I have always understood "limp mode" to be a protected mode to allow you to limp home on reduced power. If you're not supposed to drive a car with a flashing CEL, then limp mode would be a misnomer. It should be sit-down-and-wait-by-the-side-of-the-road mode.

So I got the CEL on and the traction and Power steering no longer work. It turns out its an intake sensor. (Exact name escapes me but the part is on order as I expected) The car has not lost power but it is a little "different" starting off in first gear. They reset the codes and it was all good until the lights came back and It was back to "different". My OBD will be here Monday and I'll be able to reset myself until I get the new part. I'm hoping to be back to normal next Friday.

New Updates.
"Tech found failure of B2 (??) (intake side and intake side)oil control valve.
Replaced bank 2. Cleared codes and test drove.

I drove it just over 80 miles and CE came back on. (this you all already knew)

I brought it back 2 weeks later. This is a private dealer mind you (90 miles away). They checked and saw same code again. They then took it to a Toyota dealer next door.
"Technician found P0018 camshaft correlation bank 2 sensor 2. This sensor was already replaced and performed update software. Test drove and light did not return.

This private dealer has done real well with me. instead of taking more money, they have been supportive and comped an oil change and a rotation. They also said this is a Toyota problem that we are just unable to rectify with our limitations.

I drove it 30 miles this time and it came back on.

I had purchased an OBD2 and reset it myself. I noticed that it comes back on after I shut the car down. I restart the motor and it comes back on approximately .6 miles down the road.

I called The local Toyota dealer and They do not see many Scions but would be glad to look at it. I also went to the bigger Subaru dealer 1 mile down the road. The guy at the register there said he has not heard of BRZ or FRS having issues. Also said that BRZ ECU is not the same as an FRS. I'm not going back there.

So on Monday I'm calling the largest Toyota dealer (60 miles away) and talk to someone who may be able to help.

I've owned this car for 6 months. I love it but I'm also getting tired of the "unfixable" ISSUE.

So what will be the next adventure bring me???
Mac

I have a feeling this is a deeper cam and sensor issue, take it to that toyota dealer do NOT leave till they fix it completely if the light keeps appearing you keep taking it to that dealer.

Also please note, the TSB shows how to diagnose this issue is quite complex, if not the most complex fix for this car in it's history so far, a lot of items will need to be replaced to narrow it down print this out:

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...0&d=1352490977


Ask the dealership to give this to the service advisor they may be able to understand it, let them know the brz and FR-S drive-train are exactly similiar

what year is your FRS? Isn't there a Scion dealer you can go to since they may have more first time experience with these cam issues.