CEL on, CEL off

[Scarpa]

Hey, I know there's big threads about this stuff and I did read through them but just want some more input.

Bought a used '15 w/ 21k miles over the weekend on Saturday. Sunday after breakfast the CEL and TC light came on, got on here, read the mega-sticky and groaned, but I'm ok because warranty.

So I call the dealer I bought it from, they say take it to a Toyota dealer. I drive down to the Toyota dealer knowing their service dept isn't open but wanted to confirm warranty status. Got nothing but a bunch of BS from the sales guys "gas cap is loose" "car was sitting needs to figure itself out again" "TC light on means it's working"

Anyway, driving home from the Toyota dealer and the TC light goes off. Thinking maybe it does need to 'figure itself out' lol.. jokes on me I commute it 30 miles to work and the CEL goes off!

I'm going to have the code pulled at an auto parts store later today just for sanity and in case it comes back I have a little bit of a clue what's up before I take it to the dealer.

Based on the mega thread this just comes with the territory on these cars, but I kind of thought this would be sorted on a '15.

I guess I don't have a question I just wanted to vent a little. I'm keeping the car even though I could 'return' it today if I wanted.

[FX86]

is the car fully stock or have there been some modifications done to it? i have a 15 with 25K+ miles and didn't once get a CEL or TC light so far *knock on wood*

[Scarpa]

I think it's stock but I guess no way to know for sure. It has an odd spoiler that I think is aftermarket even though the dealer said it was stock, I posted in the cosmetic exterior sub-forum about it.

[FX86]

Originally Posted by Scarpa

I think it's stock but I guess no way to know for sure. It has an odd spoiler that I think is aftermarket even though the dealer said it was stock, I posted in the cosmetic exterior sub-forum about it.

engine bay looks normal? anything out the ordinary compared to the factory engine bay?

[jeffchap]

Stop by an auto parts store and have them read the codes and come back and let us know. Even if the lights have gone off, the ECU should still have saved the codes.




Take heart that if the lights did go off on their own, it probably was something with the pressurized fuel system like a loose gas cap. Usually they don't reset themselves without disconnecting the battery or using an OBDII reader.

[Scarpa]

Yeah I'm fairly certain it's stock. I've had modded cars before (although long time ago) and thoroughly looked over engine bay before I bought it. Since the spoiler appears to be a TRD part (thanks for the ID, FX86) I'm guessing rest of car is stock. I can't imagine someone doing ONLY an ECU flash and nothing else.

Thanks for the feedback guys, I'll pull codes this evening and report back.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Scarpa

Yeah I'm fairly certain it's stock. I've had modded cars before (although long time ago) and thoroughly looked over engine bay before I bought it. Since the spoiler appears to be a TRD part (thanks for the ID, FX86) I'm guessing rest of car is stock. I can't imagine someone doing ONLY an ECU flash and nothing else.

Thanks for the feedback guys, I'll pull codes this evening and report back.

I suggest you invest in an inexpensive code reader.

That way, you can easily better understand what your car is trying to tell you ....


humfrz

[guybo]

Your post actually tells us nothing and there's no help we can offer. Don't clear the CEL. Since you just bought the car have the dealership read the code and tell you 1 what the code is and 2 what it means. Double check online and Google the code make sure they are not bullshitting you.

It could be the gas cap is loose. It could be A LOT of things. Usually when the dealer opens with the loose gas cap, they are blowing you off.

[Scarpa]

You guys crack me up. I'm just an excited new owner, I'll try not to dirty the forum with the millionth rehash of whatever issue I have anymore.

Kind of sad it's considered normal to own a code reader but I've been away from 'enthusiast' cars for too long I guess. Reader is on the way, CEL has been off for two days.

[Icecreamtruk]

Originally Posted by Scarpa

You guys crack me up. I'm just an excited new owner, I'll try not to dirty the forum with the millionth rehash of whatever issue I have anymore.

Kind of sad it's considered normal to own a code reader but I've been away from 'enthusiast' cars for too long I guess. Reader is on the way, CEL has been off for two days.

Its a tool like any other. A code reader is not any more magical or rare than a wrench. It takes longer to get a wheel of the car than it does to read a code, and as a bonus, you dont end up sweaty/dirty. Also, its not because the dealer tells you something that it means exactly that. They are a business like many others, some are good and will do a fine job, others are shit and just looking for ways of taking money from you. A code reader comes in handy because you can easily tell when the dealer is telling you bullshit about it (since they seem to assume that nobody other than a mechanic of some sort can read these codes...)

[jawn]

Originally Posted by Icecreamtruk

Its a tool like any other. A code reader is not any more magical or rare than a wrench. It takes longer to get a wheel of the car than it does to read a code, and as a bonus, you dont end up sweaty/dirty. Also, its not because the dealer tells you something that it means exactly that. They are a business like many others, some are good and will do a fine job, others are shit and just looking for ways of taking money from you. A code reader comes in handy because you can easily tell when the dealer is telling you bullshit about it (since they seem to assume that nobody other than a mechanic of some sort can read these codes...)

This. I have wrenches that are more expensive than my code reader. There's no reason not to have one these days.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Scarpa

You guys crack me up. I'm just an excited new owner, I'll try not to dirty the forum with the millionth rehash of whatever issue I have anymore.

Kind of sad it's considered normal to own a code reader but I've been away from 'enthusiast' cars for too long I guess. Reader is on the way, CEL has been off for two days.

Yep, not having a code reader today, would be like trying to tune up a car of yesteryear without having a dwell meter, timing light or feeler gauge.

Well, maybe not necessary, but they were a good double check on the old ears .....


humfrz

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Scarpa

Kind of sad it's considered normal to own a code reader but I've been away from 'enthusiast' cars for too long I guess. Reader is on the way, CEL has been off for two days.

Actually code readers are cheap if you have a smartphone and/or tablet. I bought a Bluetooth one for $12 at Amazon and downloaded the free version of Torque on my phone. Once I used it more than twice, I paid the fee minimal fee and got the paid version.

I use it all the time on all my cars, not just to look at codes but to look at other items, and sometimes just to play around to see what the car is doing when driving.

For the 86 get a low profile one. I have one of the older, long ones and it gets in the way when driving.

[Dadhawk]

I believe the codes (depending on what they are) will clear after some period of time, at least in my experience. I owned an Astro that used to intermittently through an O2 sensor code (bad sensor) for no reason, usually right before I needed the emissions inspection. If I drove it long enough, the light would go out and it would pass emissions fine, no codes.

The car had over 200,000 miles on it, so I would just always make sure to go get an inspection well in advance when the light had been off for a week.