My check engine light is on… Place your bets!

The dreaded check engine light has appeared on my dashboard. What will it be?

Something simple?
Something cripplingly expensive?

Place your bets!

For reference, it is a 2016 Corolla with about 70k miles.
 
Hope it is something simple...like a worn out seal on your gas cap (if that car has one).

just fixed my moms check engine light by replacing her trucks gas cap...$35
 
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They're running her through diagnostics now, I should know soon enough.

She drove fine on the way here, didn't notice anything weird. My old man always said the two things you don't fuck around with are the oil or check engine lights.
"If those come on get it checked pronto."

I just hate knowing jack shit about cars, I feel like I could be grifted to hell and back and just not know it.
 
This is a reminder to me that I really should get an ODB2 reader. (Yeah they pretty much plug into that port and get the codes which will tell them what's wrong. For example if I had one when I got the check engine light earlier this year it would have told me that I had a bad canister purge valve. Guess that's easy to fix.)
 
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This is a reminder to me that I really should get an ODB2 reader. (Yeah they pretty much plug into that port and get the codes which will tell them what's wrong.)
Sometimes that's good, sometimes it's bad. You get an engine light and you scan it and it deletes the code and when you go to the dealership if it doesn't come back you just paid them to say to you that you deleted the code and they can't run a test plan on it to see what's wrong.
 
I had the year prior before it got totaled out (68K). guessing its gas cap. clean around the edges and close back tight.
 
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This is a reminder to me that I really should get an ODB2 reader. (Yeah they pretty much plug into that port and get the codes which will tell them what's wrong. For example if I had one when I got the check engine light earlier this year it would have told me that I had a bad canister purge valve. Guess that's easy to fix.)

I can put gas in the tank and air in the tires, I wouldn't attempt to touch/replace anything as I am a moron regarding all things mechanical.

lol, which is why I worry about being grifted.
"Sir, we gotta re-align your flux capacitor with your dilithium matrix, it's gonna cost you 3k."

Me: "Whelp, I gotta have the car so…" $$$

Reality: they clean the fuckin gas cap for 3k
 
Faulty check engine light.
Will cost you $300 diagnostic fee to figure that out - then $50 for a new light - and $200 labor.
 
Sometimes that's good, sometimes it's bad. You get an engine light and you scan it and it deletes the code and when you go to the dealership if it doesn't come back you just paid them to say to you that you deleted the code and they can't run a test plan on it to see what's wrong.
Damn, didn't know that. I mostly know about from watching my cousin who's a mechanic and the first thing he'd do on any modern car is pull out the reader and do a scan. (Admittedly he started working way before they were a thing.)
 
Normally it is things like emissions or a sensor.
Sometimes that's good, sometimes it's bad. You get an engine light and you scan it and it deletes the code and when you go to the dealership if it doesn't come back you just paid them to say to you that you deleted the code and they can't run a test plan on it to see what's wrong.
Emissions or sensors are usually the more common issues. If the engine light is red then that can mean something major if it's yellow/amber it could be anything even the gas cap like others mentioned. Be careful with the code readers, don't delete anything or it gives us nothing to go on and in all honesty if you don't know much about cars the codes aren't gonna do you much good. I work in automotive and I can't tell you how many times customers will come in with the code thinking they know what it is based on Google, erase everything and then can't tell you any info like if it's been running rough, any noises you've been hearing etc. Understand that the code readers aren't a magic tool, a lot of people think "Just plug it in and get the codes" like we wave a magic car wand but 99% of the time it will also require proper diagnosis as the codes will give you an idea of what is going on and a general idea of where to look but you normally need to test as well. As for my guess I'm gonna say something emissions related.
 
Possibly! I know fuck all about cars
Well I know a bit but count yourself lucky you won't do what I did then. My starter motor was on the way out (I'd flooded the engine before hand going through a deep'ish flooded road, needed a total engine replacement, it had sucked water straight into the block, utter fkin nightmare...)

So I knew the starter was on the way out. I come out one morning, 'Oh shit', its finally gone..



I hoist the bastard up, started to get to work, but then, being the genius I am, tested the battery

Yep, it was the battery :messenger_tears_of_joy:

Four hours down the toilet.
 
It is some canister thingy in the fuel system, it will eventually vapor lock (or something) the engine if it isn't fixed.
Part ordered, it'll be in on Monday and they can fix it then, said it was ok to drive in the meantime.

It'll be around $1500 for the part/labor. Just spent $800 fixing the AC blower a month or two ago.

*sighs*

I put 170k miles on my previous Corolla and never fixed shit, they don't make em like they used to.
Whelp, at least I've got the money to fix it.
 
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It is some canister thingy in the fuel system, it will eventually vapor lock (or something) the engine if it isn't fixed.
Part ordered, it'll be in on Monday and they can fix it then, said it was ok to drive in the meantime.

It'll be around $1500 for the part/labor. Just spent $800 fixing the AC blower a month or two ago.

*sighs*

I put 170k miles on my previous Corolla and never fixed shit, they don't make em like they used to.
Whelp, at least I've got the money to fix it.
So a bad canister purge valve like my car? Admittedly it was at a 160k miles before that happened.
 
I've been wrenching on my own cars since I bought my first at age 14. Over the years I've saved thousands on labour. Having a code reader for today's cars is essential. Simple things like sensors are easy to replace.
My daily is a corolla, which is in need of a new rear bearing hub. About a half hours worth of work, that will save me hundreds on labour and part mark up cost.
A lot of shops screw people over for repairs that aren't needed. I once caught a repair shop trying to rip my mother off. Said on the bill they replaced parts that they didn't, and I had to slap the shop manager around to get the money back.

I hope your shop does you right.
 
Not to mention old school engines you can clearly see and identify what you're looking at. Popping a modern day hood is a mess.
Aye, it's a complete joke. I had a few cars in the mid to late 90's, it was so much easier. Even getting parts was a breeze. There was always a breakers yard just down the road if needed

Fixing motors is pure ball ache these days.
 
Probably a system too lean code, it's the most common. Dirty air filter, dirty MAF sensor, air leak in the intake hose, or bad o2 sensor can cause it. If it runs fine then it's not a misfire, you would feel the engine chugging along. Just buy a cheap bluetooth obd2 scanner, use the Torque app and look up the codes yourself.
 
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It is some canister thingy in the fuel system, it will eventually vapor lock (or something) the engine if it isn't fixed.
Part ordered, it'll be in on Monday and they can fix it then, said it was ok to drive in the meantime.

It'll be around $1500 for the part/labor. Just spent $800 fixing the AC blower a month or two ago.

*sighs*

I put 170k miles on my previous Corolla and never fixed shit, they don't make em like they used to.
Whelp, at least I've got the money to fix it.
Make sure when you fill up with gas you don't put any additional once it switches off. You can get fuel in that cannister and it needs replacing.
 
Possibly! I know fuck all about cars, I change the oil regularly like a good boy though.
If you were a good boy you would have a garage change the oil as part of a regular service interval

You need compatible diagnostic equipment to determine the check engine light reason
 
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