Pulling codes

[ADFD1]

My GF has a 08 Jeep Liberty, tonight she calls saying the check engine light is on. She gassed it up about 2 weeks ago swears and the cap was on the right way. She doesn't want the dealer touching it. Can one of the auto parts stores that offers checking for codes pull codes from something from 2008? And for the sake of agrument, can they reset the code if it was something like a gas cap? If it were the gas cap I would guess they charge $100 at a dealership to clear the codes.

Does a gas cap code reset itself after a certain amount of engine on off cycles? Can I invest in one of these scanners for something as new as 2008? If it is some expensive sensor or something like that, knowing what it is before bringing it back to the dealer would be cool. I don't want anyone trying to rip her off. Thanks guys!

 

[tomcat27]

Yes to all of your questions. all cars made from 1996 to the present use the same ODB diagnostic system for common codes. yes, the light will reset itself after so many cycle IF the error is gone. many of the jeep/dodge/chryslers will display the codes themselves - altho not sure on your sebring.

 

[tomcat27]

likewise you can reset the code by disconnecting the battery for 30 seconds. IF the car will self-display codes it does so two different ways: turn the key on (just far enuf for the dash lights to go on) - off - on - off - on and keep it in the on position: the odometer will display codes prefixed with a "P". perhaps by holding in the trip odometer button while turning on the key it may do the same thing. or maybe you need a scanner (anywhere from $50 to $200 and up) which plugs into a diagnostic port under your dashboard.

 

[bdcardinal]

if the car is under warranty they wont charge to pull codes.

 

[eljefino]

There are a few different protocols to OBDII. If the Jeep is CAN-BUS some older readers can't handle that. I would try at autozone first, it's free.

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: tomcat27
likewise you can reset the code by disconnecting the battery for 30 seconds.



Doesn't work on OBD2.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Originally Posted By: tomcat27
likewise you can reset the code by disconnecting the battery for 30 seconds.



Doesn't work on OBD2.

Honda and Toyota specify that or pulling the ECU-B/backup/interior lamp fuses.

But it doesn't work in some cars - I tried it on a Nissan with no avail...

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
if the car is under warranty they wont charge to pull codes.


+1. Plus the dealer's scanner can pull codes and diagnostic info that Autozone can't and wouldn't know what to do with even if they could pull the same info.

 

[ADFD1]

Thanks for the tips. She hates to bring the Jeep to the dealer. In the back of my mind it is a code for the gas cap, she swears otherwise. If it is they will charge time for diagnostics as well as resetting the code. That is why I wanted to try and pull the codes myself. All that is displayed on the dash is the amber light that looks like an engine. It doesn't show anything more than that, and the little Jeep is running just fine.

When I went home to visit family in NY a neighbor had a check engine light on in a 2007 Rav4. The dealer charged $140 to tell her she didn't put the gas cap on the right way, she was TWISTED. I'd be too, and so would my GF. How many stop start cycles does it take to clear if the code is no longer present?

Can these machines you buy at Sears or the parts stores clear codes?

 

[Benzadmiral]

This cropped up on the Buick last year. Since I'd been to that rodeo before (and have been on BITOG for four years now), I hopped out and found the gas cap was a bit loose.

The light went off, not during that day's driving, but the next, and hasn't come back.

 

[yeti]

what tomcat said -- turn key on-off, on -off, on -and leave it in the on position. the trip odometer will read P, and 4 digits. this works for chryco products.my truck does this from time to time, and i get a P0442 code,indicating an evaporative system leak, and it's the gas cap. to clear the CEL, disconnect battery cable for about a minute. gmboy states that this doesn't work on obd2 vehicles, but i've done it successfully on several '96 plus vehicles. i don't know why it doesn't work for him. good luck.

 

[demarpaint]

Just wondering since I have the same vehicle, can a code trip for a gas cap a week or more after a fill up?

 

[yeti]

from what i understand, these things are random occurences.i've had it happen about 7 times in 1 year, then 0 times the next year. go figure.

 

[demarpaint]

Thanks, newest car prior to the 08 Jeep was a 95 Caprice, I sold it. Check engine light would come on randomly, then shut off, no one could ever figure out why. No problems with the Jeep so far but it might pay for me to invest in a scanner, just in case.

 

[SteveSRT8]

never a scanner needed unless you want one. Federal law requires the key dance to show you the codes.

Then you just go on the net and look them up.

BTW, many codes require a certain number of key cycles to set and a certain number to go away. This is where most tales of ghost codes come from. Plus many vehicles will hold a code in memory and NOT trip the CEL.

Go figure.

 

[Vikas]

Buy her a $40 CAN compliant code reader from Amazon for Christmas.

- Vikas

 

[ADFD1]

Originally Posted By: yeti
what tomcat said -- turn key on-off, on -off, on -and leave it in the on position. the trip odometer will read P, and 4 digits. this works for chryco products.my truck does this from time to time, and i get a P0442 code,indicating an evaporative system leak, and it's the gas cap. to clear the CEL, disconnect battery cable for about a minute. gmboy states that this doesn't work on obd2 vehicles, but i've done it successfully on several '96 plus vehicles. i don't know why it doesn't work for him. good luck.


Well the GF called the dealer and asked if the check engine light was on because of the gas cap if there would be a charge for bringing it in, the answer was yes. She stopped by before work, and I tried the Key on off process and got nothing. Then tried it with the trip odometer pressed in, it cleared the trip odometer, then had the compass doing some weird things, along with the odometer displaying things like 60.3 and an s[. Nothing with the letter P. Looks like a trip to one of these places that reads codes for free. I don't think disconnecting the battery clears codes on an 08. I told her to keep driving and hope the light goes off.

If those cryptic letters and numbers mean anything I can have her jot them down and email to me to post here.

If there is some advantage to disconnecting the neg battery terminal let me know and I'll do it on my lunch break.

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Buy her a $40 CAN compliant code reader from Amazon for Christmas.



Agreed.
There are a lot of things that these readers cannot do, but at least they can tell you if her gas cap was loose or if it was something far more important.
You can clear a code and then you will know if the problem is fixed or not.

 

[ADFD1]

I'm the kind of guy that likes to buy something good. Anything that offers more features say in the $100-$150 range? It might be worth having.

 

[ADFD1]

P0456 is the code Evap Emissions System small leak, pending. I did lower the spare tire from under the Jeep to put air in it about a week ago for her. That and put gas in it around the same time IIRC.

Google is my friend, most likely the gas cap. The guy in the parts store said the scanner would say gas cap, and got my GF all rattled. He didn't clear the code.

Is there anything else that code could mean? How long will it take to clear?

THANKS AS ALWAYS!