Drivers Want Code to Their Cars

[Mntsnow]

Rachel Seymour, a college student from Portland, Oregon, has had her 2002 Kia Spectra serviced 12 times for a Check Engine light problem. Each time, she's forced to take it to a Kia dealership, where a technician hooks her car up to a computer, runs a battery of tests and charges her $120 to diagnose and repair the same problem: a loose gas cap.

Seymour said she has no problem screwing a gas cap into place, and that the light has even come on while she's driving home from getting her car serviced. But the dealership has stubbornly stood by its computer diagnosis, saying the car's sensors are detecting a loose gas cap and triggering the Check Engine light -- a "consumer error" that is not covered under the car's warranty. Read more (http://www.wired.com/news/autotech/0,2554,63615,00.html)

[davidw]

It's kinda funny... when I had a vehicle that had an oil change light... the only time it didn't go off after an oil change was when I went to the dealer for the "free" oil change. And even then, they told me how to turn it off manually without even doing anything to the vehicle.

[Centurion]

dremel drill and a little thin drill! nail the LED.

[Mntsnow]

Yeah somethings are a waste but I prefer being able to read the codes myself and know what those codes are without having to pay.

[SoopaStar]

Every car from 95 on should be ODBII compliant. You can buy hand held scanners and pull the codes yourself and even reset the CE light. I just bought one today from www.pocketlogger.com. You can also go to an Advanced Auto Parts or Autozone and have them pull the code for you.
I've read there are some codes that only the dealer can diagnose, but for most things, you should be able to pull the code yourself.

[davidw]

Nice to know that Soopa... I've read about the gizmos that could read the code, but didn't know if it was one of those As seen on tv- Viagra hypes they had going a while back. Thanks - I may get me one now.

[tmx468]

I think that restricting the coding is, at best, monopolistic profiteering at its worst.

All car manufacturers should be held liable for any electrical faults that require such simple fixes.

Here in the UK, restrictions are coming down (until recently, you could void a new cars warranty getting it repaired at a non-manufacturers garage!), but there is still a long way to go to give the consumer the best value.

And I work for Kia (uk)! :p

[mholtum]

You can buy a "reader" and the manual tells you what the codes mean. I got a plugin reader for about $100 That is how I found out my O2 sensors were bad... Or she could go to Checker Auto Parts. They will run the test for free..

[a Bill]

Then they can make Microsoft or any other software company give up their source so we can fix it ourselves :) Same deal, same device.

[Mntsnow]

I have to buy a new scanner as my 2004 Ford F-250 SuperDuty uses the new CAN data instead of the older ODBII data stream.

Paul I hope you read all the so called small print.

Just because it's OBDII doesn't mean it will work.

But there is more to compliance. Ford and GM decided to use a different physical layer of the OBDII network. In other words, GM and Ford ECUs say the same thing (since it's OBDII compliant) but the means by which they say it is different. PocketLOGGER is NOT compatible with these cars. Some Toyotas also used this different interface as well as some Chrysler cars.

Known Compatibility

Cars that are exceptions to the rules stated above and are not compatible with PocketLOGGER for OBDII include (but not limited to):


All GM and Ford cars.
1996-97 Toyotas
All Toyota Supras (including 1998)
1996 ISUZU
1998+ Chrysler Intrepid, 300's, and Concord
Dodge SRT4
99 Subaru Impreza
At this time we have no plans for a PocketLOGGER version that will work with the above cars.

[Mntsnow]

Basically I need to get one Like This One (http://www.toolsource.com/ost//product.asp?brand_id=&sourceid=&dept_id=500&pf_id=93545) AutoXray EZ-Scan is an OBD I and OBD II scanner which includes all OBD II protocols, including the newly released Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol, allowing for more capability and flexibility to manage the diagnostic process. The CAN protocol is currently being used in a variety of vehicles and will be the mandated protocol in all new vehicles by 2008.

[mholtum]

If you were to get a dodge you wouldnt need one..

*ducks to avoid flying objects*

[davidw]

lol...

[SoopaStar]

I read the small print. Actually, I didn't need to. Pocketlogger has been making their loggers for DSMs for years (eagle talon, mitsu elcipse, plymouth laser), so I know it will work for my car :)

Paul

[MDS]

I use auto enginuity which hocks to my laptop and not only reads codes including CAN codes it shows rpm's, temps, speed times(0-60,1/4 mile times), g forces, HP torque and many other things. Comes with interface to laptop through serial cable. I think I paid like $250 for the software, interface, and CAN interface.

[madfish]

{ If you were to get a dodge you wouldnt need one.. }

MOPAR TO YA :D

Mopar man from way back, nuff said.....

[a Bill]

Mopar? I'm sorry, hope you get better one day :D

I'll be using software to reprogram my EEC V later this summer. Not sure where the article writer gets his info from but it isn't from technicians. I'll be able to change anything in the programming that catches my fancy as well as read codes etc. The only thing I won't be able to do is data logging and that will probably be available later this year. My computers chip has two sides and I'll have full access to both.

I also have Fords NGS so if an outsider can get the code equipment a person interested in making a living working on cars can too.

You have to deal with the people that know, not the guy sitting in a pile of kitty litter smoking a cigarette while rebuilding a short block ;)

[Bob.C]

the guy sitting in a pile of kitty litter smoking a cigarette while rebuilding a short block

We've met? Wow!

:D

Bob

[jabbalphie]

i normally just ignore it

[ThRoNkA]

I get my check engine like on because of this code 0xp107. And on my car thats a *drum roll* Heater UnderVolt on my Heater. Its because I have an exhaust leak. :lol: