Check Engine Light cannot be read by Scanner?

1.8-liter VVTL-i (2ZZ-GE) and VVT-i (1ZZ-FE) engine, transmission, exhaust, intake, and performance tuning discussions
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deafanddiabetic
Posts: 29
Joined: Tue May 12, 2015 5:30 am

Check Engine Light cannot be read by Scanner?

Post by deafanddiabetic »

I took my 03 Vibe on tour last weekend so I decided to give the old girl a tune up. New shoes, brakes, iridium plugs/wires, air filter.

She loved it. I even spent time putting in new speakers and doing some sound deadening, made the trip much better. All our gear was in a trailer and 3 of us had plenty of room, it's nice being in a 3 piece punk band.

Anyway, drove 800 miles in two days, several states worth of driving, everything ran great, got a solid 28mpg even with the trailer. The last day coming home my check engine came on during an interstate drive. No noticeable symptoms of any kind. I pulled over and checked my belts and fluids and made sure my plugs and wires were tight, all good.

Took it to an AutoReillysAdvance in the next city and they said the meter wasn't finding my sensor at all. Tried the next store, same thing. The scanner wouldn't connect.

Drove it 400 miles home with no symptoms. Today I took it to another place, same issues, he says it's probably a blown fuse somewhere.

Do our Vibes have a diagnostic fuse that can blow? Or why the heck can't my CEL get read?
petervivian
Posts: 301
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:52 am
Location: AR

Re: Check Engine Light cannot be read by Scanner?

Post by petervivian »

OBD fuse maybe?
05 Vibe (Frosty), 13 VW CC (Fortana Red)
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vibrologist
Posts: 1598
Joined: Sat May 10, 2014 8:24 am
Location: Iowa

Re: Check Engine Light cannot be read by Scanner?

Post by vibrologist »

Chances are that this CEL is triggered by a code that is Vibe/Matrix specific. A GM and maybe a Toyota scan tool should reveal the code.

I would disconnect the battery negative, then push the brake pedal for a few seconds to drain all capacitors. That should clear the CEL. It may come back. Then it's a question of how much you worry. I would be annoyed but not worried.
Vibrologist
'05 Vibe

"It is important to know the difference between 'accurate' and 'precise' even if you are neither!"

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deafanddiabetic
Posts: 29
Joined: Tue May 12, 2015 5:30 am

Re: Check Engine Light cannot be read by Scanner?

Post by deafanddiabetic »

My first thought was probably the gas cap, as I had a Matrix that loved the throw that code. I haven't checked the diagnostic fuse yet, it's been pouring rain in the midwest for several days. Sigh.

So far, so good. I'll worry if it starts to idle funny, it dies or it overheats. Otherwise, I ain't dead yet :)
gtv237
Posts: 387
Joined: Fri May 23, 2014 6:21 pm

Re: Check Engine Light cannot be read by Scanner?

Post by gtv237 »

Probably the cigarette lighter/aux power fuse.
deafanddiabetic
Posts: 29
Joined: Tue May 12, 2015 5:30 am

Re: Check Engine Light cannot be read by Scanner?

Post by deafanddiabetic »

Always have a pet peeve for folks who don't answer or provide outcomes for their own posed questions on forums.

I fixed this by checking the fuse box under the steering wheel, my 7.5amp fuse for the OBD (on board diagnostic) was blown.

I replaced it, machine read my codes immediately. I have an angry purge valve. Looks like I'll be doing some cleaning this weekend.

Thanks for the help, everybody!
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