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Seems like one thing after another.. .. now check engine light came on.

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 12:54 am
by yuppicide
Was on my way to help a friend moved and noticed the check engine light on. I turned around and went home.Could an oil change do this? I had the oil changed at one of those quickie places yesterday. While I was there he informed me to have the transmission fluid changed.. $120 bucks. Is that a fair price and looking at the trans fluid how can I tell it needs to be changed or not?I am asking about the oil change in case I need to go back to them and ask them.. unfortunately nobody is open New Years day or Sunday. I noticed the Anti-Freeze isn't at the full line, maybe halfway between full and low, so I purchased some more. My friend says Dex Cool has some kind of crystalization problem after awhile, so some companies stopped using it. I'm not gonna change that now since it's cold and snowy outside and I can't flush the system and switch to regular anti-freeze.I had just got gas when I noticed the light on, so I opened the gas cap and retightened it to one click.

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 1:27 am
by TONY TAT2
You could just top off the anti-freez with distilled water,doubt its gona need nuch.Check light proably just a loose cap,or it's not sealing.good luck,btw its 52deg here as Im typen this

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 3:10 am
by yuppicide
Yeah, I called my relatives out in Hawaii. Good to know it's probably just a sensor or something. I'm gonna see if Auto Zone or some place has a thing to tell me what's bad.

Re: Seems like one thing after another.. .. now check engine light came on. (yuppicide)

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 3:35 am
by Salsa Guy
Have Autozone run a code. Then check it out on Genvibe or MO some codes may only be a symtom and the fix. As Far as the Coolant being low I wouldn't worry about it. It will change depending on the Temp . Expands when hot and contracts when cold. THe Tranny Fluid Flush/Change isn't that bad of a deal but you may want to consider a Syn ATF. How many miles you have on it?

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 12:28 pm
by yuppicide
Just over 61,000 miles. So, I'm told between 60 - 80 to do the trans oil.Let's say I buy an OBD II reader just to have.. are they easy to use? Where do they plug in?http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ...JZDS9$22 bucks.

Re: (yuppicide)

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 12:44 pm
by Sublimewind
Quote, originally posted by yuppicide »Just over 61,000 miles. So, I'm told between 60 - 80 to do the trans oil.Let's say I buy an OBD II reader just to have.. are they easy to use? Where do they plug in?http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ...JZDS9$22 bucks.You could do that, or you could have Autozone or wherever read them for you... if you get a lot, it'd be worth it... Plugs in under the dash, super easy to use...

Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2011 12:45 pm
by Salsa Guy
Not sure of the schedule for that. Check the manual or do a search. Those OBD II readers are cery easy to use and plug in lower left dash (on the Matrix).

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 9:33 am
by yuppicide
Today I went to AutoZone.. they plugged in OBD II.. here's the message I got:P2610 - ECM/PCM Internal Engine Off Timer Performance.After that I drove to the supermarket, an hour and back to my Grandmother's, and the light is off now.

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:28 am
by Salsa Guy
What year, model? (XR, XRS. AWD). It maybe under the ECU recall

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 10:11 pm
by yuppicide
2008 Vibe.. 4 cylinder. Seems the ECU recall is for 6 cylinder.

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 10:28 pm
by Salsa Guy
To my knowledge there isn't a 6 cylinder Vibe/Matrix/Corolla. Unless someone did a swap. I beleive your car is under recall for bad ECUs. That code is a syptom of that. Did you erase the code? If you did they won't repair it, under warranty, unless it stored or active. Have Autozone recheck it and make sure it stored in the ECU and do not erase it! Then call Toyota make an apointment and have them check it out. Here's the catch they'll want $120 to run diagnostics and if that code is stored/or active they'll replace the ECU. The diagnostics will also be free of charge. Make sure you have it documented before going to Toyota.

Re: (rmckinjr)

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 11:17 pm
by bodhi_tree777
The code might still be stored. If anything, do you stil have the printout that Autozone gave you with the code showing? That should be enough to get your recall work done.

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:40 am
by yuppicide
You know I totally forgot until you mentioned it about the recall.We had got a letter in the mail awhile ago which said they will contact us. They definitely don't have a current number for us.The light is back on so I'll call them 2morrow.

Re: (yuppicide)

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 10:23 am
by Salsa Guy
LOL, I hope it all goes well