Outback 'Check engine' light

P

PHIL

Hi:

We have a 1997 Legacy Outback. Around 91k miles. The Check engine light
came on yesterday. What are the most common reasons for this?
I checked the oil, it's ok. Car has an automatic. We really don't have the
$$ right now to take it in for service :(

Thanks,
 
PHIL said:
Hi:

We have a 1997 Legacy Outback. Around 91k miles. The Check engine light
came on yesterday. What are the most common reasons for this?
I checked the oil, it's ok. Car has an automatic. We really don't have the
$$ right now to take it in for service :(

Thanks,
May be no more than gas cap not sealed properly. Some auto parts
stores can and will put a reader on the car and tell you what code has
come up, no charge but hoping you'll buy the needed parts from them.

Mickey
 
Mickey said:
May be no more than gas cap not sealed properly.

Thanks. The gas cap was my first thought. We had been doing some
shopping & stopped to fill the tank. I noticed the indicator light after
filling the car up. But I was the pasenger and the light may have been
on some time before that ...
 
AutoZone will read the codes for you for free. Once you know what the code
is, post it here. It will help us tell you what to look for.
 
x-no-archive: yes
Thanks. The gas cap was my first thought. We had been doing some
shopping & stopped to fill the tank. I noticed the indicator light after
filling the car up. But I was the pasenger and the light may have been
on some time before that ...

In some years and model, the CEL light may not go off immediately after
you correct the gas cap fault. It may take several start cycles to
clear the fault. Not sure, but I recall something like 10 power up,
power down power cycles.

If you have an Auto Zone store near you, they will usually check the
codes free of charge.

In my experience, the second most common cause of CEL codes is some
fault problem in the emission system, or its related components
(frequently a defective sensor). It can be something as simple as a
defective spark plug wire, if you are lucky.

Have it diagnosed, and keep us posted.
 
Thanks for the replies. I haven't yet heard if the light came on again
today. She works a couple miles away so I told her to take the car & keep a
eye on the warning light. If it's still on . . . . I'll take further
action. Luckily there is a Auto Zone just a few miles away from here.

--Phil--
 
PHIL said:
Thanks for the replies. I haven't yet heard if the light came on again
today. She works a couple miles away so I told her to take the car & keep a
eye on the warning light. If it's still on . . . . I'll take further
action. Luckily there is a Auto Zone just a few miles away from here.

--Phil--
Don't overlook the possibility that gas cap isn't sealing due to some
"dirt" around the filler neck or on the rubber gasket. I was having a
sim problem a while back and wasn't able to cure until I wiped down
the filler neck and took off the rubber gasket and cleaned real well.

Mickey
 

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