I recently got the check engine light to come on after driving one day. First thing I checked was the gas cap because I stopped for gas the previous day. Sure enough, it was loose so I put it on tight. The car ran fine, so I assumed that it was the cap.

After checking the boards here, some had mentioned that the light will reset after a certain number of duty cycles without fault (40 or so I think). I never saw anyone mention that they actually got the car to do this. So I have driven it for about two weeks and just now yesterday the light went off.

So......I can confirm that if you get a false light, then it can be reset by driving it several cycles. I dont recommend this of course if there is any doubt that it is NOT your gas cap.

Zoom Zoom !

 

LOL...I have been driving with the CEL on pretty much since I bought my car in Sept. It would reset itself at first, but then eventually it came on and stayed on. Have been to the dealership at least 4 times to have them turn it off and fix the problem.

Always...they tighten the gas cap and turn off the CEL, then restart the car find no CEL and give me back the car with the light off. I drive it about 20 miles down the road and the light comes right back on. It won't kill the car if you drive it with a CEL...I have pretty much given up for the moment since my dealership hasn't really fixed it and I live too far away to go there every day so I have been driving with a CEL for at least 2 months now.

 

If you're documenting all of that, I'm pretty sure you can get the car declared a lemon with no problem. Then you can get another 8 that doesn't do that. If it ends up lighting a fire under their asses to make the next fix count, that's cool too. Look into it. The laws are different in different states. I haven't a clue where Waxahachie is.

 

If it keeps giving you a cel it may be a bad vacume pump. Make your dealer check for that.

 

Man, I had a similar issue...
I went and bought one of these: http://www.tekmatetools.com/
so that I could clear my own codes for the gas camp fiasco. Not a bad price if you have a laptop.

They kept flashing the car, same gas-cap related problem.

Eventually.. while at the dealership before driving off - skeptical - I told the service tech - "Pop the fuel door, unscrew the gas cap and show me how to put it on, since I'm a big dummy"

He put it on, CEL came back on - that was the easiest way to get the new gas cap, for me - this was my second dealership trip for the gas cap fiasco and I didn't really want to keep putting miles on my baby for something that stupid.

So far, so good.

 

Hey...nice help there, makes sense...maybe it's just the dang gas cap.

Nice!