Jebba Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Hey everybody, I'm new here (yeah, like you didnt know that, lol) and i just wanna say that this website is AWESOME!! theres a TON of great info on here!! Now to my problem. Ok, my mom drives a '98 forester with about 179 thousand miles on it. over the past year, the check engine light has started to come on for no apparent reason. I say "no apparent reason" because the first couple of times it came on she took it to a mechanic, and he ran a diagnostic check on it, and could find no problems. so after the first couple of times, my mom decided it was getting too expensive to keep checking, so she just ignored it. It doesnt come on rite away, but after driving a certain distance it will come on, or if you go up a steep hill or down one. now, last week, the speed sensor failed, so my took it to the dealership and they replaced it, and also found 68 error codes recorded on the computer! the car now runs and shifts much better, so naturally i figured that the speed sensor was causing the light to come on. Not so. today i was driving, and I went up a fairly steep hill, and BLINK! there it comes on again. anyone have any advice? -Jebba <>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99obw Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 We need to know what codes are being set. Autozone should pull them for you for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSoob Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Just remove the bulb from behind the dash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jebba Posted June 3, 2004 Author Share Posted June 3, 2004 Ok, the Autozone idea sounds like a good one, but the nearest autozone is probably in Winsconsin, and also my mom wouldnt care enough to have it checked out anyways. Pullin the bulb also sounds like a good idea, but then my mom would never know if there was somthing actually wrong with the engine, versus fixing the problem. anyone else have any ideas? -Jebba <>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commuter Posted June 4, 2004 Share Posted June 4, 2004 As 99obw said, we really need to know what the code is. I have a 97 OB (same engine). I've been dealing with a P0400 (EGR malfunction) for some time now. (One part changed, but it seems the solenoid is gone too.) For the price of one or two dealer checks, you could buy a code reader. Perhaps someone is in your area who could read the code for you. Given the age and milage, the EGR malfunction might be the problem. Several of us have encountered it around the same time period. And... was it the 98's, or 99's that had the film style MAF that was such a problem? That would show up as a drivability issue though. The EGR doesn't really have any impact (other than emissions). Commuter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99obw Posted June 4, 2004 Share Posted June 4, 2004 I had the same EGR malfunction, and the code reader helped me to fix it myself. Replaced the backpressure transducer and no MIL in months. Not to say that is your problem, but it illustrates the value of an OBDII code reader. There are several threads on code readers, so a search should yield some interesting reading. Not at least finding out what code is being set is a very bad idea IMHO. EDIT: Didn't I jinx myself. MIL on the way to work this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jebba Posted July 30, 2004 Author Share Posted July 30, 2004 Hey people!! alrite, well, first of all I wanna apologize for disappearing for so long and not sayin anything. (if anyone cared). but yeah, GUESS WHAT?? my mom bought a 99 Buick LeSabre Custom with 38k miles on it, and she gave me the Forester. I am SOOO happy cuz its a Soobie, and its a STICK!! (had i already mentioned that?) but yeah, back to the whole point. Ever since IVE been driving it (just me, noone else), the check engine light has NEVER come on. was this just a case of Soobie gremlins, or what?? -Jebba <>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RallyKeith Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 Hey people!! alrite, well, first of all I wanna apologize for disappearing for so long and not sayin anything. (if anyone cared). but yeah, GUESS WHAT?? my mom bought a 99 Buick LeSabre Custom with 38k miles on it, and she gave me the Forester. I am SOOO happy cuz its a Soobie, and its a STICK!! (had i already mentioned that?) but yeah, back to the whole point. Ever since IVE been driving it (just me, noone else), the check engine light has NEVER come on. was this just a case of Soobie gremlins, or what?? -Jebba <>< Well, I missed this thread originally, but Subarus are notorious for throwing the check engine light if the gas cap is the slightest bit loose. What are the odds that your mother was never really tightening the gas cap, but you are? Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jebba Posted July 31, 2004 Author Share Posted July 31, 2004 Hmmmm, it could be, but I dont think so, cuz if that was the case, it would come on after getting gas, and it never did. i spose maybe road conditions could cause it to jar loose, but I don't think that was the problem. Any other ideas?? -Jebba <>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slo5oh Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 I've seen similar situation end up being the o2 sensors. The up or down steep hill will cause either rich or lean condition and the o2's should "sense" that. A code reader should tell you that you are lean on one or both sides.... I wouldn't take it back to that mechanic since he could not pull the codes that were being sent. Some of the low end OBD2 senors seem to be a paper clip and 5 LEDs wrapped in plastic.... just my $.02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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