Hey y'all!

Does anyone know if a dirty air filter can cause the check engine light to
come on and stay on?! The light came up yesterday and staid on today too.
The car drives nice, it shifts nice. All fluids are topped up. Oil is good,
Fuel good. All looks fine. It doesn't make any noises either. I checked the
air filter this morning and held it up towards the sun. I can hardly see the
light come through it. What can this be? Oh my car is a 99 Camry CE 4-cyl,
auto.

Disconnect battery and reconnect -this should reset your computer so the
light does not come on.
If the air filter is that dirty definitely change it but I have no idea if
that is the cause of the light coming on.
This check engine light never ceases to amaze me. The owners manual implies'
by having you call the service dept. immediately that there is big problems.
I had visions of a ceased engine among other things. Spoke with personell in
person at three Toyota service deptartments and they all say don't worry --
drive it.
Any idea why then the need for the light in the first place and why the
sense of implied trouble in the service booklet?

It would appear I have answered your questions and raised a few more. All I
know is that my check engine light doesn't come on any more.


The Artful Codger

Thank you for your input Artful Codger. I was told today by the Toyota
dealer that the air filter has nothing to do with it and I should go & get
it checked out. The guy was going to get my name and all for the appointment
so they can make a quick bucks on me just by plugging their diagnosing
system into my car. Charge me like $80- for nothing. I just asked them a
question. Today I was driving around all day with the car and the engine
light on. No problems. I'll try the battery disconnection too. I was also
told that a loose gas cap can cause the light to come on. Go figure. :)






"Artfulcodger" <mcbat@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:6h7bb.6311$Lnr1.3454@news01.bloor.is.net.cabl e.rogers.com...

Omega wrote:

OK, its a $2500 tool, you go buy one and check it yourself. Then you can
do it for free!

On Sat, 20 Sep 2003 09:12:30 -0400, "Omega"
<junkmailfree@spamless.edu> wrote:


Autozone will read the codes for free.

Second, had you recently gotten gasoline?? If you don't get the cap
on tight enough, the check engine light has been known to come on.


-
--
Curtis Newton
cnewton@remove-me.akaMail.com
http://surf.to/cnewton
<delete remove-me. to respond to email>
ICQ: 4899169

My point MDT if your service desk says and I quote " you can ride that all
the way to Japan with the check engine light on and it won't hurt that baby"
what the f**** the point in having a light at all. Secondly if this computer
is so damn touchy that a gas cap fitting will set it off and I have had that
happen too, why then the sense of implied emergency in the service booklet.
Perhaps there are conditions that are dangerous but the front men seem to
think not.

The Artful Codger




"MDT Tech®" <ssauer4O@repairman.com> wrote in message
news:cn8bb.605$gR1.128@newsread4.news.pas.earthlin k.net...

Same thing happened to my 2000 Camry XLE. Today I got it check out and it
was a burned out valve pressure sensor. The technician told me that "long
term wise, it will cause damage to the engine". I had it replaced for $230
canadian dollors. $133 for the labour and ~$60 for the sensor.

"Omega" <junkmailfree@spamless.edu> wrote in message
news:2nYab.4171$mv6.717962@news20.bellglobal.com.. .

A "valve pressure sensor?" Huh?
--

~~Philip

"Never let school interfere
with your education - Mark Twain"

I have a mazda and the check engine light came on.....nothing to worry about
at all at least with a mazda.........in my case I need an o2 sensor. I have
yet to replace it.....car runs like a dream
"Philip ®" <chipstate@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:x5bbb.764$vS.363@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink .net...

"MDT Tech®" <ssauer4O@repairman.com> wrote in message
news:cn8bb.605$gR1.128@newsread4.news.pas.earthlin k.net...
They would only have to scan 30 cars to make up what they paid for it. $80
to check a code is quite insane (I've had welding done on my exhaust for a
quarter of that). That seems to be most dealership's (not Toyota exclusive)
favorite ripoff method. Its around the same price from Nissan to diagnose a
check engine light, even though its simple (turning a screw on the ECU) to
check them yourself. Of course this isn't documented in their literature,
aside from the FSM. Did Toyota incorperate this into any of their cars yet?

Artfulcodger wrote:

It can, AS long as the check engine light isnt blinking.

To let you know the system has detected a malfunction, which doesnt
always means it will have anything to do with performance or a
noticeable affect on performance.


Because it "might" one doesnt know till its checked. Its your car, you
can do whatever you want with it. The check engine lights come on for
reasons like catalyts degraded by 60% or more, slight engine missfire,
)2 heater circuit not working, evaporative emission entering into the
air. It you dont like it, write your congressman, they are building them
the exact way the federal goverment told them (not asked, but told) if
they wanted to sell them for use on US highways. DO you think its
different if you bought a Dodge or something? Yes, the light comes on
more often. The biggest culprit for check engine lights is th elose gas
cap, and its always been owner inflicted.

pass the test.

Nick wrote:

Well why would the exhaust shop charge you for welding? I'm sure the
welder is already paid for, its free from there on. Oh, the tech? He can
voluteer his time. I spent $40,000 over my professional life on tools,
continued updating, recertification and so on to volunteer my time for
free. Oh, as for the dealership, we dont have any over head, its all
paid for and the city has exempt us from all property taxes, buisness an
occupation taxes, the power company has exempt us form any billing,
along with water/sewage/garbage, and they give me money for gas to drive
70 miles ropund trip so I can work for free.


And just a FYI, we will tell you what your code is for $38, will will
dig deeper and probalby tell you what will fix it for $78 and up.

Imagine if I told you its a P0171, lean condition. What would you do
with that? Oh, I dont turn the light off either unless I'm told to fix it.

Philip ® wrote:


I'm guessing he meant "vapor pressure sensor" , its part of the evap
system. But hurt the engine???

Mark A wrote:
True and if you think pulling a bulb will do it, your wrong. They will
check for codes and pending codes (in case you cleared them just before
entering the line with your own scan tool) and this was also one of
those other mandatory requirements the feds did.

MDT Tech® wrote:
Vapor pressure sensor.... something bean eaters should have?
--

~~Philip

"Never let school interfere
with your education - Mark Twain"

I got mine for 125 bucks at Kragens.
I'll read any car for a fiver.
Bay Area, CA

mike
------------------

MDT Tech® wrote:

My 99 CE light just came on also. I went to Schuck's auto and borrowed their
free meter. Turns out it was a dirty EGR valve. I will clean it when I get a
change. I hit the reset button and the light went out -- for 200 miles. The
engine light is really an ongoing pollution test-very interesting system.

Omega wrote:

Hi all,

my mother-in-law's car check engine light came on. nothing seems to be wrong
with the car, i.e. running fine/fluids full, etc.

I was wondering if there is a way to check codes like there is on chrysler
product where you cycle the ignition and count blinking lights?

the car is a 2000 Avalon with 66k.

Thanks in advance for any tips and help

Brad

You need an OBD2 reader to get the codes, no shortcuts. You might get it
read free at a car parts place, some do it.
Oh yeah, make sure the cas cap is on tight, that will set it off
sometimes.

mike
-----------

jnb wrote: