Check Engine Light
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,506
Likes: 6
From: Puyallup, WA
Considering there are probably several hundred + codes that can be thrown, without knowing the code might as well ask what the next mega lotto numbers are going to be..
Simple ODBII code readers are pretty cheap. I got a BAFX bluetooth reader from Amazon for $22 and then paid $5 for the Torque Pro phone app and it reads and clears codes, plus works as a full gauge readout so you can see actual temps and just about any sensor reading you want to see..
I have it in my F150 and read coolant, IAT, volts, the individual tire psi and a ton of other things.
My wife's RAV 4 check engine light came on the other day. I thought about plugging in my traditional ODBII reader that I paid about $75 about 7 years ago.. But, I just pulled the BAFX reader, plugged it into the RAV 4 and read the code and was able to clear it. I noted the code and know what I need to do, but just wanted to see how long it would take for the code to pop back up again... It popped back up about a week later.. It's one of the O2 sensors and I'll fix it this weekend..
With the $75 reader, I have to go thru several pages to select the make of vehicle to finally get the code.. And it won't read any of the other sensors like the BAFX can..
Anyway, get the code and that'll point you where you need to start looking.
Good luck!
Mitch
Simple ODBII code readers are pretty cheap. I got a BAFX bluetooth reader from Amazon for $22 and then paid $5 for the Torque Pro phone app and it reads and clears codes, plus works as a full gauge readout so you can see actual temps and just about any sensor reading you want to see..
I have it in my F150 and read coolant, IAT, volts, the individual tire psi and a ton of other things.
My wife's RAV 4 check engine light came on the other day. I thought about plugging in my traditional ODBII reader that I paid about $75 about 7 years ago.. But, I just pulled the BAFX reader, plugged it into the RAV 4 and read the code and was able to clear it. I noted the code and know what I need to do, but just wanted to see how long it would take for the code to pop back up again... It popped back up about a week later.. It's one of the O2 sensors and I'll fix it this weekend..
With the $75 reader, I have to go thru several pages to select the make of vehicle to finally get the code.. And it won't read any of the other sensors like the BAFX can..
Anyway, get the code and that'll point you where you need to start looking.
Good luck!
Mitch
Last edited by MitchF150; Jul 27, 2018 at 02:11 AM.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,994
Likes: 221
From: Wilmington,NC