whats up i got a 96 5.0 5speed 2wd and i flushed the coolant b/c it looked like gravel, ok well a few days later its running a lil hot , in goes to R on normal before it wouldn't pass N , then i'm driving w/ the a/c on and the cel pops up, i guess i need to pull some codes but did anyone else have this problem before ??? looking for a code reader right now any info appreciated, and i'll be posting back

 

Many parts stores will pull OBD-II codes free, so call around. Write down the WHOLE code (a letter & 4 numbers), have them clear it, then write down the FULL code definition & post it.

Codes don't EVER tell you to change a part - they tell you where to START your diagnosis. So don't start spending money until you've IDed the fault.

 

steve, thank you for your response i will get the codes pulled and cleared and post back, thanks again you saved me some time and $$$$...

 

ok well the light is now off and the bulb isn't burned out, thats why i took a few days to see if it would come on to get the codes read, its off now but i don't know what that means????

 

If the CEL went off on it's own it means that the ECU either "fixed" the issue, or it is no longer receiving a sensor reading out of tolerances.

My 5.8L does that every so often, particularly in high humidity/rainy days. The light comes on, car drives totally fine, and goes off by itself either the next day or sometimes even a few minutes later.

As long as it's driving normally and not using excessive oil or coolant, it's not a big cause for concern. If you notice anything unusual (poor MPG, funny smell, poor performance) then it needs to be checked out even if the CEL isn't on.

 

Get the codes read & cleared anyway. The light stays on while there's a critical fault, but the code will stay for ~50 key cycles. You still need to fix the problem.