I have a '01 F-150 V-6 stick shortbed truck. Quite happy with it.
Purchased new last August.

Now the engine service light has just come on at approx 9300 miles and after three oil changes.

How do I reset to turn it off?

This is the first vechicle I've purchased in 37 years that I didn't spring for the shop manual.

 

Try this:

Disconnect the negative battery cable for about 15 minutes.

Re-connect the cable and then take your truck on a 10-15 mile drive. . .varying your driving style every few miles.

Don't turn the engine off once you start it until the 10 mile drive is done.

This will clear any adaptive strategy codes and make the computer 're-learn' what normal is. Most of the time this will clear any annoying codes caused by intermittent flukes in what the EEC computer sees. If the code comes back, then it's not just an adaptive code, it will need to be cleared by a sevice technician or someone with the EEC diagnostic interface tools.


Hope this info helps.


---J

 

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy.........

Why don't we offer more bad advise........

The MIL (Malfunction Indicator Lamp), is an idiot light. It comes on just to tell you "you're an idiot!!!" It doesn't actually mean anything at all.

What you need to do, to keep on with the current logic, is take the dash apart and remove the light bulb so it will never bother you again.

 

First off, I bet **** never bought a vehicle with these kind of indicators before.

He stated that he's changed the Oil three times, the Service Engine Light is has come on and he thinks it wants another Oil change. That is an honest mistake.

****, these trucks have all kinds of sensors on it to tell it what to do. If something, anything, goes bad, the Service Engine Light comes On. You do not want to turn it off. You do not want to disconnect it. Take your vehicle to the Dealer. He can hook up to your vehicle's computer and get a code. He can look up the Code in a manual and it will explain the problem.

When it is fixed, he'll reset the light to the off postion.

As long as you are under warranty this is the procedure to follow.

When your warranty runs out and the light comes on,then reach up under the dash and snip the wire and keep on steady gettin' it.

 

Many times a loose or not properly tighten gas cap will cause the light to come on. Insure the gas cap is on correctly. If that don't help you can either take it to the dealer to see what the problem is or you can go to Autozone and they will read the code for free and tell you what the problem is.

 

A. I never give bad advise.
This man didn't state whether or not there had been any other work done to the truck or not, and if there had (like a sensor being replaced, or the adaptive stratagy window limit had been reached) then clearing the codes is the first step in diagnosis and would correct the problem he stated if it was a simple case of a replaced sensor with no other problems. It is also what the factory technicians do when you take your car in for service at the dealership. If the light returns after the clearing, then as I stated before there is a problem and the vehicle needs to be diagnosed further with the proper equipment.

B. There is nothing worse than someone who doesn't know what the hell they're talking about correcting someone who does. Really makes me Before you make another posting in which you basically call someone a liar, I suggest that you read or ask a knowledgeable source first.

The man asked for help. The information I gave him is true and accurate, and is standard industry practice. '01 XLT Sport is right, too. A gas cap can trigger a code, too if it is worn, leaking, or improperly fastened. So to you, AjRagno I say "F_ck Off" and have a nice day.

 

I would have to agree with WrongdayJ. I have read many of his post and have learned from them. I don't recall any bad or wrong advice. What WrongdayJ suggested was perfectly fine and would not have hurt anything its a good diagnostic troubleshooting method if you dont have a code scanner.

On the other hand AjRagno, I have read many of your post and learned as well, you seem very knowledgable so I must admit I was suprised at your post especially since it offered no advice what so ever. If your not going to offer detailed and informative advice as you usally do then just dont post.

 

I would have to give Raoul's post a Seven.

Though many of his posts indicate he clearly doesn't know what he's talking about, his penmanship, to include spelling and punctuation are always above reproach.

In this particular thread, his theme, though wandering and vague, at least protruded through that offensive, smelly cloak of drool that he attempts to pass off as humor.

 

WrongdayJ, you're like an angry little boy Just add me to your Ignore List if I'm hurting your precious ego.


....standard industry practice."??? Maybe for monkeys with a tool box full of hammers.

MIL's don't come on for no reason. You offered such bad advise, I couldn't resist but follow up with the worst advise I could think of at the moment.


****pribyl,

When an MIL is set, you need to have the computer code retrieed from the memory so you know what happened. Disconnecting the battery clears the code and erases the memory. You don't want to clear the code just to see if it comes back on again after a little driving. What you want to do is have an OBD-II scanner connected to the port under your dash so you can find out what the code is and means. Most Autozone and Checker, as well as many other parts stores will tell you what code is in there for free. Just go down there and tell them your Check Engine Light is on.

If your're not interested in working on your truck yourself, the warranty will cover whatever the problem is, so you can just take it to the local dealer and have them check it.

Disconnecting the battery doesn't fix a problem unless you've done something to correct it already.

 

I said it before and I'll say it again...wrondayJ knows his shiznit!!!

4.10s go in on Tuesday !!! Wooo Hoooo!!!!

 

My take on this is you are both right.

1 - If my light came on and I was under warranty, I would not crawl all over the truck trying to solve. The dealer would get it placed squarely in his lap. (AjRagno WINS)

2. The thread starter only asked ONE question.
"How do I reset it to turn it off?"
This questioned was answered, technically. (WrongdayJ WINS)

3. I assumed that **** thought the light meant it was time for an oil change. (I lose)

It's as plain to see as the nose on your face.
Only **** can settle this.

 

If he reset the battery and it cleared the error code....so what. If the problem still exists, then the error code will come back and so will the Service Engine light....

I could be wrong, but that seems pretty logical to me.

 

Sometimes a problem can be intermittent. This can be frustrating when the dealer says, "Cannot duplicate problem". I have been through this.

They have 'flight recorders' to trap such pesky error codes.

 

Yeah...I remember reading your post about the flight recorders.....Rough Idle right?

 

My first experence with the "flight recorder" was with my 97 4.2. It had a strange problem of when cold out (like 20 degrees) and after driving down the freeway the engineers at Ford decided "well WTF, why not design the throttle body (might be wrong with just what it was) to act like a auto cruise control that don't shut off" translated = keep the fuel going and keep the RPM's at freeway speed why you try getting off the freeway. Blew my mind the first time it happen. The second time it happen I thought "cool" if I get pulled over for speeding when the cop comes up to my window and hears the engine roaring I'll tell him "It aint me, see my foot is off the pedal"

I go to my friendly Ford dealer and tell them the problem, they look at it and say "we can't seem to duplicate the problem" then my reply was "great, looks like next time it happens I will be getting a Ford Lighting, fully loaded for free" I proceeded to tell him what color I would like it in, a performance chip, the exhaust I wanted etc, etc. I guess after that he figured out I wasn't kidding and suggested putting a flight recorder in the truck so they could capture the problem. Now I am thinking a "Flight recorder" I know this truck moves well, but DAMN I didn't think it could fly

About 2 days later the problem happens, I hit the button on the "flight recorder" Damn truck won't lift off the ground, oh well, anyway take it back to Ford. The service guy tells me "you seem to have a problem with the (throttle body, or what ever it was) frezzing open and causing the problem. I say, noooooo Sh*t, you think???? He then proceeds to tell me it will be a week or two while the part is on order and in the mean time if it happens again DO NOT take it out of drive. I ask him WTF would you like me to do continue down the freeway till it runs out of gas??? of course I am a bit pissed off, but not calling him names, so I ask if he has ordered my Ford Lighting yet, and did the superchip and exhaust come in yet. He then came up with a bright idea. He ask would I like to use another brand new truck in the mean time until mine is repaired. I said sure.

True story... poor guy