check engine reset

[hiram]

I have a 2000 Toyota Sienna.  The check engine light went on.  I read about holding in the odometer button and turn the key to on.  It didn't work--got some strange numbers on the odometer window.  I don't want to disconnect the battery cable if I don't have to.  Any other ways to turn off the check engine light?

[R.W.Dale]

 If you don't correct the issue that caused the SES lamp to come on it'll just light back up. Otherwize you'll have to clear the codes with a scanner, Or unplug the battery for 30 min

[quickdtoo]

Take it to your local Autozone and have em read the code(s) for ya so you can find out what's causing the CEL. If you disconnect the battery, you risk loosing DTCs that may help determine what the problem is or that may be secondary issues. They'll tell you what the codes mean or you can look em up on the net.

Tim

[The Gamemaster]

More than likely who ever told you to hold in a certain button while turning on the key was yanking your chain.

You have to use a scan tool to clear the codes.

Unless the light was blinking - it is a emissions problem such as a oxygen sensor or map sensor or EGR valve.

These will not help your gas mileage but will not keep your vehicle from running.

Although I worked on a Honda Civic that had a bad vapor canister / purge solenoid  and it would not run.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

you dont have to use a scanner to clear the codes. on some you do.

cadillac clears the coats with their temp setting adjuster buttons and radio buttons. Chevy uses the gas pedal and radio buttons. As for toyota, i have no clue what they use. get it checked out and see what the problem is.

[Lloyd Smale]

put a piece of electrical tape over the light

[The Gamemaster]

Now I know it is getting deep.

I was a GM service tech and I can tell you that the only thing that you can shut the light off for is the change oil soon light - with the radio buttons - on certain models and with the gas petal.

You cannot shut off the Service Engine Soon light with either of these.

Although if you have On Star they can diagnose the problem and send you a report by E Mail.

The Service Engine Soon light is a warning light that tells you of a potential problem and should not under any circumstances be ignored.

I met a man from Maine that was traveling through Pennsylvania on his way to Michigan in the middle of a terrible snow storm last month,  that stoped into a service station to ask the mechanic why his car was making a terrible noise in the engine compartment.

When I asked him if his check engine light came on - he said - oh that thing has been on for years now.  My mechanic back home told me it was something or another and not to worry about it.

Then I told him that it was a warning indicator that will tell you of potential problems.  If the light is not reset, the problem codes will multiply - which causes other problem codes to show up.
Finally in the end when something quits working, you do not have access to the problem codes that a mechanic needs to diagnose the problem because all the other trouble codes are in the computer and now when you clear the computer - the problem code that you need to know to fix the problem cannot be read because the engine won't run.

If I had a nickle for every person that bought a new computer or a new fuel pump because their car would not run. I would be a millionaire.

Most if not all OBD II computer systems has to be reset with a scan tool.

You cannot clear the codes anymore by just disconnecting the battery cable on most models.

The OBD II was designed because different manufacturers of automobiles were using different On Board Diagnostic plugs to access the computer link.  It was causing a large expense to the garages that had to diagnose and repair the vehicles.

So their solution was to make a Universal Code System that could be read with one diagnostic tool with a Universal tool.

Some older models of Jeeps you could press in the trip odometer and the trouble codes would appear in the display where the digital odometer would normally read the mileage.

If you go to buy a used vehicle, turn the key on and off to see if the check engine lights.

If the bulb does not burn, walk away from the vehicle because someone has tampered with the system and it usually tells you that there is a problem there that someone is trying to hide.

[Sourdough]

First of all those strange readings were the code, if you had written them down and took them to the dealer he could have told you what they meant.  But it can be something simple, like not tightening the gas cap.  Had a problem with my wife's KIA Sportage, check engine light kept coming on.  I would take it in, they would clear the code and tell me they could find nothing.  Then the next time the wife filled up the tank it came back on.  She also complained about not being able get the cap open, she had to get some else to open it for her.  After repeadelly taking it to the dealer, the service manager came out to talk to me about it.  It only happened when the wife filled up with fuel.  If our son or I filled up it did not happen.  Service Manager told me the wife does not get the gas cap tight.  She was leaving it loose so she could open it easier, and the pressurized system was sensing something wrong.  Now the kid or I fill up her car when it needs fuel.  Service manager told me the cap needs to click at least three times when closing to assure a good seal.

Have had no problems since.

[30-30man]

I know all Dodge trucks that I have owned  will display the problem code with the odometer reset button and the key switch.  The funny numbers you saw could have been the code.  Anyway like quikdtoo said, Autozone will give you the code it is throwing for free..  Some auto places will want to charge you $40 just to put it on a scanner and Autozone will do it for free.

[goodwrench6710]

I'm a work as a Toyota technician at a dealership. OBD2 stores codes even when the battery is disconnected. You need to scan it & see what the code is. If it has any 02 sensor or air/fuel sensor codes, the sensor listed for the code is 99.9% the problem. If it has lean fuel trim codes, check vacuum hoses, if no leaks are found replace the mass airflow sensor. Mass airflow sensor never seem to set the code for itself, almost always lean fuel trim. If you have missfire codes, Toyotas don't like aftermarket sparkplugs & will cause you alot of grief! Have seen some ignition coils go bad here & there & plugwires. & the most common thing is, tighten the gascap!!!! Hope this may help.