Check engine light?

[ricamryman]

Tonight on the way home while on the highway the check engine light came on at 136,241 miles on my 1993 V6 Camry LE. I have put 30,000 miles on this car since I bought it with no problems whatsoever. I had Toyota change out the plugs shortly after I aquired it approx. 30,000 miles ago along with new wires rotor & cap! Is it time for new plugs already? I stopped at Advance Auto on the way home to possibly get the code read, however they stated it was an OBD-1 system since its a 1993 & requires different reader than what they have. The car still runs great, however I am stumped! The owners manual says that that check engine light means a electrical malfunction with the engine & get to a Toyota Dealer asap!........

[Tech1984]

Go under the hood with a paper clip. Look for the data link connector. Jump pins TE1 and E1. Turn the key on, engine off, count the times the CEL blinks and watch for a pause. IE: blink-blink--------blink blink blink--------starts over.

[fenixus]

^+1

also here is a picture of what you need to jumper on OBD1, they also provide code descriptions:
http://www.troublecodes.net/Toyota/

I doubt it's the plugs or wires bad after only 30k miles.

[ricamryman]

Originally Posted by fenixus

^+1

also here is a picture of what you need to jumper on OBD1, they also provide code descriptions:
http://www.troublecodes.net/Toyota/

I doubt it's the plugs or wires bad after only 30k miles.

Thanks! I'm thinking possible oxygen sensor with the mileage being over 100K. It still runs great! I will be taking it to my local independent Toyota Specialist 1st thing on Monday! This type of problem is above my pay grade!.....

[fenixus]

read the code first
all you need is a paper clip which bend to your needs and insert into correct terminals of diagnostics connector

then once you know what you are standing on, weigh your options, perhaps a DIY repair?

[Tech1984]

^x2

[heartdisease]

If the light on the dash is blinking and not on steady when it is keyed on it means it has misfired IIRC. If it is blinking I wouldn't drive it. It will blink when you put in the paper clip, I just mean when you key it on and start it.

[ricamryman]

Originally Posted by heartdisease

If the light on the dash is blinking and not on steady when it is keyed on it means it has misfired IIRC. If it is blinking I wouldn't drive it. It will blink when you put in the paper clip, I just mean when you key it on and start it.

Thanks! However it is a steady on light, no blinking, & runs fine right now....

[heartdisease]

Originally Posted by ricamryman

Thanks! However it is a steady on light, no blinking, & runs fine right now....

Then you should be fine until you can figure out what it is, in my opinion. It is something emissions related, probably. O2 sensor maybe.

[ricamryman]

Originally Posted by heartdisease

Then you should be fine until you can figure out what it is, in my opinion. It is something emissions related, probably. O2 sensor maybe.

This morning on my way to work after the car got to operating temp, the CEL went out, after sitting for 8 hours after work it never came back on either during the commute back home! I wonder if it's the Ethanol in the gas playing games with our older vehicles?.....However I am glad that it is off for the time being!........

[heartdisease]

I believe that means it has run the test that failed x amount of times without it failing again and so it shut the light out. It is probably a weak 02 sensor in my opinion, slow to warm up. Vehicles have two modes-- open loop where they are running at set defaults and closed loop where every thing is based on the sensors in the car. They base all of this on the coolant temp in the radiator, that is how it knows when the engine is warm and to switch to closed loop.

This is what I know about american cars, Toyotas may be somewhat more sophisticated even in 1993. They had some cars in 1994 and 1995 that were compliant before the 1996 change over to 0bdII. I don't know of any other cars that were early with their compliance. They used to give a little book out at autozone that had a little metal clip and a legend to read the obdI codes, it should still be stored in the ecu unless you take the battery loose for a couple of minutes.


EDIT: it could be something as simple as a loose gas cap or the gasket on the cap going bad. I think they had a code for that in obdI although I am no expert.

[ricamryman]

Originally Posted by heartdisease

I believe that means it has run the test that failed x amount of times without it failing again and so it shut the light out. It is probably a weak 02 sensor in my opinion, slow to warm up. Vehicles have two modes-- open loop where they are running at set defaults and closed loop where every thing is based on the sensors in the car. They base all of this on the coolant temp in the radiator, that is how it knows when the engine is warm and to switch to closed loop.

This is what I know about american cars, Toyotas may be somewhat more sophisticated even in 1993. They had some cars in 1994 and 1995 that were compliant before the 1996 change over to 0bdII. I don't know of any other cars that were early with their compliance. They used to give a little book out at autozone that had a little metal clip and a legend to read the obdI codes, it should still be stored in the ecu unless you take the battery loose for a couple of minutes.


EDIT: it could be something as simple as a loose gas cap or the gasket on the cap going bad. I think they had a code for that in obdI although I am no expert.

Thanks! For now it is out, & the car never ran any better, even when it was on! If it comes back, I will adress it, if not maybe at next tune up I will just go ahead & replace all O2 sensors anyhow!........