Engine Check, VSC, ABS, and Maintenance Required lights on

[duckfield]

I own a new Matrix 07 with 5K miles on it and I've had it for about 6 months. The day before yesterday when I turned it on, the Engine Check, VSC, and ABS lights all came on when I turned on the car. I called Toyota and they explained it might be air in the fuel system and could be resolved by removing the fuel cap and putting it back on. This did not help though, and last night the Maintenance Required light came on also.

Has anyone else had a similar problem? From what I've read on the forum, it seems that this could have to do with the fuel cap or some air tubes going into the air filter. Any suggestions how I might check for one or the other? If it's those tubes, how do I find them and tighten them? Any other explanations?

Thanks,
Jake

[ArmyofOne]

the only thing i can help you with is the maintenance required light. it comes on every 5000 miles on the odometer to tell you you need to change your oil, that is its sole function...that and to inspire panic in its unsuspecting owners. to turn it off, switch the digital odometer to the mileage setting (NOT odo A or B, the setting that shows the actual mileage on your car) then turn your car off. hold down the odo button and turn the key to the on position. dont start the car, you will see 4 dashes on the odometer, they will disappear one by one and when they are all gone the odo will display 5 zeroes for a second. then it will go back to the mileage display and your maint required light will be off.


as for the others, disconnect the battery for 20 mins and see if they go out. if they do not, take it to your local autozone and have your trouble codes read for free, then come back here and give us the codes, and i or some of the other members can tell you what they mean.

[toyomoho]

If under warranty suggest having the Toyota dealer fix the car rather then diagnosing it yourself. Later model cars most likely require a code reader to clear the codes. If you disconnect the battery you will loose any radio channel setting and perhaps screw up any antitheft systems the car has.

In most cases systems such as the VSC and ABS are programmed to turn off should the check engine light come on. As such it is very possible the problem is not related to these systems but something completely different.

[ArmyofOne]

Originally Posted by toyomoho

If under warranty suggest having the Toyota dealer fix the car rather then diagnosing it yourself. Later model cars most likely require a code reader to clear the codes. If you disconnect the battery you will loose any radio channel setting and perhaps screw up any antitheft systems the car has.

In most cases systems such as the VSC and ABS are programmed to turn off should the check engine light come on. As such it is very possible the problem is not related to these systems but something completely different.

you will not mess up the anti theft, i have disconnected my battery ALOTin my quest to find the solutions to my gas mileage problem...havent had a problem yet, just make sure you put the battery cables in the right place.

i advise you to fgigure out whats wrong with the car yourself first, toyota dealers have a tendancy to stick it to you with repairs you may not need, so if you go in there knowing exactly what your car needs and exactly how your car works, you will be better off.

remember, just cause its under warranty, doesnt mean you will not be paying the dealer for services...and the 5K service is something you can do yourself, or at a place other than the dealership, and save a few hundred bucks.

IMO, it is a bad idea to take your car ANYWHERE without having even a basic understanding of why its going in there in the first place. take it from a mechanic...if you take it in there, and just say "hey these lights are on and i dont know why" thats an open invitation for them to take you for a very exensive ride...and most dealerships will.

[duckfield]

Thank you all very much for your help. Now, lo and behold, as I turned the car on last night, all the lights with the exception of "maintenance required" where gone... Without knowing much about it, that seems to support what the dealer told me that it was probably some air that got into the system. I guess my car passed some gas and got over it...

Now I just need to try to turn the "maintenance required" light off per your instructions. Thanks again for your advice.

Jake