Check motor light

My vacation starts Monday and this morning the damn check
motor light comes on.

The owners manual says take to Toyota dealer but doesn't say
urgent.

What type of problem in general will it be?

I might have to rent a car if it will be in the shop for several
days.




--
Posted via a free Usenet account from [url]http://www.teranews.com[/url]

On Thu, 6 Jul 2006 19:02:55 -0500, "Monkey Wrench"
<monkey.wrench@dot.net> wrote:
[color=blue]
>My vacation starts Monday and this morning the damn check
>motor light comes on.
>
>The owners manual says take to Toyota dealer but doesn't say
>urgent.
>
>What type of problem in general will it be?
>
>I might have to rent a car if it will be in the shop for several
>days.[/color]


What year/model vehicle?
-----------------
The SnoMan
[url]www.thesnoman.com[/url]

1997 Tacoma 4 cyl

"SnoMan" <admin@snoman.com> wrote in message
news:dfera2to1hpovtbvhagbat9uae78ao5pff@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> On Thu, 6 Jul 2006 19:02:55 -0500, "Monkey Wrench"
> <monkey.wrench@dot.net> wrote:
>[color=green]
> >My vacation starts Monday and this morning the damn check
> >motor light comes on.
> >
> >The owners manual says take to Toyota dealer but doesn't say
> >urgent.
> >
> >What type of problem in general will it be?
> >
> >I might have to rent a car if it will be in the shop for several
> >days.[/color]
>
>
> What year/model vehicle?
> -----------------
> The SnoMan
> [url]www.thesnoman.com[/url][/color]



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from [url]http://www.teranews.com[/url]

Go to Auto Zone and have them tell you what the code is for.

On 7/6/06 9:59 PM, in article 44adc4e8$0$18482$88260bb3@free.teranews.com,
"Monkey Wrench" <monkey.wrench@dot.net> wrote:
[color=blue]
> 1997 Tacoma 4 cyl
>
> "SnoMan" <admin@snoman.com> wrote in message
> news:dfera2to1hpovtbvhagbat9uae78ao5pff@4ax.com...[color=green]
>> On Thu, 6 Jul 2006 19:02:55 -0500, "Monkey Wrench"
>> <monkey.wrench@dot.net> wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>> My vacation starts Monday and this morning the damn check
>>> motor light comes on.
>>>
>>> The owners manual says take to Toyota dealer but doesn't say
>>> urgent.
>>>
>>> What type of problem in general will it be?
>>>
>>> I might have to rent a car if it will be in the shop for several
>>> days.[/color]
>>
>>
>> What year/model vehicle?
>> -----------------
>> The SnoMan
>> [url]www.thesnoman.com[/url][/color]
>
>[/color]

It depends on what made the light cme on. It could be as simple as screwing
the gas cap on better.





"Monkey Wrench" <monkey.wrench@dot.net> wrote in message
news:44ad97e2$0$18498$88260bb3@free.teranews.com...[color=blue]
> My vacation starts Monday and this morning the damn check
> motor light comes on.
>
> The owners manual says take to Toyota dealer but doesn't say
> urgent.
>
> What type of problem in general will it be?
>
> I might have to rent a car if it will be in the shop for several
> days.
>
>
>
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account from [url]http://www.teranews.com[/url]
>[/color]

What Rick Morris said.

AutoZone will either check the code for you for free, or they will let you
take the tool outside to the parkinglot where you can check and reset the
code yourself. Again, for free.

One more alternative is, they will sell you the tool, where you go home and
check the code then bring the tool back for a Full Refund. Once again, after
the dust settles, it's free.

PS
Whether or not Autozone will check the codes, or have you do it depends on
where you live.



"Monkey Wrench" <monkey.wrench@dot.net> wrote in message
news:44adc4e8$0$18482$88260bb3@free.teranews.com...[color=blue]
> 1997 Tacoma 4 cyl
>
> "SnoMan" <admin@snoman.com> wrote in message
> news:dfera2to1hpovtbvhagbat9uae78ao5pff@4ax.com...[color=green]
>> On Thu, 6 Jul 2006 19:02:55 -0500, "Monkey Wrench"
>> <monkey.wrench@dot.net> wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>> >My vacation starts Monday and this morning the damn check
>> >motor light comes on.
>> >
>> >The owners manual says take to Toyota dealer but doesn't say
>> >urgent.
>> >
>> >What type of problem in general will it be?
>> >
>> >I might have to rent a car if it will be in the shop for several
>> >days.[/color]
>>
>>
>> What year/model vehicle?
>> -----------------
>> The SnoMan
>> [url]www.thesnoman.com[/url][/color]
>
>
>
> --
> Posted via a free Usenet account from [url]http://www.teranews.com[/url]
>[/color]

"Monkey Wrench" <monkey.wrench@dot.net> wrote in message
news:44adc4e8$0$18482$88260bb3@free.teranews.com...[color=blue]
> 1997 Tacoma 4 cyl[/color]

You've gotten some good suggestions on checking the codes. This will tell
you for certain.

That said, my guess is an O2 sensor going south. They're a service item and
if yours hasn't ever been replaced it'll throw intermittent "check engine"
codes.

Assuming that's your problem - It's a pricey replacement, about $280, but
it's not time critical. You can go on your vacation with no worries, just
budget for replacing it within the next few months.
--
Mike Harris
Austin, TX
95 Tacoma 2.4L 2WD
[url]http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Toy_Coma/[/url]

"Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:aPydnTKCzIHD5jPZnZ2dnUVZ_o6dnZ2d@ez2.net...[color=blue]
> What Rick Morris said.
> AutoZone will either check the code for you for free,
> or they will let you take the tool outside to the parkinglot
> where you can check and reset the code yourself. Again, for free.
>
> One more alternative is, they will sell you the tool,
> where you go home and check the code then bring the
> tool back for a Full Refund.
> Once again, after the dust settles, it's free.
>[/color]
Thanks Jeff
I like free
[color=blue]
> PS
> Whether or not Autozone will check the codes, or have
> you do it depends on where you live.
>[/color]
Desert Southwest.
Out where the rattlesnakes and coyotes roam.
There's a terrible drought right now.







--
Posted via a free Usenet account from [url]http://www.teranews.com[/url]

"Rick Morris" <wmorris@neb.rr.com> wrote in message
news:C0D3C4AF.11D93%wmorris@neb.rr.com...[color=blue]
> Go to Auto Zone and have them tell you what the code is for.
>[/color]
Thanks Rick!!
Great advice. The amount of worry has gone down by half.





--
Posted via a free Usenet account from [url]http://www.teranews.com[/url]

"Monkey Wrench" <monkey.wrench@dot.net> wrote in message
news:44af2224$0$6007$88260bb3@free.teranews.com...[color=blue]
>
> "Jeff Strickland" <crwlr@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:aPydnTKCzIHD5jPZnZ2dnUVZ_o6dnZ2d@ez2.net...[color=green]
>> What Rick Morris said.
>> AutoZone will either check the code for you for free,
>> or they will let you take the tool outside to the parkinglot
>> where you can check and reset the code yourself. Again, for free.
>>
>> One more alternative is, they will sell you the tool,
>> where you go home and check the code then bring the
>> tool back for a Full Refund.
>> Once again, after the dust settles, it's free.
>>[/color]
> Thanks Jeff
> I like free
>[/color]

It's hard to beat free. It's hard to get them to pay me to use stuff, but
that would be better than free.

On 7/7/06 10:59 PM, in article 44af2225$0$6007$88260bb3@free.teranews.com,
"Monkey Wrench" <monkey.wrench@dot.net> wrote:
[color=blue]
> "Rick Morris" <wmorris@neb.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:C0D3C4AF.11D93%wmorris@neb.rr.com...[color=green]
>> Go to Auto Zone and have them tell you what the code is for.
>>[/color]
> Thanks Rick!!
> Great advice. The amount of worry has gone down by half.
>
>
>
>[/color]


If you're in the Lincoln NE area, bring it by. I bought the tool off Amazon
for the same price the dealer was going to charge just to hook it up. At
that time the nearest Auto Zone was 50 miles away. Now we have one in town
but the tool rides in my vehicle with me. There are lots of online reference
sources to tell you what the codes mean.

Without any more info, I'll have to agree with Mike H. MOst of these
are oxygen sensors, which are recommended for replacement at 60-70,000
miles. Don't assume this until you check out the codes,though. The
light came on when my head gasket went. There should be two sensors one
in front of the catalytic converter and one in back of it. NOrmally
when one or both of these go, the engine idles a little rough.

If you are so inclined, you can replace them yourself. They bolt into
the exhaust pipe with two bolts each. The OEM versions sell online for
about $100 each for the Bosch and $140 each for the Nippon Denso.