QuestionQUESTION: escort lx wagon auto with 89kmiles. service engine light is on when I bought it 5 days ago. owner says it comes on for maintenance schedule, how do I reset it? the car seems to be running great, good milage no oil smoke, smooth motor, only thing wrong is light service light is on and the airbag light blinks intermittantly.
ANSWER: You will have to retrieve the codes. Go to your nearest parts store and they will retrieve the codes for free. If you need any further assistance, I will need the codes, not the definitions of them. Let me know if I can help you once you get the codes pulled. Do note this, if you have one or more oxygen sensor pull a code, remember this. Oxygen sensors are all under the same conditions, so it is reasonable to assume that they should all be replaced. The same logic applies to headlights.
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QUESTION: GOT CODES FROM ADVANCED AUTO,
P1443, P0136, P0141.
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!!!
ANSWER: Bank one, sensor two oxygen sensor is defective for starters. This is the sensor located right after the catalytic converter, which labor wise, is a great thing. The first code could be a problem if you live in a state that requires emissions testing. If not, replace the oxygen sensor, and check periodically to make sure the only code is the 1443. The 1443 indicates a problem in the fuel emissions system, possibly at the purge canister. This can be a nightmare to diagnose. It could be a broken solenoid at the canister, or a canister broken itself. Replace the gas cap anyways. To get the code to go off, you must fix the mechanical issues setting off the code. Resetting the light does nothing but waste time. It will come back on until all mechanical problems are fixed and within normal operating parameters.
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QUESTION: there is an o2 sensoer by the exhaust manifold and one after the converter? so the one after the converter is bad.. I take it underneath the car. and where is the purge cansister, i have access to a friend who owns a junkyard , is this purge thing all one unit? where is it located.
lastly what is downside to driving car with this bad sensor and codes. until I can get fixed. to reset light do I pull neg cable.
AnswerWell, to start with, you fuel efficiency will gradually be worse. The sensors control the amount of fuel sent, so the excess fuel will be sent thought the exhaust. This will eventually clog up your catalytic converter. The codes remain on any car built after 1996 no matter what you do, until the defective item is repaired, or in your case replaced. You should be fine until you get the sensors replaced, unless you have an emissions law as in many states.
