Taurus Check engine Light

[jmg]

Hi! Well, it's at it again. My wife's '06 Taurus' check engine light came on while I was driving it last Sun. Have not been able to detect any changes in performance, but need to get the code read. Any ideas where to have that done for a reasonable price in the SW Metro area? Last time it happened, it cost $98.00 at the dealer just to get it read. Seemed quite high. Was it or am I living in the past? I just hate getting ripped on this again. Any help will be appreciated.

[Jeremy airjer W]

That money was to pull the code and properly diagnose the problem. Most if not all shops prorate this price with what used to be 1 hour of labor time. Labor rates have increased in the metro but the cost of diagnostic time has remained the same. Sometimes it takes 5 minutes to figure out sometimes it takes an hour or more but the price always remains the same for he most part.

You can get codes read for free at just about any parts store. There are advantages to paying for a diagnostic service.

This example comes to mind. I had 2 fords in on the same day with the same large EVAP leak code. The first thought is the fuel cap, which is pretty common and a parts store will probably recommend one (which I will take off, throw away, and sell you an o.e. one before I preceded with any further diagnostics, btw). One of the fords had a bad vent solenoid. The vent solenoid closes the EVAP system and allows it to be placed under vacuum. That one was fairly easy. The second ford had no vacuum leaks. So how can you get a code for an EVAP leak if there are no leaks. One possibility is the fuel tank sensor not reading correctly but in this case the system was not getting vacuum because the purge solend was not opening. Since the computer never saw a change in fuel tank pressure it just assumed there was a vacuum leak.

Another Example that comes to minds is another common code for an O2 heater circuit. Most of the time it is a faulty O2 sensor but I just had a GM the other day that actually had a corroded power wire for the heater. It's pretty simple to check for power and ground to the O2 sensor heater. It's also pretty easy for a parts store to sell you a $100 O2 sensor that won't fix the problem.

I know a $100 for "diagnostics" is hard to swallow and a good Tech may only take 5 minutes to figure it out but in the long run it can be a lot cheaper.

Just my opinion

[delcecchi]

That is a fair price for finding out what is wrong. But it is certainly worth stopping some place to see what the code is and what it means, especially since it is free. At least I would feel sort of silly paying money to find out it was user error, like a loose gas cap or something.

It tells you what area of obvious stuff to check first. Then you can take it in if necessary. I am getting too old, and cars are getting too complicated for me to attempt much myself.

[jmg]

Thanks for your words of wisdom. With the luck? we've had with this car, I am quite sure it won't be something simple-hasn't been up to this point. Wish the thing would have shown a "Warning, do not buy" code before we bought it.

Really do appreciate you and Del taking time to answer this. Always learn something from you and your experiences. Have a great weekend.

[jmg]

Additional tidbit. My wife informed me that after she filled the car with gas today, the check engine light went out. Could it have been the gas cap all this time? The cap is an orig. equipment one only about 16 mos. old. Anyway, hope the light stay off.

[jeffreyd]

what about just buying a code reader and fixing it yourself. As described above, a tech can diagnose a large leak with a reader, it won't say fix the cap but most of us know by now that is one for the first places to look for. My son has an 06 mazda that had a large leak in the emissions system. He took it to 2 techs could not figure out the issue. I used my 30 dollar scanner to find the code, do a bit of research myself and replaced the cap. Problem solved. Not taking anything away from the mechanics as i am a retired one but advances in technology have scared most people to try things on their own. Good luck