my check engine light came on?

Hi:
With an engine code, you really can't be 100% sure. The code can direct you in the right direction, but it doesn't give you an exact fix all of the time. What they are suggesting may infact be the problem, but they will need to try them first.

Lets get the codes use this guide

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

As far as the possible vacuum leak, check for yourself. Open the hood and look for dry rotted vacuum line, broken ones, disconnected ones... Also, with the engine running, see if you can hear a hissing noise coming from anywhere. That will lead you to a leak.

Let me know if you have other questions.

Joe

My check engine light stopped working and I cannot seem to find the bulb size of just that one bulb. Do I need to replace the whole cluster because one indicator bulb went bad? Please help

Good morning,

Did you verify power to the bulb? I would not assume the bulb is bad until you confirm voltage.

There is a fuse for the light. Verify power from the fuse to the cluster.

Roy

Okay treat me like a child when explaining this stuff please. I'm still learning. Where exactly is the fuse?

Okay treat me like a child when explaining this stuff please. I'm still learning. Where exactly is the fuse?

It is in the fuse box under the left side of the dash.

You will need a test light for this procedure.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-a-car-fuse-works

Roy

Which fuse is it? #11, 19 or both. I apologize for being ignorant. I really did try to figure this out myself.

It is fuse 11.

No worries. If you are not sure, see if you can get someone to help you that is familiar with testing.

Roy

Is #11 for all the indicator lights? Because some of the other ones work.

No, it is just for the check engine light.

Roy

So I checked the fuse and it isn't burnt out. What are my next options? Is it possible to replace just the check engine light bulb? I don't have anyone who can't check the voltage to the check engine light.

You need to verify voltage to the light before assuming it is the bulb.

I do not guess. I diagnose and work the problem. If you do not have a test light or voltmeter, see if you can borrow one.

As far as the bulb, they do not give you access to it for security reasons.

It could be the wiring, the cluster or the PCM. That's why we need to do testing.

Roy

Okay so I finally checked the fuse with a meter and on the continuity setting its reading fine. What is the next step?

Okay, the next step is to verify power into the cluster in the wire shown in the diagram I attached in the beginning. Verify voltage to the wire and the one coming out as well. The colors are marked on the diagrams.

Roy

How do I do that? From under the hood?

Check engine light came on when it was 90 and humid
today
Did the same thing 3 years ago and replaced both oxygen sensors. Will the heat and humidity make the
CE light come on?

First of all thank you so much for your donation.The best thing to do is go to a auto parts store like auto zone and see what codes you have and let me know what the number's are.The heat and humidity in itself can maybe make problems show up that wouldn't show up other wise.We will know more once we know the code's.

I will check the code tomorrow. Raining heavy this evening. I do have an OBD II

No, you need to remove the cluster to access the connector behind it.

Roy

Sounds good try to stay dry talk to you soon.

code # is P0171 System too lean bank 1.

That mean's for some reason that your engine sense's it's running too lean.Most likely you have a vacuum leak which can be difficult to find.A low fuel pressure issue which you would have to get a fuel pressure gauge and see what your fuel pressure was.Or you could have a dirty mass air flow sensor or it could just be bad.The mass airflow sensor is right by your air filter box it's on the tube going into the throttle body.You would remove that and see if there is any oil or residue on the sensor inside the tube.To clean it you would need some cleaner they make to clean them they sell at the auto part's store.To check for a vacuum leak you would need to inspect all the vacuum line's make sure they didn't have hole's crack's split's or not connected.Also you would have to get some carb spray and let the engine idle while you sprayed around the intake manifold vacuum hose's and if the engine stumble's rpm's go up or it die's you have a vacuum leak there.It can be a real pain in the butt to find and fix the p0171 code.

Trucks running too good for a vacuum leak. So i will clean the MAF

You can give that a try it just best before you replace thing's to rule out the other thing's first.But no harm in trying that.

i have a 2000 ford ranger pickup the other day i got in to start it in the morning and it wouldnt start unless i held the pedal all the way to the floor it finaly started but idled very rough then once it warmed up it seemed to be a little better after 4 or 5 miles the check engine light came on what do you think copuld be my problem please help dont know which way to go as far as repair thanks

You need to pull the codes from the computer to see what's going on. Sounds like it "may" be an air metering problem... but need the codes.

Ok Thanks

Sounds like a vacuum issue to me.
I'd check and make sure that all of the vacuum lines are connected and are not cracked/broken.

I agree that the codes need to be pulled as well.

what's thew procedure for testing maf sensor with
A digital multitester

There you go i would still be looking for a vacuum leak and checking fuel pressure and all that.

no vacuum leaks, MAF readings are right. checked fuel
pressure readings. 65 PSI. Still have code number

Have you tried clearing the code?If so how fast does the code come back?Also how did you check for a vacuum leak?It's most likely a mass airflow sensor or vacuum leak.

I cleared the code and it came back the next day.
Used carb cleaner to check for vacuum leak. Used a voltmeter for the readings on the MAF.

The best way to check maf sensor reading is with a scan tool that way you can see what the computer see's.That way you can see if the wiring from maf to the computer is good.Also vacuum leak's can be very hard to find they can be there one min and gone the next.They can very small and very hidden like the brake booster hose or a hard plastic line that only leak's when the engine torque's a certain way.Carb spray is a good way to check for vacuum leak's but some time's they can be so small you need to smoke the engine and watch for the smoke to be sucked into the leak. The maf sensor can read good one min and bad reading's the next.That is a difficult code to fix some time's you have.Just to give you a example the last person i helped with the same code had a 1989 tempo 4cyl and he even replaced the maf sensor he checked for vacuum leak's like 10 time's checked fuel pressure all that.You know what it turned out to be a bad maf sensor the new one he put on was bad.With the ford's stuff like that happens some the aftermarket sensor are bad out of the box.

Ok I will have to take it to someone who can scan it and smoke test it.

That's probably for the better let me know what they find.

Found Problem! Crankcase Hose was Just about melted.
Put on a new hose and cleared the code and it hasn't Come back on!
Thanks for the Help!

Glad to hear you got it all figured out that's what we like to hear.Thanks for using 2carpros.

my check engine light came on when i started my truck and it runs sort of sluggish, what is the problem

Hi there,

The check light is a visual indication that there is a fault code in the ECU. you will need a scan to read this code, as it will be an indication as to your problem, start here.

mark (mhpautos)