Service Engine Soon Reset?

brad_bb · 06-14-2007, 09:50 PM

I just love when my service engine soon light goes on, don't you? I've got a 96 SC2. I personally rebuilt the engine 30K miles ago so I know it's tip top. The light goes on Last sunday just as I start to leave my workshop. I don't have time to mess with it, but I'm not too worried. I know the engine, it seems to be running fine. So I drive back to my appartment an hour and a half away. I go to work for two days and as I leave work on tuesday the light goes out and has stayed out (no I don't thingk the bulb burned out). Here's my question, I seem to remember something about resetting the trouble code by turning the ignition on and off a number of times. So I counted how many times I'd started my car since the light came on - six. That seems like the number I remember hearing. Is this true or am I not remembering correctly? If this is true, I can believe that something tripped a code when I first started the car on Sunday, but there really wasn't a real problem. Then it took a number of times of turning on and off to reset it.

the Shaolin UWP · 06-14-2007, 10:44 PM

The light may be off, but the code is probably still stored. Get your codes checked if you're concerned. Otherwise, leave well-enough alone.

brad_bb · 06-15-2007, 03:37 PM

So the question is does the light get reset that way or am I sniffing to many fumes?

**Ssicarman** · 06-16-2007, 03:29 AM

Codes will/can self erase.
How long it takes depends on the type of code and the number of drive cycles that the PCM needs to see before erasing the code. The drive cycle can also vary with the type of code.
The most common factor in the drive cycle is the temp. It can be outside air temp (intake air temp sensor reading) with or without engine temp. The starting temp with a certain temp reached driving (coolant). Fuel levels and fuel tank pressures can be factored in as well.