[davidbthompson]

Suddenly this morning both the "Check Engine" light and the TCS light came on on my '99 EX. At first I was concerned, until I read the entry in the manual which made it sound like it might just be a periodic emissions maintenance reminder or something like that.

So, I decided not to worry about it and went ahead and drove the 300 miles or so I had to go. The TCS light went on and off, while the Check Engine light stayed constantly illuminated.

Two questions: 1) Is this at all important and 2) Almost more critical - until I have a chance to have someone look at the car, how can I turn those lights off - they are annoying me!

Thanks,

David

 

[bigjim]

I don't know what TCS means, but my "check engine light" has come on five time in the last year. My car is a '99 Ody LX. Every time my light came on the cause was the same, "clogged EGR ports". The first two times it happened Honda fixed it under warranty. The last three times it happened my warranty had expired. I ended up paying a local mechanic about $250 to replace the EGR valve and when I took it to Honda on the fifth occasion, they charged me $152 to clean the port. it involves taking off the intake manifold. I pointed out to them that this was really a continuing problem and managed to negotiate a refund of $200 of the $419 I had spent on the problem.

You can disconnect the battery terminal to cause the light to go off, but if your ports are clogged it will just come on again.

If you're still in warranty, get it fixed quick. Keep the documents because its likely to recur.

 

[davidbthompson]

Thanks for the information, bigjim. I appreciate you taking the time...

Best wishes,

David

 

[stevenk40]

This may not pertain to Honda's, but on my Caravan the check engine light comes on almost every time I fill it with gas. By opening and closing the gas cap my light goes of. I think they said it's because of an EGR sensor too...

Steve


------------------
Steve

2002 Red Ody EX on order.

 

[davidbthompson]

Thanks for the tip, StevenK. I had tried fiddling with the gas cap with no luck, but I do suspect the the problem might be fuel related...

I have just brought this car back to the U.S. after two years in Europe, and so the fuel it is getting is not only a different formulation but WAY lower octane than it is used to (even the regular unleaded in Europe is higher octane than the highest octane premium I have seen available in the States).


David

 

[Intrepid175]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by davidbthompson:
I have just brought this car back to the U.S. after two years in Europe, and so the fuel it is getting is not only a different formulation but WAY lower octane than it is used to (even the regular unleaded in Europe is higher octane than the highest octane premium I have seen available in the States).


David</font>

Really? I'd never heard that. Do they use the same rating formulas that we do? There are supposedly a couple of different ways to calculate a fuels octane, each of which will give a slightly different number. It would be interesting to know if that's the case here.

Just wondering?

Drive Safe,
Steve

 

[davidbthompson]

I believe you are right, Steve, that octane numbers can be calculated using both the "research" and "motor" methods, and that those methods produce slightly different results. I think that in the U.S., the number displayed at the pump is normally an average of the figures derived using each method - and there ends my knowledge of octane ratings!

In continental Europe, generally two grades of unleaded are available - regular, at 95 octane, and super, at 98.

David

 

[Jerry O1]

With any OBDII car (1996 forward), the FIRST thing to check when the check engine light comes on is the gas cap. A cap which is not properly tightened will cause the light to come on and is a real pain in the a**, when one runs to a dealer or does a lot of unnecessary diagnostic stuff and later finds out the cap is loose. Big brother is watching all sorts of things on these new vehicles, some important and some trivial. Just a little hint.

Jerry O.
2001 GG LX

 

[cwneed]

David,

I had this VERY FRUSTRATING problem a few months ago. Fortunately I had an active message thread going at the time which sort of documents the troubling experience. If I recall correctly someone else had the problem at the same time. Both of our problems were resolved with the same solution. Anyway here's the link

http://www.odyclub.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000018.html

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

------------------
Chris
99 EX Deep Velvet Blue; Fog Lights; Air Deflector; Splash Guards; Cargo Tray; Cargo Mat

 

[davidbthompson]

Thanks for the link, cwneed. That sounds like exactly the same problem I am experiencing. Now, for the next part - trying to convince the Honda dealer in the U.S. (where we are now) that it is clearly a widespread and well-documented issue which justifies them performing the repair under "warranty" - even though the car was bought in Canada, and driven mostly in Europe.

David

 

[cwneed]

Definately give it a try. You could even try to take them the part number and say, look, other people say that replacing this part solved the problem so how bout we save everybody a lot of time and do it. I doubt they will, but it's worth a shot. Hope it works out for you.


------------------
Chris
99 EX Deep Velvet Blue; Fog Lights; Air Deflector; Splash Guards; Cargo Tray; Cargo Mat

 

[jvennitti]

Our Maintenance Required light has recently started flashing longer when starting the vehicle. We called the dealer and they stated that it is indicating that we are coming up on our first maintenance interval. When we actually get to the mileage for the maintenance interval, the light will stay on. I haven't been able to verify this in the owner's or service manual yet. Of course, I want to know how to turn the light off after I do the maintenance.

------------------
Jeff

'01 SS EX
Cassette, Rosen Video System, Fog Lights, Splash Guards
Full Nose Mask

See photos at:
http://www.fototime.com/inv/B5EC5C7BC6CFA07

 

[davidbthompson]

jvennitti - what the dealer told you is consistent with our experience with the maintenance light. As to how to turn it off, if I recall correctly, you simply start with the engine off. Press and hold down the trip odometer button, and while holding, crank the engine. Continue to hold the button for ten seconds or so until the light goes out.


Best wishes,

David

 

[RyDye]

The instructions for resetting the "service engine soon" light are in the owners manual.

 

[jvennitti]

Thanks for the input. I figured that it would be fairly easy and covered in the owner's or service manual. I will go looking for that bit of information when I get to the maintenance.

Thanks again,

Jeff

------------------
Jeff

'01 SS EX
Cassette, Rosen Video System, Fog Lights, Splash Guards
Full Nose Mask

See photos at:
http://www.fototime.com/inv/B5EC5C7BC6CFA07

 

[RobertC]

I have been having the CEL & TCS trouble since this spring. It's a 2000 Ody with approx. 24Kmiles (39,900KM). The problem is intermittent but seems to happen when the engine has warmed up and I practice sport type driving (read largely exceeding posted limits). The problem will appear as I engage the kick-down at around 30 MPH and hold it to reach 65 MPH or higher when suddenly it cuts out.

When the problem happens, both the check engine light & TCS lights will come on and at this point the engine will refuse to rev past 3,000RPM. If I shut the engine off and start it again, only the check engine light stays on and the engine will function normally.

This problem is driving me nuts, after 4 visits at the dealer it's still coming back. The dealer's mechanic first thought that my aftermarket Alarm/Remote Start system was causing the problem because the engine run wire from the Remote Start System is connected to the RPM wire. Disconnected the wire, reset the computer and it happened again 2 weeks later. My last visit, over 5 weeks ago, they found some corrosion on the connector of the VTEC switch. They remove the corrosion, put some dielectric grease, test drove it and told me that they had finally fixed the problem.

This past week, the problem happened again and I am schedule for my 5th visit for this problem on September 17 (I could had have an earlier appointment but my schedule prevents me).

There is one thing that I have noticed, there seems to be more soot at the exhaust pipe than I ever noticed with my previous vehicle.

I had suggested to the dealer on my last visit that it might be my EGR valve but they told me that my van had not enough miles on it to be that part. Anybody had their EGR valve changed at around this mileage (it started to happen at around 18Kmiles).

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I already lost 4 days of work (I am a rep and use my van to work).

Best regards from Montreal, Canada

Robert Charron

 

[bigjim]

Check my post above in reply to the original note. I had my EGR valve replaced. I thought it might be a problem isolated to certain '99 VIN's, but maybe not. Mine first failead at about 24K too.

If you are still in warranty period, I'd hound them to death on this.

 

[RobertC]

Thanks BigJim,

That is what I am doing but since this spring, the problem as happenned lest than 15 times and with my work schedule, it is kind of hard for me to be there the next day.

Best regards from Montreal, Canada

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by bigjim:
Check my post above in reply to the original note. I had my EGR valve replaced. I thought it might be a problem isolated to certain '99 VIN's, but maybe not. Mine first failead at about 24K too.

If you are still in warranty period, I'd hound them to death on this.</font>