Place that would do check engine light for free

[mafiastyles]

I live in brampton, stop by Toyota dealership is was closed by 6pm. Anyone know a place that will read the fault code for free. Brampton/Mississauga Area.


Thanks for ur help :)

[bug]

Check engine light lighting is usually caused by a faulty/dirty oxygen sensor. It can also come on if the gas cap is loose. I've had that happen to me once after filling up.

[CRXGSR]

Check engine light lighting is usually caused by a faulty/dirty oxygen sensor. It can also come on if the gas cap is loose. I've had that happen to me once after filling up.

Where the hell are you getting this information from? CEL can come on due to ANY number of reasons. There is really no "usually caused by"... For example, misfire, any non-functioning sensor, any irregular EVAP device, anything causing emissions to surpass 50%, etc...

[Shaner]

Where the hell are you getting this information from? CEL can come on due to ANY number of reasons. There is really no "usually caused by"... For example, misfire, any non-functioning sensor, any irregular EVAP device, anything causing emissions to surpass 50%, etc...

There is a "usually" with certain cars.
Cavaliers/Sunfires (which I have) regularily have the check engine light come on due to the oxygen censor and/or a loose gas cap. My check engine light has been on for about 4 years, but the Pontiac dealership swears up and down there is nothing wrong with it.
I can't imagine they would lie to me about that. I took it there after the warranty ran out, so they'd have no reason to lie.

Other cars throw the check engine light for other reasons. There are common causes with a lot of cars, but those causes vary from car to car.

[ichpen]

I live in brampton, stop by Toyota dealership is was closed by 6pm. Anyone know a place that will read the fault code for free. Brampton/Mississauga Area.


Thanks for ur help :)

Some cars allow you to read the code without the use of a computer plugged in (usually reading a series of CEL blinks by pressing the gas pedal a number of times). I would recommend you go search on forums for your vehicle. The numeric code is quite universal and can be translated to an actual message with a simple internet search.

Alternatively you can buy a $20 ebay CEL aparatus that plugs into most cars.

BTW, CEL can mean any number of malfunctions with any number of sensors i.e. oxygen, abs, maf, knock sensor, oil temperature etc etc. It's not exclusively an O2 sensor light...

[mannyb]

My CEL on my 2001 Infiniti G20t was due to a faulty rear O2 sensor.

[deep]

I have had multiple bad readings due to the O2 sensor as well in my Taurus. So maybe "usually" should read "often" instead.

[B0000rt]

I'm sure the MOST often reason for the CEL lighting up, is...


*drum rolls*


Not placing your gas cap back on your gas nozzle!

[mafiastyles]

Well i drive 2001 toyota camry LE 4cyl, i checked the gas cap and it was tight, checked oil and everything else it was fine. i think parts source does it for free. Below from there web site:,


Need a special tool? We'll lend it to you - ask about our FREE Loan-A-Tool Program. Need to look something up? We can help with that too with our Mitchell on Demand automotive database with information on hundreds of repair jobs... and print out detailed schematics absolutely FREE! Just need to get your battery or alternator checked, ask about our FREE Electrical Testing Program


But before i go i disconnect the battery maybe it will rest the light, just have to do my radio presents again.

[B0000rt]

Well i drive 2001 toyota camry LE 4cyl, i checked the gas cap and it was tight, checked oil and everything else it was fine. i think parts source does it for free. Below from there web site:,


Need a special tool? We'll lend it to you - ask about our FREE Loan-A-Tool Program. Need to look something up? We can help with that too with our Mitchell on Demand automotive database with information on hundreds of repair jobs... and print out detailed schematics absolutely FREE! Just need to get your battery or alternator checked, ask about our FREE Electrical Testing Program


But before i go i disconnect the battery maybe it will rest the light, just have to do my radio presents again.

Wow, didn't know that. I've been having a CEL for the past 5 months, which I'm pretty sure it's just my transmission and it's torque converter clutch. I wonder if they'll loan us a code reader?

[gilboman]

Check engine light lighting is usually caused by a faulty/dirty oxygen sensor. It can also come on if the gas cap is loose. I've had that happen to me once after filling up.

wtf are you talking about? there could be many many reasons for it to throw a CEL. there is no universial usual cause of cel

[gilboman]

I have had multiple bad readings due to the O2 sensor as well in my Taurus. So maybe "usually" should read "often" instead.

"often" if the OP's car is your tarus ;)

[Bullseye]

Go to Canadian Tire, buy one of the OBD-II code readers for about $200, use it, then return it saying it wasn't what you thought it was.

I've actually bought one on eBay, used it, then sold it for more that I paid for it!

[TrevorK]

But before i go i disconnect the battery maybe it will rest the light, just have to do my radio presents again.


The light will go away when the battery is reset, and come back when the problem that caused it comes back.

[Hula]

Where the hell are you getting this information from? CEL can come on due to ANY number of reasons. There is really no "usually caused by"... For example, misfire, any non-functioning sensor, any irregular EVAP device, anything causing emissions to surpass 50%, etc...

Actually ..... almost 1/2 of all CEL's are "o2 sensor" based in the auto industry. A good portion afterwards are gas cap caused. Though "usually" isn't a safe term to use, the guy's not as wrong as you may think he is!! :)

[Sam]

So getting back on topic, is there any place that would do the check engine light for free? Scarborough area (warden/finch) Thanks

[ichpen]

So getting back on topic, is there any place that would do the check engine light for free? Scarborough area (warden/finch) Thanks

No, not unless you're friendly with a dealership or a mechanic. Either buy/return an OBD2 scanner (crappy tire etc etc) or get a cheap one off ebay.

Alternatively research any ways of getting the code for your vehicle without the use of a scanner. Some cars will blink out the code after doing some funky things with the gas pedal.

You can try resetting it and seeing if it comes back of course.

[Bullseye]

Alternatively research any ways of getting the code for your vehicle without the use of a scanner. Some cars will blink out the code after doing some funky things with the gas pedal.

Or jumping certain pins on the OBD connector under the dash.

[DragonZealot]

What year is your car?

Auot manufacturers started switching from OBD1 to OBD2 around 95/96. You can not get code by jumpering on OBD2 cars. You need a OBD2 code reader.

[Cough]

So getting back on topic, is there any place that would do the check engine light for free? Scarborough area (warden/finch) Thanks

heres a trick and insight

When a car is emission tested, the testers are meant to check if any engine codes are on (to see if there is an emission related code). You can actually insist on it if they dont do it.

So if you're due for an emissions test there's your info.

And some oil change places also do emissions tests (eg Oil Changers in Mississauga) I was in one time for a routine oil change (of course I am a frequent customer) and I asked them to check the engine code for me and they did it no charge.

ymmv of course

[Bullseye]

What year is your car?

Auot manufacturers started switching from OBD1 to OBD2 around 95/96. You can not get code by jumpering on OBD2 cars. You need a OBD2 code reader.

True, forgot about that.

Too bad Canada doesn't have a place like AutoZone in the U.S., which will read codes for free.

[Pete_Coach]

You are on the right track by disconnecting the battery for about an hour and allowing the computrer to reset. This clears memory and, if it is in fact, a nuisance light, it should remain out.
Just remember that when you re connect the battery , let it be for about 15 minutes and then when you go to start the car do not touch the gas and let the car idle for 10 minutes ( I do not know what the timings are for your car and these are just safe numbers). This is so the computer can bring all settings back to default settings.
If, after all that, go to a dealer and pay the 50 or 60 bucks to get a reading from a OEM reader. Aftermarket readers (unless they are expensive) will generally only point you to a specific component and that component fail may be the result of some other defect. O2 sensors lights can be triggerd by mass airflow iregularities, fuel imbalance, or anything that makes the fuel rich or lean. The sensor itself only detects a lack of a set condition, it expects a certain voltage and if it is outside of the preset parameters, it triggers an alarm top the computer and a light comes on. Also, there could be up to 4 different O2 sensors within an exhaust system so having a generic sensor code does not signify which of of the sensors it may be triggered from.

[mafiastyles]

Well today i was driving to Toyota Dealership in Brampton, and magically the lightly went off. Went out later today to the mall, and when i started it up light wasnt there. It was wierd havent seen the CEL since yesterday.

[mafiastyles]

Well its been excatly 10 days and guess the CEL is back :mad:
But what i noticed is that well the light was on the car needed to rev higher to accelerate. And i know its not the gas cap because i had a quater tank left. i guess i need to find aplace to see what the problem is before it gets worst.

I was thinking it was the heat because its 40+ outside, who knows