Service Engine Soon Light

[BlancoNino]

Mine seems to be coming on when I get close to another 10,000 miles. Then it goes off. Last time I took it in to a shop and they wanted $1,200 to replace the O2 sensors....then it just went away so I didn't even worry about it.

Now it's back on again at 78,000 miles and really my car isn't worth putting $1,200 into...I'd rather just trade it in for another car and get another loan. I usually change the oil ever 2,200 miles or so...but this time I've gone about 2,900...could that also be why? There isn't a "change oil" light, so maybe.

It's a 2004 Nissan Sentra. 1.8 Liter.

 

[RiDE]

Get the code(s) read. O2 sensors arent that hard to replace depending on location.

 

[d33pt]

go to autozone and have them scan the ecu to see what the light is. if it's the o2 sensors, it'll tell you which one. then just buy a sensor from autozone and replace it yourself. it will probably cost about $100-150 and maybe 15 mins to replace. nice to know that nissan dealers are still ripping people off.

also, changing your oil every 2200 miles is way overkill. that oil is still brand new. i change my oil every 5-6000 miles and it's still fresh looking. modern oils and engines are so good that changing your oil every 3000 miles is just a scam that jiffy lube want you to believe.

 

[thetxstang]

Sounds like a problem with your Diaphragmatic Singulator. Sorry.

 

[ebeattie]

ugggg...... why is it when ever anyone has a c.e.l , they want to instantly replace o2's? Get the codes!

If you have a lean code, Dont replace your o2 sensors right off the bat. check for vacuum leaks.

CHECK YOUR GAS CAP. Will quickly set a check engine light if left loose. if it went off by itself last time, you may have left it loose.

dont use crappy (noname) fuel. Might be a misfire code (p0300). Crappy fuel WILL trigger these lights.

Also, dont take it to any old shop. Suck it up, pay an hour of diag time and let the Nissan Dealer get it right!

Everyone hates on the dealerships, but guess where independent's send problem cars.. thats right THE DEALER! I am a dealer technician, and I have seem my fair share of independent shop fvck ups come rolling in. Not saying all are bad, but unless its a dedicated import shop... you'll likely not be getting the kind of expertise that these modern cars need. But hey, you DO get what you pay for.

also d33pt, he never said it was the dealer.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: d33pt
go to autozone and have them scan the ecu to see what the light is. if it's the o2 sensors, it'll tell you which one. then just buy a sensor from autozone and replace it yourself. it will probably cost about $100-150 and maybe 15 mins to replace. nice to know that nissan dealers are still ripping people off.

also, changing your oil every 2200 miles is way overkill. that oil is still brand new. i change my oil every 5-6000 miles and it's still fresh looking. modern oils and engines are so good that changing your oil every 3000 miles is just a scam that jiffy lube want you to believe.

2200 miles isn't just overkill, I don't think it is the best for your car either. I change oil every 5,000 miles in my car that has >114,000 Miles on it and it runs great.

-Kevin

 

[imported_cheapdude]

I usually ignore it, I had one on for 3 years on my old lexus and nothing was wrong with the car. (granted the dealer had no problem resetting it for me, I was just too lazy to be bothered with.)

 

[j00fek]

you can change then yourself with a little work

 

[Saulbadguy]

Put a piece of black electrical tape over the diagnostic light. Problem solved.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: cheapdude
I usually ignore it, I had one on for 3 years on my old lexus and nothing was wrong with the car. (granted the dealer had no problem resetting it for me, I was just too lazy to be bothered with.)

You do know you can hit a combination of buttons and reset the Check Engine light right? On our '03 Honda Accord EX, all you do is put the key in, hold the Trip Reset button and turn the key and it resets the Service light.

-Kevin

 

[deerslayer]

Is the car running badly? If it's running fine just ignore the light. If the car isn't worth spending $1200 to fix it isn't worth worrying about the Service Engine Soon light either.

 

[funboy6942]

So instead of spending $100-$1200 ti fix the problem on a car that has used maybe half its life, your going to go spend another $12,000-$15,000 on a whole different car, that could be a lemon in the long run, and give you more grief then O2 sensors.

That makes sense

OH and lack of oil change will not cause light to come on. You seem to take care of the car with oil changes so that engine will last you a long, long time, Id rather change the oil often, then engines, I do mine every 3k miles even if the oil looks clean. So really I dont see why a 3 year old car, with low miles, that will last you, more then likely another 8-10 years upto 200K miles is worth pitching and spending 10X more on a different car then to fix whats causing the light to come on.

Is all the money, and time, you've spent in oil changes to make sure it will last you this long, and longer, not worth it to keep it? If not the next car you get why even bother changing the oil as often, or hell at all for that reason, if your going to pitch it at so low a miles like your wanting to do with this one, if some small problem with it should pop up.

 

[slag]

Originally posted by: Gamingphreek

Originally posted by: cheapdude
I usually ignore it, I had one on for 3 years on my old lexus and nothing was wrong with the car. (granted the dealer had no problem resetting it for me, I was just too lazy to be bothered with.)

You do know you can hit a combination of buttons and reset the Check Engine light right? On our '03 Honda Accord EX, all you do is put the key in, hold the Trip Reset button and turn the key and it resets the Service light.

-Kevin

Check engine light (CEL) and service engine soon light (SES) are different things on many cars.

 

[NoMoMoney]

Service Engine Soon is usually a load of crap (that is why not all cars have them!). 9 out of 10 times it is due to your fuel cap not being on right. Rescrew fuel cap and give it a week. Otherwise ignore. 2200 is overkill like others have said. 3500 - 5000 is better, you aren't getting any added benefit changing oil that often.

 

[ScottFern]

Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
Put a piece of black electrical tape over the diagnostic light. Problem solved.

My friends dad actually did that. lol

Like someone said earlier go to AutoZone and get a replacement there!

 

[Vic]

$1200 to replace the O2 sensors? WTF is that?

 

[ShotgunSteven]

Originally posted by: ebeattie
ugggg...... why is it when ever anyone has a c.e.l , they want to instantly replace o2's? Get the codes!

If you have a lean code, Dont replace your o2 sensors right off the bat. check for vacuum leaks.

CHECK YOUR GAS CAP. Will quickly set a check engine light if left loose. if it went off by itself last time, you may have left it loose.

dont use crappy (noname) fuel. Might be a misfire code (p0300). Crappy fuel WILL trigger these lights.

Also, dont take it to any old shop. Suck it up, pay an hour of diag time and let the Nissan Dealer get it right!

Everyone hates on the dealerships, but guess where independent's send problem cars.. thats right THE DEALER! I am a dealer technician, and I have seem my fair share of independent shop fvck ups come rolling in. Not saying all are bad, but unless its a dedicated import shop... you'll likely not be getting the kind of expertise that these modern cars need. But hey, you DO get what you pay for.

also d33pt, he never said it was the dealer.

Actually, the dealers up here send them to the independent shop I take my car to. Of course, the guy running it USED to work for a dealer. He was a dealer mechanic and remembers when the Corvette was introduced. He retired from the dealership, set up his own shop in his garage, and soon had more business than he could handle.

Now all of the good employees he trained at the dealership have left there and come to work for him, and he now has a multibay facility set up on his property.

 

[BlancoNino]

Originally posted by: Vic
$1200 to replace the O2 sensors? WTF is that?

Yeah I figured they were a reputable shop since they've been under AAA contract for years and years and had great reviews. I learned my lesson after they went ahead and changed my spark plugs and left me a $150 bill.

 

[BlancoNino]

Originally posted by: ScottFern

Originally posted by: Saulbadguy
Put a piece of black electrical tape over the diagnostic light. Problem solved.

My friends dad actually did that. lol

Like someone said earlier go to AutoZone and get a replacement there!

We don't have an autozone here. We have Schucks, Napa, and that's about it.

 

[IGBT]

..there are programed illuminations based on mileage. Get it scaned to see if the data/fault logger indicates a true problem.

 

[BlancoNino]

Originally posted by: deerslayer
Is the car running badly? If it's running fine just ignore the light. If the car isn't worth spending $1200 to fix it isn't worth worrying about the Service Engine Soon light either.

No it runs fine.

Originally posted by: d33pt
also, changing your oil every 2200 miles is way overkill. that oil is still brand new. i change my oil every 5-6000 miles and it's still fresh looking. modern oils and engines are so good that changing your oil every 3000 miles is just a scam that jiffy lube want you to believe.

Yeah you're probably right. The reason I was changing it so often was because I kept forgetting to write down the mileage.

 

[amdhunter]

Originally posted by: BlancoNino
Mine seems to be coming on when I get close to another 10,000 miles. Then it goes off. Last time I took it in to a shop and they wanted $1,200 to replace the O2 sensors....then it just went away so I didn't even worry about it.

Now it's back on again at 78,000 miles and really my car isn't worth putting $1,200 into...I'd rather just trade it in for another car and get another loan. I usually change the oil ever 2,200 miles or so...but this time I've gone about 2,900...could that also be why? There isn't a "change oil" light, so maybe.

It's a 2004 Nissan Sentra. 1.8 Liter.

WHAT? Holy crap, do you have any receipts or anything that shows why they charged so much? I'd make a huge stink about that if I were you. Certainly your local consumer affairs board might be able to help you regain some of that money back. Shet, I'd call the local news over that...lol.

When I replaced the O2 sensors on my last car, it cost less than 150 dollars including parts, installed.

Besides, "service engine soon" lights differ from your actual "check engine" light...and you should be able to turn it off yourself, check your manual. I am probably willing to bet that is EXACTLY what they did, they turned it off using Nissan's instructions, and probably didn't change the 02 sensors at all...damn a$$holes.

 

[funboy6942]

You can buy your own code read at wal-mart for around $50, it will read the code, tell you what it is for, and you can clear it as well.

I will see if I can find the one I bought, its cheap, and very simple to use.

 

[funboy6942]

Here it is, this is the one I bought on line, and I saw it in the automotive isle last month going for $50. Can pay for itself if you read your and just clear it because it was something stupid that tripped it, or, charge co-workers $15 to read and clear their CEL lights.

 

[amdhunter]

Originally posted by: funboy42
You can buy your own code read at wal-mart for around $50, it will read the code, tell you what it is for, and you can clear it as well.

I will see if I can find the one I bought, its cheap, and very simple to use.

Is the OP sure that it's not a "service light" instead of a "check engine" light..? A lot of cars, including my own Civic, have 2 lights. One for service soon, which I can reset myself using a combination of button pushes, and the actual Check Engine light, which would require a code reader.

OP, which light is it?