New member - helped already, thanks!

[nado]

Hello, I just bought a '96 XLT 4x4 last week and had frankly been a little leery as my family has always been GM biased. Sure enough, as soon as I drove it home and filled up with gas, the 'engine check light' went on! I found this forum and found a similar thread so I replaced the gas cap cover. The light stayed on, so I reseached more and unhooked the battery. Bingo, light off! Thanks guys, I hope I continue to have good luck with this baby, it is a great feeling and driving truck!

 

[Redrig]

with this site alot of things become simple. welcome!!!

 

[ahhjaws]

You'll find all the info you need here!

Welcome!

 

[Mbrooks420]

Welcome to the site. You will find tons of useful info here I'm sure. Any problems you have, someone here will be able to help.

 

[X~FACTOR]

I hope your light does not come back on. Disconnecting the battery just resets the computer and not fix the problem. So if it does come back on that means the problem was not you gas cap. Although on my wife's Rav4, if the gas cap was not seated properly the engine light will surely come on. I never had that problem with my Explorer though.

Happy Exploring, my friend.

 

[nado]

oooops! the light came back on today Autozone in CA won't diagnose anymore because of auto union problems (they say) so do I just take my new baby to a mechanic or any ideas?

 

[DeRocha]

If you just bought it last week don't you have 30 day warantee?

 

[huskyfan23]

It's cheaper just going to an auto parts store and buying a code scanner for $35. It'll come with a book to identify your problems. Just come on here with the code and you'll probably easily find what needs to be done.

 

[nado]

Thanks guys, I'll get a code scanner, I assumed they were expensive (just sounds expensive ) I'll let y'all know what the codes say in a day or two - thanks again!
Bruce

 

[Magicfan25]

wait a minute...a new guy that searched? Is this like a record here?

Welcome to the boards! hopefully youll get it straightened out here without too much trouble. Theres more info than you could ever want on here!

 

[BradE.]

Don't waste your money on the $35 "Autopart store scanner". They WILL NOT WORK on your Explorer. They are for OBD I vehicles, your 1996 Explorer is OBD II

 

[nado]

Originally posted by Magicfan25
wait a minute...a new guy that searched? Is this like a record here?

Welcome to the boards! hopefully youll get it straightened out here without too much trouble. Theres more info than you could ever want on here!

Hehe - yeah I actually searched! Been on too many forums with dumb questions, didn't want to waste your guys time.... So if the scanners won't work on my model, do I call my mechanic or are there obvious things to try first? It was fine when I bought it, came on the next day (arrrgh) everything is running/working/sounding fine. Any ideas? My mobile mechanic guy is good and reasonable ($60 hr) so I'll call him if I have to... sigh

 

[boominXplorer]

just take it to amy shop. They have machines to diagnose it and it will only take them 10 mins to figure out what the problem is. Since your on this forum your now hooked. You will begin to modify your explorer until your are bankrupt!

 

[BradE.]

You can get a scanner that will work on your X, it just costs more than $35. Try about $250, and that's not even a really good one. You can get a code reader for OBD II for less than $150

 

[nado]

Originally posted by boominXplorer
just take it to amy shop. They have machines to diagnose it and it will only take them 10 mins to figure out what the problem is. Since your on this forum your now hooked. You will begin to modify your explorer until your are bankrupt!

Yeah, I know! I got on a guitar forum a while back and am nearly broke now from constant tinkering, upgrading, etc... And cars cost way more!

 

[nado]

more info

Hey guys - back again! Well I finally had my mobile guy come out and he checked with his code scanner and it was both O2 sensors reading incorrectly. He reset it and said to call him back if they came on again. After 2 days they did, so I'm wondering is this something a fairly handy guy can do himself? And how much should these cost?
Thanks for the help!
PS -I did a search first and couldn't find the answer