Check Engine Light ?

[Moostang Rita]

Does anyone have any idea at all why my check engine light would be coming on half the time. One minutes it is one the next it's off and it does it almost every day.

She just had an oil change, seems to be running just fine, quick looks at her by others seem to think she is fine but it bug the pi$$ out of me that the darn light keeps coming on.

Is itpossable that it could just be a falty light??

I don't have the original manual so not sure what all would cause the check engine light to possably come on.

Any suggestions??

Thanks bunches,
Moostang Rita

 

[Robb]

You need to get the code read. AutoZone should be able to do this for free, or you can get a Ford OBD I reader from multiple auto parts stores or Wal-Mart for around $30-$35 and read the codes yourself.

It is impossible to "guess" what code is bringing your CEL on.

 

[Pheonixx77]

thats for sure...however i can add that when my DPFE sensor took a dump the CEL acted just like she described, i noticed in the mountians of VA, nott a good place to notice something like that.

 

[Moostang Rita]

Thanks for the replies and advice!! Give me an old 65-66 Ford Mustang and I have no problems , but give me this new eltronic stuff and I am totally lost LOL!!

I didn't even know you could actually take it into somewhere else and have the code read or that they had something out there that could help me figure it out. Thought I would have to take a trip to the dealer and we all know how $ that can be, even for the simplest of things!!!

I'm hoping maybe it's just a faulty light....I'm a Cali gal living in the middle of the corn fields of Iowa right now and dure don't want to find myself broke down in the middle of a corn field having to ride on the back of a John Deere to get back home

Thanks again!! Will try the suggestions and let ya know what I find out!!

Moostang Rita

 

[MrShorty]

Just so you know, you don't really need the $30 code reader to get at OBD-1 codes. On Explorers all you need is a short piece of wire to connect the self-test input to the self-test output, and the codes will be output as flashes of the CEL. Procedure can be found at www.dalidesign.com/hbook/eectest.html Personally, I prefer to use a voltmeter for code output, but it isn't necessary.