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Toyota Matrix Check Engine Light

48 messages,  Last post on Feb 01, 2013 at 10:25 PM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Matrix, Engine, Wagon

Messages Page 2 of 5

#9 of 48 Check Engine Light by stilldl

Jan 05, 2007 (4:26 pm)

2007 Toyota Matrix 3736 miles. Already had to get a new battery at 700 miles. Check engine light went on and I called dealer. They said they would make me an appt. and I would have to leave it. I said that I would wait for it not matter how long, just bring a book whatever.. I live 60 miles away... No, you have to leave it.. OK I'll call a closer dealer... In the meantime, a light bulb goes off to call my mechanic. Now, I have already read the manual and done the usual-(gas cap, etc.). He asks me these questions, I say yes, yes, yes. His advice is to disconnect the battery for 5 minutes and see if the light stays off. If not bring it to him on Monday.. Light stayed off -- No more problem...No more light..

#10 of 48 Re: Check Engine Light [stilldl] by alandra_lee

Dec 09, 2007 (11:00 pm)

Replying to: stilldl (Jan 05, 2007 4:26 pm)
I have 46000 miles on my 2004 Matrix. Just had the manual transmission replaced a month ago... ask me how much I like this car right now.
 
The check engine light came on duing my drive home earlier this week. I followed the advice to disconnect the battery, which seems to have solved the problem. Thanks for the tip, since it save me having to deal with the Toyota dealership again.

#11 of 48 Re: Check Engine Light [stilldl] by zombietom3

Dec 11, 2007 (9:33 pm)

Replying to: stilldl (Jan 05, 2007 4:26 pm)
You effectively reset the car's computer. My mechanic told me that after a reset it can take several starts or even a couple of weeks (for a less critical signal) for a warning light to come back on, if the symptom that tripped it the first time is still present . So unless you are at least a couple of weeks past the reset you might still see that warning light come on again.

#12 of 48 Check Engine Light by pandesal

Jan 04, 2008 (11:05 am)

My toyota matrix has 39000 miles on it. It's running smoothly, maintenace every 3000 miles and always go to shops to re-check all brakes, rotation etc....Yesterday when I was driving, I down shifted to 3rd to pass slow cars. My rpm almost reach 5000 rpm when my check engine light flicker / blink. It did not stay on. When I went home from work, I tried it again and it did not blink. Is there any negative effect of oil being over the line (max). My oil is about 1/4 over the line. OR Is this a sensor problem? When I went yesterday its perfectly fine. Can you guys give me some input?

#13 of 48 check engine light on by hunkymon

Jan 18, 2008 (12:52 am)

Last week my check engine light came on and I took it to the dealer. They said it was probably a loose gas cap. I'm always careful about tightening it when I replace it.
This was the second time it happened. They charged me $110 even though it's a 2008 and 6,000 miles (still on warranty). They said, "Toyota won't pay us for this!" Has anyone else had this problem?

#14 of 48 Re: check engine light on [hunkymon] by kiawah

Jan 18, 2008 (6:27 am)

Replying to: hunkymon (Jan 18, 2008 12:52 am)
Questionable in my mind whether they should have charged you for this, unless they really did find a loose gas cap (still think that's a cheap shot).
 
What you could do is to buy an inexpensive OBD2 reader, and next time you have a CEL read the error code, plug it in and read the error. Determine whether it could be a user caused issue. The price on these have come way down, and you can get them as cheap as 25-50 bucks at auto parts chains on sales.

#15 of 48 Re: check engine light on [kiawah] by nippononly

Jan 18, 2008 (8:15 am)

Replying to: kiawah (Jan 18, 2008 6:27 am)
I believe there are also some auto parts stores that will read the code for you for free - worth investigating.
 
This situation is exactly why some cars are beginning to have a separate light for "loose gas cap" (separate from the check engine light) and other models (Fords) are beginning not to have gas caps at all.
 
And the dealer is within their rights to charge you for a diagnostic that does not turn up a manufacturing defect. It stinks, but it's true. It would have been free to you if they had turned up any other code besides loose gas cap.

#16 of 48 Re: check engine light on [kiawah] by hunkymon

Jan 18, 2008 (5:34 pm)

Replying to: kiawah (Jan 18, 2008 6:27 am)
Thanx for the info, nipponly also. I didn't know you could get those at the store. I'll let you know how it goes.

#17 of 48 Re: check engine light on [hunkymon] by stilldl

Feb 06, 2008 (3:47 pm)

Replying to: hunkymon (Jan 18, 2008 12:52 am)
I have a 2007 Toyota Matrix and the check engine light goes on too. It has happened about 4 times so far at different intervals in the year plus that I have owned it. My mechanic's remedy is to disconnect the battery for five minutes and the problem may go away as it did with mine. I sure is better than the $110 dollars. If it comes back on I would get it to the dealer. I also found a fix for the maintenance required light. It has to do the holding down the odometer button and turning the care off and then on. There is a sequence to this but I cannot remember the whole thing. It truly disappoints me that Toyota comes up with these money making lights. Granted sometimes they are for real and there is something wrong, but sometimes not. And you will never never have a dealer tell you about any of these quick fixes.

#18 of 48 Re: check engine light on [stilldl] by nippononly

Feb 06, 2008 (10:10 pm)

Replying to: stilldl (Feb 06, 2008 3:47 pm)
Resetting the maintenance due light is detailed in the owner's manual, it's no secret. Basically, with the odometer appearing in the IP, turn off your car. Then press and hold the tripmeter reset button and turn the key to on. Count to ten, and the maintenance light will go out. Voila! You have just reset it.
 
Check engine lights are not some trick Toyota puts in the car to make more money from service. They indicate a problem that may just be a loose gas cap, or may be a problem sensor or something. I would say it is a fairly irresponsible mechanic that will just disconnect your battery to reset the light, without taking the 30 seconds it would take to read the code and tell you what the problem is. The fact that yours has reappeared four times in a year is evidence that you may have a problem with your car (which would be covered under warranty at your car's age).
 
Oh, and you don't need a mechanic to disconect and reconnect your battery - you can do this at home in your driveway....

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