POTHOLE Triggers Check Engine Light?!

[DARK R3]

Hi everyone,

I was driving tonight and hit a pretty hard pothole, about 20 seconds later my check engine light began blinking.... for about 30 seconds, then it stayed lit for a couple minutes, then went back to blinking for a minute or 2 and now is lit and I dont know what I should do. Aside from the dealer, is there a way to reset the CEL and see if it comes back on? It could be a coincidence it came on after the pothole but I doubt it. Any ideas? Anyone else has a similar issue? Also, I have 13,400 miles. I dont feel like paying the dealer $84 just to plug into the ECU for a code.

Thanks in advance

 

[mattj3636]

you can run to an autozone / advanced and use there scanner to get the code and clear it..

or just disconnect your battery and reconnect and if there is a problem, the light will come back on eventually... but thatll turn it off

if / after you get the code, look it up or throw it on here and people will help you out man

 

[DARK R3]

you can run to an autozone / advanced and use there scanner to get the code and clear it..

or just disconnect your battery and reconnect and if there is a problem, the light will come back on eventually... but thatll turn it off

if / after you get the code, look it up or throw it on here and people will help you out man

Thanks for the input, any idea what the cost of the scanner is? Also, is there a chart online somewhere that lists all the codes and what each means for reference?

 

[squidmotion]

take a look under the hood, or under the car, and look for an electrical connector or something that might be knocked loose. when you hit the pothole, something that might not have been so securely connected in it's socket might have wiggled free.

just a thought.. if you find it, you save some time and trouble..


yeah, i'm that guy that can bang on a headlight and get it to work again...

 

[mattj3636]

oh for sure, and they let you use there scanner for free, all you gotta do is give them ur license just to make sure u return it, so u just grab it from them, plug it in in the parking lot, get the code, clear it, and give it back and get ur license... well thats how it is at the advanced auto right around the corner for me, and iv also done it at a different location...

and yeah, you type code into google and itll come right up, most likely the sites will have an explanation to what it is, what to check for, how to fix it, what caused it, blah blah everything you need to know man

 

[DARK R3]

yeah, i'm that guy that can bang on a headlight and get it to work again...

(nana) hahaha....

Yea I will take a peek for any loose connections. Thanks for the idea.

 

[DARK R3]

oh for sure, and they let you use there scanner for free, all you gotta do is give them ur license just to make sure u return it, so u just grab it from them, plug it in in the parking lot, get the code, clear it, and give it back and get ur license... well thats how it is at the advanced auto right around the corner for me, and iv also done it at a different location...

and yeah, you type code into google and itll come right up, most likely the sites will have an explanation to what it is, what to check for, how to fix it, what caused it, blah blah everything you need to know man

Thanks Matt, I didnt know they offered that. I will definitely be using the scanner ASAP. Thanks for the lead man I appreciate it (drinks)

 

[mattj3636]

anytime man, good luck, post up the results!

 

[DARK R3]

anytime man, good luck, post up the results!

will do

 

[Nutari]

Was it the CEL or TPMS light? I can see a pothole causing a TPMS fault. Unless you recently changed something in your engine bay, there is no way a pothole would knock lose a harness or something. Those things take so much effort to come off normally. (hand)

 

[DARK R3]

CEL not TPMS

 

[Nutari]

CEL not TPMS

Strange. Defiantly want to see what this was.

 

[madvillian]

yeah good point nutari, my tpms light blinked for a bit today too when i hit a pothole.

 

[Nutari]

I only bring it up because it started 20 seconds after he hit the pothole. That is about how long it takes the TPMS to notice a difference in pressure.

 

[DARK R3]

I wish it was just the TPMS... but I will post the error code as soon as I scan in int he next day or 2.

 

[mattj3636]

whats done to your speed3? any work to your downpipe, cause the bump coulda messed up an o2 sensor possibly?

 

[zoomdoom]

This sounds like something that would happen to me lol. Update us what the scanner reads.

 

[DARK R3]

whats done to your speed3? any work to your downpipe, cause the bump coulda messed up an o2 sensor possibly?

stock for now. didnt get a chance to get to the store today to scan it. i will post as soon as I scan it

 

[oaklandopen]

i think you should go back and take pictures of this pothole (safety permitting), cuz it sounds like it could be a real bastard that you should contact your DOT about

 

[Jasnall]

I went to Autozone to see what my code was, they said they cant lend the scanners out anymore.(shrug)
As soon as I got back in the car the light turned off (bang)