How to reset “Service Engine Soon” light?

[samhoustonkurt]

Forgot to plug in my front bumper electrical connector when I installed my Demco base plate. Got it plugged back in, but check engine light remains on. Can it be reset without dealer involvement?

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[dochawk]

service the engine?





more seriously, take it to an auto parts shop to get your codes read. They generally reset your codes after doing that. (although I ws told "that would be illegal" in Arizona, which really makes no sense)

if they won't, buy a cheap OBD-II scanner and reset them yourself.

 

[BradnChristine]

Forgot to plug in my front bumper electrical connector when I installed my Demco base plate. Got it plugged back in, but check engine light remains on. Can it be reset without dealer involvement?

I reset mine after doing the same thing. I have a Panlong obdii reader and a free app. That cheap Panlong has been a real asset for many vehicles. Less than $20.

 

[digisky]

Forgot to plug in my front bumper electrical connector when I installed my Demco base plate. Got it plugged back in, but check engine light remains on. Can it be reset without dealer involvement?

The light was triggered most likely by not forgetting to plug the connector back in, but because the connector was disconnected while the battery was still connected, it should be disconnected before doing this kind of work. Usually the high level scanners are able to reset these kind of codes. You need to check what the code is first..

 

[Ainm Bréige]

I use a cheap OBD2 scanner I bought from Amazon. Before I had one, I'd go to Autozone where they'll read and reset check engine codes for free.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0919L1NV9

 

[samhoustonkurt]

Thanks all. My Amazon scanner is on its way. Our auto parts stores have been bitten by the “we can’t reset codes” bug, so this should do me.

 

[Prickly Pear]

I use an android app called CarScanner but there are several out there. I use it to reset codes on three of my vehicles (I have a evap leak on my Sienna that goes off every 3 tanks or so) and with the hybrid I use it to see real time stats on HV battery charge and SOC of charge on the crappy 12 V battery. . If you are into monitoring there's a bunch of stats you can see. I also use Android Auto to cast some of the stats to my infotainment screen so I don't have to look down at the phone to see what is what.

 

[shrek]

FORSCAN can do it as well.

 

[Bret Grabber]

service the engine?





more seriously, take it to an auto parts shop to get your codes read. They generally reset your codes after doing that. (although I ws told "that would be illegal" in Arizona, which really makes no sense)

if they won't, buy a cheap OBD-II scanner and reset them yourself.

That's Illegal in all states as it is a Federal law. I retired as one of those guys in the parts store that scanned your codes. We were strictly forbidden to reset anything. I know some did, but not this guy! You can also disconnect the battery for a few minutes and that will reset the light as well. However, you may lose some other settings like radio station memory. I have a scanner so I've not done that in a long time, including to my Mav.

 

[Prickly Pear]

When my battery got really low, I got the check engine light and the horrible limp/emergency mode where I could not get up to speed and drive normally (lots of threads on this). When I checked the codes the computer had thrown every code in the book and it made it look like the truck was toast. Several of the threads said clueless dealers kept their trucks for days/weeks trying to figure this out and were swapping out parts. I figured "screw that", charged the battery, and cleared the codes. No problems since except I still have to do the "plug in hybrid" thing to keep the battery functional.

 

[HeyBales]

That's Illegal in all states as it is a Federal law. I retired as one of those guys in the parts store that scanned your codes. We were strictly forbidden to reset anything. I know some did, but not this guy! You can also disconnect the battery for a few minutes and that will reset the light as well. However, you may lose some other settings like radio station memory. I have a scanner so I've not done that in a long time, including to my Mav.

And the problem that would occur when parts stores did just clear all codes - probably only affected a handful of states - where on some annual inspection they would read the OBD2 Readiness Test results.

So customer knows an inspection is coming up, and they've had a MIL for awhile, in their state they know that is an automatic fail, or likely will be even if only the emissions codes are cared about.
So they go to parts store, find out what the code is, happen to get all codes cleared - which now clears ALL the Readiness Test results.
Maybe they even got the part changed that would fix the issue.

But some of those tests can take awhile to get results back, by mileage or time.
So they go in for inspection - and they fail because test status is incomplete.
And they waited until last minute - now have current expired sticker - and need to wait an unknown time in order to repay for another inspection, possibly dealing with getting a ticket and time wasted dealing with that.

And they whine and complain or threaten the parts place for resetting their test results.
Which if they really did change a part that was causing a Failed result - might have changed to Test Success quickly.

Around here inspections are not done - so while official policy is no resets (people still want things to look clean on trying to sell a car), I've found if they know you, and you are buying a part that should fix the problem - they'll clear the codes. I've heard from others - if some get the idea you are selling the car and just trying to fool a buyer, they won't.

 

[Prickly Pear]

Interesting... I have cleared codes a bunch in the past and thought I was emptying a temporary/transient cache, not clearing the vehicle history. Isn't there somewhere where the history is hard coded?

 

[HeyBales]

Interesting... I have cleared codes a bunch in the past and thought I was emptying a temporary/transient cache, not clearing the vehicle history. Isn't there somewhere where the history is hard coded?

Pending codes - no MIL shown, but with another incident it would. If no issue for awhile may disappear.
Current codes - MIL shown, if intermittent issue, could disappear back to pending.

Many cars today of course report up stats upon parking, and driving - Ford does too.
So their servers have the info on DTC's, who knows how long.
If the modem can connect!

Where those are stored, what modules, makes a difference if the simple Clear Codes wipes out both sets.
Most of the more generic codes that most all vehicles have the same - will clear current and pending in one fell swoop. My simple code readers give no option as to which ones.
Some module/make/model specific codes will clear the current, not the pending, or "history" ones - those are in the actual module, not just being passed on to the main module.

But the Readiness Tests for emissions - those are different.
Every vehicle I've cleared codes on - resets those tests.
On cheaper code readers. The cheapest don't even warn what's about to happen, nicer cheap one have warned.
Perhaps more expensive ones have option for both things to keep them separate for clearing.

Search Google for "I/M Readiness Tests" - the sources used will comment on not clearing codes recently, and the drive cycles usually required to show passing. Some people in normal driving may not hit those for a long time - hence the problem when they have no idea what happened and inspection is coming up.

 

[dochawk]

I reset mine after doing the same thing. I have a Panlong obdii reader and a free app. That cheap Panlong has been a real asset for many vehicles. Less than $20.

Do be careful about how cheap you go, though.

The first cheap that I bought "couldn't identify" my vehicle--and E-150, for crying out loud!

I'm skeptical about actual federal law about resetting (and I'm an attorney), and would need to see the statute or CFR. It simply wouldn't make sense, as it leaves the user completely unable to see if a repair worked!

I encountered this when the EGR failed. I replaced it, but the code was still set. It would have taken something like 50-100 miles or 100 starts or both before it became "history" rather than "current".

So my suspicion is that someone has take a prohibition of something specific and turned it into something general. (ask me elsewhere about my daughter needing an attorney to take here driving test due to such things . . .)

After I gave it some bad gas from another car (upon removal, it turns out that it was a great color for barely aged bourbon, but not so much for gasoline . . .), I actually left my reader attached to the F-150 to reset while driving (three button pushes by feel), as I was trying to determine when the misfires happened. [and then apologized to little brother when I handed it over, as it's next task is for one of his kids. A car that snitches for heavy throttle is a wonderful thing for parents of a new driver! ]

 

[digisky]

The OP needs to figure out what is the code first. This can be done with any of the code readers or scanners. Then go from there. It is most likely that is the SRS system code , because he disconnected the bumper connector, which is most likely a collision sensor, while the battery was still on, or connected it back after the battery was back up on. The cheap readers or scanners won’t be able to reset those kind of codes. So, need to know what is the code first and then go from there..

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