Well I was driving home, no racing, shifting maybe around 3500 in the lower gears, easy driving. I looked down and saw the SES light was on. Not sure when it came on. I did a quick inspection of the engine and saw nothing abnormal. No sounds, smells, and it idles fine. Is there something I can check, like fuses, before I go and take it to Autozone to get the code read?

Also, how much does it cost to read a code and is it safe to drive the car in the meantime?

Please post any useful info, thanks

 

Don't pay for codes to be read. Have a friend with a scan-tool do it, or get your own. I make a VERY inexpensive scan-tool that has the performance analysis features of the G-Tech as well.

All you need is a laptop or PC within 10ft of the vehicle.

You can check it out at my site: http://www.suicidalcreations.com/proscan

I sell them for $199, but I'll sell them to my fellow Camaro owners for $160 shipped.

Email me if you're interested: dvstate[AT]runbox.com

Goodluck!

 

No thanks, I need a solution now.

Anyone, can I drive my car safely? I checked all the related fuses, none were burnt. Checked the newly installed spark plug wires all are tight. And the car doesn't run like it's on less than 8 cylinders. Maybe an O2 sensor? Broken/clogged cat? The exhaust did sound a little different. As the RPM's drop after a rev, around 1500-1000 RPM, there are some light rattle and clicks that I did not notice before.

 

Could be all sorts of things that set of the Light. OBDII cars are very picky like that. A crooked gas cap could set it off. You say that the exhaust sounds different, this could be a bad thing, how different is it. I would probably get it scanned. You could remove the pcm and see if the light comes on again. The downside of this is that this will erase the codes that have been triggered, so its a gamble. On the other side of the argument is that if it doesnt come on again it may have been just something stupid that triggered the light, but if it comes on again you can go have it scanned. However, i would either get it scanned now, or erase the codes and see if it gets triggered agaiin, i would just drive around with it on. though.

 

Ok, here is the history of the car for the last month or so:

-New X-Drilled and slotted rotors, all 4

-Red engine tubing under hood. Had to remove few plugs, one or two but replaced them all

-Attempted to replace wheel bearing but failed, put car back together

-Installed drive side four spark plug wires

-Removed pipe that connects to top of manifold to put in spark plug wires on #2,4,and 6. Bolted back tube on with gasket and all. Also removed first four coil rail bolts for better access

-Attempted to place car on ramps, drove of the end. Engine died after falling off. Harsh fall, very loud. Bent quarter panel flanges

-Fixed quarter panels

-Put in #8 spark plug wire from under the car. unbolted tube that goes into top of manifold again. Replaced with gasket.

-Took for drive, drove it slowly for about 10 minutes. Went around a corner and gunned it in 2nd. Here couple loud clanks/banges, then scraping for about 1-2 seconds from mid passenger side of car. No sounds after, investigated car and road but noting found Car ran just fine after this

After all of this, I think it may have something to do with this loud clanks and scraping I heard, and still have no idea what it was!!! Does this sound like a cat may have cracked off the ramps, the broke apart when gunning it? I hope thats it, I need a new Y-pipe

 

If you already haven't done so, try resetting the PCM.

If it still comes on again, take it to autozone, where they should do it for free.

I had an SES code come on when I started my car, resetted the PCM, didn't come back for days. It came on again, and just said to hell with it. I took it to autozone, and diagnosed it as "car too lean."

Bottom line, Autozone should decode your SES code free of charge.

 

It's not a bad O2- believe me, you'll know when that happens!!
Tighten your gas cap...then if that doesnt work, take it to Auto Zone

 

Well if Autozone does it for free then that's what I'm going to do. Since I don't know how to reset the PCM and have to leave in 10 minutes.....

 

Unhook your battery.....

 

It's safe to drive.

My SES light has come on before, but nothing about the car was different, so I took it to AutoZone, they reset my system and I was running too rich in banks 1 and 2.

 

UPDATE: SES light still on today
Today:

-Drove to school, no odd sounds

-Went to gas station and filled up with 91, no odd sounds

-Drove to card store, no odd sounds.

-Started car after card store, heard whining sound(normal) of fuel pump I think, coupled with a new sound that is not too loud, but aubible within 10ft of the car. This new sound is like a...waaaaaaa....... It goes away EXACTLY when the normal whining of the FP goes away.

-Drove to Autozone, started car again after and same sound. Sound only heard when enigne is running right after start.

-Drove to post office, started car after and again heard the sound.


During all of this, while decelerating, I hear clunks from the rear, only slowing down to within 30' of a stop light. Not sure if it's the uneven road tossing my cat-back back and forth. Do not recall this happening before or at least not as bad and as much.

Also, I went to Autozone to get the code read and guess what they said. "We don't do that anymore, we stopped seven months ago. If you have the code I can bring it up." WTF!!!


Ok Camaro gurus......See if you can put together all of the pieces of the puzzle and come up with a logical problem, because I'm stumped, nothing seems to go together. Thanks!!!

 

Your going to have to get the code read somehow. The auto zone by my house still does it, don't know why the one by you would stop. My SES light was on too, stiil ran fine and I took it there and it came up P1416 and it ended up being the "air pump check valve" ($10 part). Hope this helps

 

Well, the SES light turned off after driving home today. Not sure when but I looked down at it wasn't on. Still have some odd sounds, maybe it will come back on later.