My daughters "Check Engine" light has is on. I took it to the local auto
parts store. They will hook it up to a computer and tell you what the error
code is. We could not find the harness to plug in the computer. Are we blind
or stupid?

--
Rob

 

Rob wrote:
> My daughters "Check Engine" light has is on. I took it to the local auto
> parts store. They will hook it up to a computer and tell you what the error
> code is. We could not find the harness to plug in the computer. Are we blind
> or stupid?
>
I have one, too, and the CEL has been on for the past two years. I
checked it with a voltmeter and got conflicting codes. The dealer
checked it when I brought it in for a state inspection and he couldn't
make sense of it, either. It's been running fine, so I never bothered to
look into it further.

BTW, if you're interested, I'm selling mine. It comes with two sets of
wheels and tires (Michellin X1 summer tires and Nokian Hakka 1 snows, b
oth with only one season on them), relatively new shocks all round, new
front brake pads and a trailer hitch. I also have a Thule roof rack that
fits it. The engine starts and runs great, but the left front wheel
bearings need replacement. It's a good rebuildable or parts car. I'm in
southern New Hampshire.

 

--
Rob
"Brian Nystrom" <brian.nystrom@verizon.net> wrote in message
newsnyve.470$At6.53@trndny09...
> Rob wrote:
>> My daughters "Check Engine" light has is on. I took it to the local auto
>> parts store. They will hook it up to a computer and tell you what the
>> error code is. We could not find the harness to plug in the computer. Are
>> we blind or stupid?
>>
> I have one, too, and the CEL has been on for the past two years. I checked
> it with a voltmeter and got conflicting codes. The dealer checked it when
> I brought it in for a state inspection and he couldn't make sense of it,
> either. It's been running fine, so I never bothered to look into it
> further.
>
> BTW, if you're interested, I'm selling mine. It comes with two sets of
> wheels and tires (Michellin X1 summer tires and Nokian Hakka 1 snows, b
> oth with only one season on them), relatively new shocks all round, new
> front brake pads and a trailer hitch. I also have a Thule roof rack that
> fits it. The engine starts and runs great, but the left front wheel
> bearings need replacement. It's a good rebuildable or parts car. I'm in
> southern New Hampshire.

Where did you check it at? My daughters car has 35000 original miles and
looks new. She is 16 and its her first car. (She had a FIT because it was a
stick, She learned fast though.) I almost laugh reading "two sets of wheels
and tires". I am in central Florida and do not have to change tires with the
season and have never thought about other people having to. That must suck.
Rob

 

Rob wrote:

> Where did you check it at?

I bought the shop manual for it and it showed where to tap into the
computer with a voltmeter. The other option is to take it to either
Autozone - who will test it free - or the dealer - who will charge you
to test it.

> My daughters car has 35000 original miles and
> looks new. She is 16 and its her first car. (She had a FIT because it
> was a stick, She learned fast though.)

Sounds like a good first car. With any car that age, electrical problems
can occur. I would check the ground connections to the engine and
chassis to make sure they're still clean. Again, you'll want a manual
with schematics.

> I almost laugh reading "two sets of wheels
> and tires". I am in central Florida and do not have to change tires >
> with the season and have never thought about other people having to.
> > That must suck.

Not when they're on separate wheels. It takes me 10-15 minutes to change
them.

 

The connector is in the fuse box. I would doubt that a parts place would
have a scanner which they could use for free to read the codes in a 1994
Excel. If you have a sweep voltmeter, you can check them yourself,
though. Go to www.hmaservice.com and get an account if you don't already
have one. Pull up the shop manual for the 1994 Excel. In the fuel
section, it should give an explanation of how to read the pulses and
translate into your code. You can read also read transmission codes this
way. (See the transmission section.)