Specifically, it comes on when I am traveling in excess of 60 MPH for more than 10-15 minutes. It then stays on until I turn off the ignition. Next start up the light is off, until the 60 MPH + ~10 minutes criteria is met again. There are no other symtoms, gas mileage is great.
What is the likely diagnosis?
Could be a lot of things, most of which aren’t a big deal.
When the Check Engine light came on the computer stored one or more codes. You need to go to somewhere like AutoZone and have them read the code. The code won’t necessarily tell you exactly what’s wrong, but it will at least tell you what is being affected by the problem.
There are three basic rules about cars:
It might be nothing, but then again maybe it’s something. What’s for sure is that Something could always be Something Bad, so it’s worth having it looked at.
A Check Engine light is disturbing when it first comes on, but it’s usually just some minor emissions-related glitch. A sensor not sensing correctly, a loose gas cap, something like that. My 98 Contour loves to light the Check Engine light, it stays on for months at a time. Still get 25MPG and it has 180,000+ miles on it.
See, that’s the thing - it could be any number of things. Most of the auto parts store around here don’t have a code reader for anything older than 1996. I’ll keep asking.
Generally I agree, Rick, but I know enough to say that in this case it is not Something Bad, at least not yet. Just looking for someone who may have seen this behavior in an older Taurus - before it has a chance to become Something.
Agreed, except this one just passed emissions, with flying colors. I had actually figured to fail the emissions test but get some clue from the results as to the problem. Fooled me!
They’d probably sell you a code scan tool, might be worth it if you plan on keeping the Taurus for a while longer. I got one that will read my 91 Mustang and 95 F-150, I think it was around $40.
I had a 95 Contour. The check engine light was on for about 90% of the 3 years I had it. I beleive it was the 02 sensor. Though as other posters have said you can read the codes off the enginer fairly easily with the right computer.
The pain was that it would fail the California smog test if the light came on, even if the emissions were fine.
One or both of the O2 sensors gone duff is certainly a possibility, but they’re painfully expensive things to try replacing just for the heck of it.
As suggested above, I strongly advise either going to a shop that has a code reader that will read a '95, or buy one of your own if you plan on keeping the car much longer. The magic term for your '95 is “OBD I” - in 1996 models, OBD II became the standard.
If the local parts store can’t read an OBD I, they probably just can’t find the adapter cable - A lot of OBD II readers can read OBD I simply by plugging in an adapter cable. If you want to buy a scanner, this is something to keep in mind - get a reader that can do both as your next car will probably be newer. A little poking at Amazon finds a scanner and a cable that collectively costs about as much as one O2 sensor and the special socket you need to install it.
Thanks, guys, a new scanner it is. Never turn down an opportunity to buy a new toy, especially when the experts recommend it (Look, honey, the Dopers say I have to…)!
I’m thinking O[sub]2[/sub] sensor(s) as well, but don’t want to use the shotgun approach.