OK to drive with check engine light?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 48
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C300 sport 4matic
OK to drive with check engine light?
Check engine light came on this morning. I checked the gas cap and it was on correctly. I never got around to getting a code scanner but just ordered one from Amazon for Monday delivery (searched the forum and for one of the recommended ones for our cars it is $25 from Amazon on Monday vs. $200+ at a local automotive store today). Firestone could check it today but they would charge $100+ and I am under factory warranty. I have a service visit scheduled with the dealer Wednesday. Is the check engine light usually just an emissions issue and nothing serious mechanically? Any reason not to drive around as usual? (Days like today I miss my 1993 and 2003 Toyota Camrys...)
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2004 Mazda6, 1993 RX7
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 48
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C300 sport 4matic
No, no other indicator lights on. I'll just bring it in and see what they say. Hopefully just an O2 sensor or cam shaft magnet [?] which seem to be very common causes of this if a google search is to be believed. Thanks for the posts.
Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 152
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From: New York & Louisiana
2010 C300 Sport
Check engine light came on this morning. I checked the gas cap and it was on correctly. I never got around to getting a code scanner but just ordered one from Amazon for Monday delivery (searched the forum and for one of the recommended ones for our cars it is $25 from Amazon on Monday vs. $200+ at a local automotive store today). Firestone could check it today but they would charge $100+ and I am under factory warranty. I have a service visit scheduled with the dealer Wednesday. Is the check engine light usually just an emissions issue and nothing serious mechanically? Any reason not to drive around as usual? (Days like today I miss my 1993 and 2003 Toyota Camrys...)
AlonzoMosely, would you mind posting or private message me, the Amazon link to the code scanner you bought? I so would appreciate that.
Thanks in advance
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Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 152
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From: New York & Louisiana
2010 C300 Sport
Thank you much
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
C300 sport 4matic
If anyone's interested, I got it to the dealer today and it was a clogged purge valve that was replaced under warranty. Dealer said that will cause an emissions test failure but does not affect performance. I wonder if the govt intentionally does not push for more diagnostic information to be displayed by the car itself because they know that no one is gonna rush to the dealer to fix something that only affects emissions...
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Mississauga, ON CA
15 Mercedes C400, 12 Mercedes C250 coupe
a lot of of the times the CEL = "emissions", including things like a gas cap being loose.
Some service advisers might even say "theres no such thing as a check engine light".
Some service advisers might even say "theres no such thing as a check engine light".
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 591
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From: San Francisco
'08 Mercedes C300
A CEL does not distinguish the severity of a malfunction. Its just a warning that there is something wrong and its recommended to get it checked. I say better safe than sorry.
