My CE light has been going on and off for some time now. I did have a local independant plug a reader into it, but he wouldn't tell me what it said. He reset the error indicators and turned the light off, and told me to come back in shortly after it came on again and he'd see what did it again. After several times, I haven't had the time to return to him yet.

But the other day I bought a gas cap and then drove the car for several hundred miles over the next few days. The CE didn't come back on until just today when it was at the dealership here in my town. The gas cap I was sold by them would not come off without great effort and pulling it past the metal clips that hold it on. It's a bit of a complicated affair, but something went wrong and it got stuck on. Got a replacement and it seems to be fine.

My question is, what set of events or timings causes the CE light to go out on its own after something has caused it to come on? I have noticed that after it comes on, several startings later, it goes out. Wondering why.

Thanks, if you know.

Brian - Yakima, WA
2000 E320

 

There are different types of codes that can trigger the light. Some can go on and off on their own with an intermittent issue while others, once triggered, stay on until being reset.

 

best advice is that on the next time you get a CE light, go to your local autoparts store like AutoZone. They will lend you a OBD II computer to check the code yourself.
Write it down and come back here and search the code.

Otherwise we are just shooting in the dark.

 

Don't wait too long on getting the check engine light looked at. Some components can get damaged if you do wait too long before you get it repaired.

 

The only auto parts store around here that I have found to have a reader could not be connected to my car. The plug was different.

I still think the CE light on is related to the gas cap issue. I have been back to the dealer twice now and both new caps have gotten stuck on. The new replacement caps just seem to be a bit different somehow.

I took the sealing gasket our of a new one and put it into the old one. Now I'm waiting for the CE light to go out to see if it will stay out.

Thanks for the information and recommendations.

Brian