CEL @ 926 miles...no mods, how can I find out what it is?

IMPREZive 02 WRX · 11-05-2001, 12:47 AM

Great, I have had the car for 9 days (yes, I drive a lot) and I got a CEL. This sucks.

How do I find the code to determine what it is? Should I just take it back to teh dealer? I don't wanna be without my car cuz I need it to get to work to pay for the car...it's a vicious cycle.

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en3d · 11-05-2001, 12:49 AM

Assuming that it's running normally... You can either reset the ECU and see if it comes back. Take it into the dealership when you have time and have them pull the code. If you need a car, ask for a loaner. It's all covered under warranty.

IMPREZive 02 WRX · 11-05-2001, 12:51 AM

en3d · 11-05-2001, 12:58 AM

remove the neg connection for the battery for about 30-45 mins.

Jon [in CT] · 11-05-2001, 02:29 AM

Even better, try calling your dealer and explaining your dilema (I just bought one of your friggin' new cars and the g'damn'd check engine light is on already and "I don't wanna be without my car cuz I need it to get to work to pay for the car"). Maybe they can work something out?

whtstr · 11-05-2001, 02:35 AM

take it back to the dealership asap.

Austin · 11-05-2001, 02:44 AM

If you reset the ecu by pulling the battery cable, it'll clear the CEL and clear it from memory... you'll never know what caused it. It takes less than a minute to pull the code... translated into dealer time, maybe an hour... try sweet talking the service guy, maybe he can slip you in quick like. Ask for a loaner for the day if they're going to keep it for any length of time.

Julian · 11-05-2001, 11:39 AM

Just drive into the service area and ask the service manager to pull a code. It takes two minutes, tops. Loaner cars??

Giamilton · 11-05-2001, 04:24 PM

Having the CEL code pulled is best. DO NOT RESET !
if you swing into ANY subaru dealership, they should be able to pull the code in under 2 minutes. If the light is solid it is usually not uber-critical, if it is blinking or flashing get to a dealer right away. Common cel codes are fuel cap loose, and misfiring, 2 percieved misfires set off the light, I had a #3 cylinder misfire and it was reset at the dealer and it hasn't come back.

en3d · 11-05-2001, 05:55 PM

IMPREZive 02 WRX, when you go to dealership and have them pull the code ask them if by reseting it by disconnecting the neg connection. Does it really delete the code from memory? I've been told that the code is still there but you just clear the CEL.

IMPREZive 02 WRX · 11-05-2001, 07:04 PM

OK, here's the thing. The check engine light is still on, and the turbo spools up REALLY fast...but no extra umph after that, so I suppose it's leaking boost somewhere. That could be anything...loose/broken hose, stuck wastegate/BOV, or something really bad. Maybe the CEL makes the car blow off boost, I dunno. I went to the dealer today, but got there after hours, so they won't get to it until tomorrow. I'll keep y'all updated.

en3d · 11-05-2001, 07:40 PM

off the topic of the CEL, you know that boost does drop off quite a bit after 5500 or so.

mark5211 · 11-05-2001, 08:39 PM

got the same exact CEL.....came on out of the blue....engine misfired below 3k and had no boost at all....suspect this was the dreaded "limp" mode....shut the car off...called the subaru tow line...took it to the dealer on a flatbed (don't ever let 'em talk you into the dolly truck tow where the guy says..."i'll disconnect the driveshaft", etc....ha! right!)....anyways, the dealer claimed there was no record of a CEL....got the car back a couple of days later and it has run fine ever since....i even took it to a second dealer for another opinion...again, no record of the CEL....in hindsight, i think if i would have shut the car down and let it sit for a while it probably would have ran fine....take it to the dealer anyways, but don't sweat it....she'll be alright! keep in mind, the ECU is supposedly REAL sensitive....maybe bad gas, maybe just a little blip, hell! look at what we put up with from microsoft!

IMPREZive 02 WRX · 11-05-2001, 11:51 PM

OK, just ran out to get a bite to eat, and the check engine light went off.

That's funny, the car still doesn't seem to have the extra top end.

Let's see what tomorrow has in store for me. If everything's ok with teh car, I'll have my up pipe and BOV soon.

LttLDGN · 11-06-2001, 12:12 AM

er.... even if the CEL went off by itself, take your car to the dealer to have them check it out... especially if you are going to be modding it....

after you install the uppipe.. the dealer may be a PITA and refuse to do warrantee work... make sure your car's ok before doing that mod!

11-05-2001, 12:47 AM	#1
IMPREZive 02 WRX Scooby Specialist Member#: 11436 Join Date: Oct 2001 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: NJ Vehicle: 1999 Impreza RS eBay racing edition!	CEL @ 926 miles...no mods, how can I find out what it is? Great, I have had the car for 9 days (yes, I drive a lot) and I got a CEL. This sucks. How do I find the code to determine what it is? Should I just take it back to teh dealer? I don't wanna be without my car cuz I need it to get to work to pay for the car...it's a vicious cycle. * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

11-05-2001, 07:04 PM	#11
IMPREZive 02 WRX Scooby Specialist Member#: 11436 Join Date: Oct 2001 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: NJ Vehicle: 1999 Impreza RS eBay racing edition!	Update: OK, here's the thing. The check engine light is still on, and the turbo spools up REALLY fast...but no extra umph after that, so I suppose it's leaking boost somewhere. That could be anything...loose/broken hose, stuck wastegate/BOV, or something really bad. Maybe the CEL makes the car blow off boost, I dunno. I went to the dealer today, but got there after hours, so they won't get to it until tomorrow. I'll keep y'all updated.

11-05-2001, 11:51 PM	#14
IMPREZive 02 WRX Scooby Specialist Member#: 11436 Join Date: Oct 2001 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: NJ Vehicle: 1999 Impreza RS eBay racing edition!	OK, now I'm really confused.... OK, just ran out to get a bite to eat, and the check engine light went off. That's funny, the car still doesn't seem to have the extra top end. Let's see what tomorrow has in store for me. If everything's ok with teh car, I'll have my up pipe and BOV soon.

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11-05-2001, 12:49 AM	#2
en3d Scooby Specialist Member#: 5238 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Bay Area, CA Vehicle: GGA Black	Assuming that it's running normally... You can either reset the ECU and see if it comes back. Take it into the dealership when you have time and have them pull the code. If you need a car, ask for a loaner. It's all covered under warranty.

11-05-2001, 12:51 AM	#3
IMPREZive 02 WRX Scooby Specialist Member#: 11436 Join Date: Oct 2001 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: NJ Vehicle: 1999 Impreza RS eBay racing edition!	Cool, thanks man..now how do I reset teh ECU?

11-05-2001, 12:58 AM	#4
en3d Scooby Specialist Member#: 5238 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Bay Area, CA Vehicle: GGA Black	remove the neg connection for the battery for about 30-45 mins.

11-05-2001, 02:29 AM	#5
Jon [in CT] * Banned * Member#: 2992 Join Date: Nov 2000 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: Connecticut, USA Vehicle: 02 WRX Sedan Silver	Even better, try calling your dealer and explaining your dilema (I just bought one of your friggin' new cars and the g'damn'd check engine light is on already and "I don't wanna be without my car cuz I need it to get to work to pay for the car"). Maybe they can work something out?

11-05-2001, 02:35 AM	#6
whtstr Scooby Specialist Member#: 7303 Join Date: Jun 2001 Vehicle: 2002 WRX Super White Vishnu Stage 0 Plus	take it back to the dealership asap.

11-05-2001, 02:44 AM	#7
Austin Scooby Guru Member#: 7089 Join Date: May 2001 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Western Wa Vehicle: 2016 STi	If you reset the ecu by pulling the battery cable, it'll clear the CEL and clear it from memory... you'll never know what caused it. It takes less than a minute to pull the code... translated into dealer time, maybe an hour... try sweet talking the service guy, maybe he can slip you in quick like. Ask for a loaner for the day if they're going to keep it for any length of time.

11-05-2001, 11:39 AM	#8
Julian Scooby Specialist Member#: 1182 Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Ventura, CA Vehicle: MY00 RS BRP	Just drive into the service area and ask the service manager to pull a code. It takes two minutes, tops. Loaner cars??

11-05-2001, 04:24 PM	#9
Giamilton Scooby Specialist Member#: 8002 Join Date: Jul 2001 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Oregon Vehicle: 2017 WRX /Abarth DGM /Nero	Having the CEL code pulled is best. DO NOT RESET ! if you swing into ANY subaru dealership, they should be able to pull the code in under 2 minutes. If the light is solid it is usually not uber-critical, if it is blinking or flashing get to a dealer right away. Common cel codes are fuel cap loose, and misfiring, 2 percieved misfires set off the light, I had a #3 cylinder misfire and it was reset at the dealer and it hasn't come back.

11-05-2001, 05:55 PM	#10
en3d Scooby Specialist Member#: 5238 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Bay Area, CA Vehicle: GGA Black	IMPREZive 02 WRX, when you go to dealership and have them pull the code ask them if by reseting it by disconnecting the neg connection. Does it really delete the code from memory? I've been told that the code is still there but you just clear the CEL.

11-05-2001, 07:40 PM	#12
en3d Scooby Specialist Member#: 5238 Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Bay Area, CA Vehicle: GGA Black	off the topic of the CEL, you know that boost does drop off quite a bit after 5500 or so.

11-05-2001, 08:39 PM	#13
mark5211 Scooby Newbie Member#: 9873 Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Houston, Texas Vehicle: 2002 WRX wagon silver	got the same exact CEL.....came on out of the blue....engine misfired below 3k and had no boost at all....suspect this was the dreaded "limp" mode....shut the car off...called the subaru tow line...took it to the dealer on a flatbed (don't ever let 'em talk you into the dolly truck tow where the guy says..."i'll disconnect the driveshaft", etc....ha! right!)....anyways, the dealer claimed there was no record of a CEL....got the car back a couple of days later and it has run fine ever since....i even took it to a second dealer for another opinion...again, no record of the CEL....in hindsight, i think if i would have shut the car down and let it sit for a while it probably would have ran fine....take it to the dealer anyways, but don't sweat it....she'll be alright! keep in mind, the ECU is supposedly REAL sensitive....maybe bad gas, maybe just a little blip, hell! look at what we put up with from microsoft!

11-06-2001, 12:12 AM	#15
LttLDGN Scooby Specialist Member#: 5478 Join Date: Apr 2001 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: So Cal Vehicle: 2002 WRX Blue	er.... even if the CEL went off by itself, take your car to the dealer to have them check it out... especially if you are going to be modding it.... after you install the uppipe.. the dealer may be a PITA and refuse to do warrantee work... make sure your car's ok before doing that mod!