If any of you have a car, then you know what CEL stands for: (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT). You are driving along, then it happens: that dreaded light-CHECK ENGINE.

You don’t know what to do-you get confused as I used to be when this light came on because you couldn’t remember-what does it mean when the light stays on steady or blinks. WHAT IS WORSE-BLINKING OR STEADY??

Well, blinking is WORSE. That means a potential serious engine problem that you should have looked at within a day or two. BE PREPARED TO SPEND SERIOUS MONEY.

Now, if you are in a bad financial situation as I have been many times throughout my life, you COULD just get a black piece of masking tape and tape over the light on the dashboard so you can’t see it,  but that is not really recommended.

When the light is steady, it could mean several things- including just A LOOSE GAS CAP-believe it or not-that is what most mechanics-(if they are good and they are honest) will ask you. Did you just get gas for your car? Maybe you did not tighten the cap. The gas cap SHOULD BE REPLACED EVERY 70,000 miles.

I am a REAL fanatic when it comes to car repairs. Just ask Mark down at Monro Muffler. See Mark, I just gave you a plug and you think I can’t stand you!! I give him a hard time, but I am only kidding (most of the time). I have a spreadsheet for all of  my cars and I take them in for repair on a regular basis. ALL MY CARS RUN LIKE A TOP believe me-ALL OF THEM ARE IN PERFECT MECHANICAL CONDITION.

I have cars that have 250,000 and 280,000 miles on them-no problem! TAKE NOTICE 500 HIGHLAND AVENUE because I WILL be there at the budget hearings in March questioning any potential NEW POLICE CAR PURCHASES!!!

The second I hear a noise or the second the odometer goes to the 3,000 mile mark-in goes the car for the oil change, the injector blowout, the filter change, etc. Every 6,000 miles I rotate the tires too.

That is why I had an 07 car up for sale. IT SOLD IN ONE DAY!! ONE DAY!! AND I GOT $200 MORE that I ASKED!! When people find out it is a car I owned, they snap it right up!!

Since 1995, all cars have an onboard computer to keep tabs on how your car is performing (basically for emission control purposes). Some people say this is a BIG SCAM when the “check engine” light goes on most of the time it is basically nothing serious. Well, you still have to check it out because you could burn out the catalytic converter and compromise your engine’s performance and compromise gas mileage which is critical these days with the price of gas.

What IS a rip off is what these repair garages charge for a DIAGNOSTIC-in other words, to check the “code” your vehicles computer will display when the diagnostic is performed. This charge ALONE, unless you go to AutoZone which will do the diagnostic for free but WILL NOT RESET THE COMPUTER, so the dang engine light will stay on-is in the area of $100!!!

Now, I being a woman, have dabbled a bit with cars, I know my way around, but let’s face it-to most women (at least the old girls that are my age), dabbling with a car was always a man thing. I never felt intimidated having to do an oil change or a tune up. I always remember what my mom said: “If a man invented it-it can’t be too hard to understand”

And she was RIGHT!!

So all you women out there-do not be afraid to do a car repair-YOU CAN DO IT-the dumb men do.  Remember, a woman can repair a car, but most men CAN’T CHANGE A DIAPER!! Stop it-I SAID MOST MEN NOT ALL!!

So, I decided to try to figure out how to diagnose the code myself. when my “check engine light” went on and shut off and went on again.  I went online and did some research and found out that Pep Boys in Hamden actually sells this code reader. It is called the OBDII or OBD2. The OBD stands for ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC (reader). What you do is when the “check engine” light goes on in your vehicle (and believe me IT WILL eventually), you don’t panic-run down to the garage and get soaked for $100 JUST TO READ THE CODE-THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE THE REPAIR!!

You go to Pep Boys (they have good prices for the code readers-I saw the same one I purchased for $59 for $400 on a website!! If you have an American car, the price could be as low as $29 for the code reader. I have foreign cars so that is why the code reader is more expensive. There are also different levels, and higher prices, but if you just want to be able to tell the garage what the problem is with your car so they don’t see you coming-then get the entry or mid level priced reader.

Then, what you do is log on to CarMD.com (don’t get their reader it is WAY TOO EXPENSIVE AND THE PEP BOYS DOES THE SAME THING). Both readers come with a disk to upload into your computer so you can print out the code and what the trouble is with your car and both will reset the code so the stupid engine light will go out–save yourself another charge.

You have to plug the code reader into a “port” which is usually located under the dashboard of your car. On my 1997 Corolla, it is under the steering wheel. You will recognize it-it looks like a data port on a regular computer.

Click HERE for CarMD.com

You just type in your car model, make and year and a it will show you where your “port” is. Now, unfortunately for moi, my light WENT OFF AGAIN. So I am not going to be able to get the code I don’t think, because the computer doesn’t store it. I know where to plug it in, so I will wait for the light to return more than likely. Then I will be ready!!

You plug the reader in, turn it on, then turn the key in the ignition to “on” (do not start the car). The reader will display a code. You can take that code to your garage or do the repair yourself.

A lot of check engine lights are the gas cap, the catalytic converter, car not tuned up, the distributor link up or the oxygen or O2 sensor. This sensor is a big repair-cost nearly $300. And some cars have several of them. I actually found out how to replace the O2 sensor on my Corolla a few years ago and DID IT!! IT WASN’T THAT HARD, but then again, a man invented it so what did I expect!!

One thing most car repair videos or books never tell you about is pantyhose–THAT’S RIGHT-PANTYHOSE. Keep a pair in your car, (men, tell your wives what it is for). If one of your belts breaks, the BELT IN YOUR CAR NOT AROUND YOUR FAT STOMACH, you use the pantyhose to temporarily replace the belt and drive directly to the repair garage. I remember I had to do this many years ago when my mom and I got stuck on Stratford Avenue in Bridgeport-NOT PRETTY. I took the pantyhose, tied it around where the belt broke and took off FAST!!

Most of these repairs are basically having the right tools (don’t go there) for the right job and the time. So I am going to run a link to:

“How to change an O2 sensor”

Click HERE.

“How to do a tune-up”

Click HERE.

“Basics of Automotive Maintenance”

Click HERE.

OK NOW START PRACTICING ON YOUR CARS AND REMEMBER TO CHECK THE TIRES!!