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The amount of people who think 'check engine' means 'add more oil' is wild
Had a guy come into the shop yesterday convinced his 2017 Civic just needed a top-off because the light was on. The code was for an oxygen sensor, zero oil issues. He said his buddy told him that light always means low oil, and he'd been adding a quart every month for almost a year. The dipstick was reading way over full. How does this myth keep going? What's the most common 'fix' you've seen customers try before bringing a car in?
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faith_thomas3mo ago
That "add oil for the check engine light" one is stubborn, but the classic is people trying to fix an evap leak by just tightening the gas cap over and over. They'll buy a new one, crank it until it clicks ten times, and the light still comes back because the leak is in a hose three feet away.
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kelly_coleman6126d ago
Gotta admit, I used to be one of those people. I'd buy a new gas cap every time and tighten it until I practically stripped the plastic. Figured the light was just being dramatic and a new cap would shut it up. Then my buddy finally showed me the smoke test and pointed to a cracked hose behind the engine. Felt pretty dumb, but at least I learned my lesson and stopped wasting money on caps. Now I tell everyone to check for the simple stuff first but don't bet your whole paycheck on it.
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sam_anderson3mo ago
But is a check engine light really that big a deal?
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