I have no doubt that my minivan is smarter than I am. It recoils it's doors when my children are jumping out of the van, suicide style, the van sensing their little bodies in some danger (or sensing them getting yelled at by me for doing that yet again). It incessantly beeps when I leave the keys in the ignition warning me not to lock my beloved in the backseat. It even squeezes my butt just a little, when my hip accidentally pushes the 'close door' button, on just the 'right day'.
Genius.
So why does my 'check engine' light turn on when I don't screw on the fuel cap properly? Better yet, why does the 'check engine' light only turn on after a few days of the cap being improperly screwed on? Oh yes, and why oh why can the 'check engine' light possibly remain on for several days after you have properly screwed on the fuel cap?
I feel like I'm driving around checking my dashboard every 5 seconds to see if that freakin' little light has finally turned off. And if it's not just the 'fuel cap', I'm now expecting confetti and noisemakers to go off telling me something is about to blow up in 35 seconds; so unbuckle the kids and jump/roll out of the car into the nearest clearing.
All of this because my 'fuel cap' may or may not have been in the past or is currently improperly screwed.
I can tell you what to screw.
20 comments:
I think it is possible that we drive the same van. Is yours filled with goldfish too?
I'm glad to see that I'm not the only with the same problems. I thought is was just my imagination at first.
Given the fuel cap is generally located about as far from the engine as one can get, I love the fact that it's improper placement is indicated by the "check engine" light. Maybe they could install a "screw me" light. Or a "you didn't screw me properly" light. Or a simple "screw off" light.
Just some thoughts.
:-)
A little black tape over the light....problem solved!
Not only do I have the same problems with the check engine light in my car, I feel like I have a "check engine" light in my head some days.
Crap.
Our next vehicle--well, my next vehicle--will be a minivan...I now see that I'll be going crazy with the check engine light...
Crap.
It's not just vans... we bought a new car on a Monday evening and were back at the dealership the following Monday. The husband would like to know how the gas cap can be "unscrewed" if he heard it clicking? Dunno, just glad it wasn't anything I did.
Love Jason's ideas, by the way. Then maybe the check engine light could become "you're screwed."
I think cars and vans and trucks are all put here just to screw us. It's just too bad they don't want to cuddle afterwards. :)
This happens to hubby all the time.
Silly, but you have to do those three clicks...and I think it comes on because there is too much air/oxygen in the gas....or just to tick you off.
My check engine light has not gone off in two years...and this is with a mechanic husband and having had the truck in the shop several times and they can find NOTHING wrong lol.
If it went off now, I would probably be scared lol.
I think they need to come up with a whole better alert system. It would not do for me to create such a thing however, as it would be decidedly sarcastic lol.
"If you would close the door, I would stop with the annoying klaxon in your ear you know.."
"You might want to buckle that seat belt, I would hate for you or a passenger to go splat on the wind shield if we have to stop suddenly"
"Pssst, you headlights are on...no, not THOSE headlights, the ones on your car..perv..."
LOL...
LMAO "I can tell you what to screw..." If my minivan can screw anything I'm SOLD! hehehe
My husband was just telling me about cars with smarter computers that have really specific things that set off the check engine light, for example, low tire pressure. I said I'd be mad if I had to pay for an $80 diagnostic to find out my tires need air. I'm glad I have an old car with a dumb computer. :-)
my mother warned me about blogs like this :)
It is probably just messing with you. I hear cars are like that.
"Check engine" - it's not very literal, is it? Last time I checked, my fuel cap is no where near the engine!
My check engine light is ALWAYS on... I dont think it has anything to do with the fuel cap- but now I shall definitely check!
I used to think that my car was my nemesis. Then I got a new car.
Now I realize that the art of driving in and of itself is my nemesis. I'm just really, really bad at it.
I was so happy to see this post, and the subsequent comments, as I have worked as a mechanic and I have seen the dreaded "check engine" light countless times.
Out of those countless numbers of check engine lights, I would venture a guess that only about half of them were caused by a problem with the engine.
The rest, as you may have guessed, were caused by the very thing you mentioned, a fuel cap loose or misplaced.
Seeing that 5 or 6 times a day made me want to say "Screw (insert manufacturers name)!!!!!"
Yeah, even the mechanics hate it! lol
Very Funny! I have to agree with Tyne. We have more than just goldfish in our van though. Do you also have problems with your airbag light?
I thought of this today as I drove past a business with a sign that said, "Free check engine light testing."
So if you're ever in Rancho Cucamonga, California...
Post a Comment