2009 Fit sport, 20k mi

Noticed it was on a couple minutes into driving. Gas tank was maybe 5 mi from going on reserve. Filled up and light went off immediately thereafter. Gas cap did not seem loose on removal -- replaced, ensuring a few clicks on turning.

Thoughts? Similar experience? If it was a loose cap, wouldn't the problem have displayed much sooner than 5 mi from reserve?

For future reference, how do I reset such an indicator light? I thought I saw here allusion to some kind of button interface to do so, but have found no clear-cut instructions.

 

How did you know it was on for emissions? Did you have the code checked?

 

If it were a problem with gas cap/evap system, you should have also gotten a check gas cap message on the display.

That said, if you get a check engine light, the best thing to do is to get the codes read so you can address the problem. Autozone et al will read the codes for free. It should still be storing whatever the problem was.

You can get the code to go away temporarily by disconnecting the battery, but that's equivalent to dealing will a smoke detector going off by unplugging it but ignoring the fire.

 

It's the MIL (malfunction indicator lamp) which by name seems like it might be a generic warning light but the owner's manual suggests it's specific to emissions:

If this indicator comes on
while driving, it means one
of the engine’s emissions control

systems may have a problem

I also forgot to mention: the separate gas-cap-related warning light did NOT turn on when this happened.

 

Right, but emissions covers basically the entirety of what the engine does. The car engine is a device for converting air and fuel into emissions (and energy). Everything from too rich/lean air fuel ratios, to gas cap being loose to oxygen sensors' heater malfunctioning could be a malfunction of something related to emissions.

 

Stop letting your car run out of gas like that. Really bad for the fuel pump and apparently bad for the evap system too.

 

1) he wasn't out of gas.
2) letting the tank get low isn't bad for the pump. (This isn't a Ford or Dodge.)
3) it's not bad for the evap system (overfilling, yes).
4) using the gas tank to its capacity is a design function.
5) you could argue, tooling around with more mass in gasoline sloshing around is a waste of energy.
6) I'm curious to know what the code was too.

 

Will post back in a few days what the code was since apparently it's cached. Getting the LMS recall done (2009 Fit bought Aug 2009) in 3 days so will ask to check the CEL er MIL history.

 

Fun fact # 69 The fuel contained in the tank is both a coolant and a lubricant for the fuel pump. You wouldn't let your car run out of coolant or oil right? Its way to easy to put gas in a Fit...takes less than 5 min.

 

Yeah yeah yeah you made your point (such as it was) already. Wasn't out of fuel. Light came on before reserve, and I filled in 4 miles.

(If I didn't know any better I'd say I was being patronized, condescended or both. Indeed "its way to easy" (sic), easier than filling a tank in fact, to do that online. )

 

Your being assisted. Always fill up before reserve.

 

Fun fact: as long as the engine is running, there's fuel in the tank.

 

Why doesn't everyone have a code reader, they are like $49. And sure you might not use it much but I know for me (removing stuff to put in audio) I sometimes have to reset a CEL or two and without that meter I have to truck my butt to Autozone. I think personally it's a great tool to add to the collection, again for $49 why not just buy one and forget Autozone/Dealer for CEL code checks forever.

 

Fit4Spl - I spend more time buying tools than actually using them, so your point is a good one. Hardly a tool purchase I make doesn't have a "that'd go great w/ the collection" thought. You can get them even cheaper, I think, on occasion, though I don't really know the first thing about what makes a good diag reader vs a bad one.

All- dealer said the code was due to low tank. I didn't get the code per se (sorry). Though I guess if I get my own reader a la Fit4Spl's advice I could tell y'all eventually.

 

Can you recommend a good code reader that will work with both my 2010 Fit Sport and 2007 Civic Coupe? Is there a specific feature that i need to look for?

 

Stop by just about any Auto Zone. They will read the code for free (if the dealer did not reset it). With the code we will probably be able to tell what is or was failing.

 

Agreed... recommend me the best $50-$75 OBDII scanner for a 10 Fit and 09 Ody.

 

If you have a DROID phone or tablet, get an ELM327 device. Go to Amazon and do a search for it and get one for around $15. Then you download the free "Torque" program to your DROID. It communicates via blue tooth. Then you can read all the codes, turn your MIL light off, read all the sensor values, make graphs, make custom gauges, tell if open or close loop, shows readiness state of each test, shows all sensor values at time code sets, shows past codes that no longer exist, set high and low limits for any sensor, etc. Pay $5 and you get the paid version of torque and you can do 1/4 mile and 0 to 60 tests, save road tests to files and email them, or send to facebook, etc. It uses the GPS and accelerometer in your DROID along with the OBDII info from your car. If you don't have a DROID, get an Ultragauge. This will tell you codes and let you reset your MIL, gives you 3 screens of 6 sensor values each, and you can mount it permanently in your car and monitor things like trip data, fuel economy, any sensor your vehicle has, particularly battery voltage and engine temperature for which we do not have built-in gauges. Ultragauge is bought online through their website at around $70.00. Both solutions will work with virtually any car built since 1996 or any with OBDII. You will find nothing at Autozone as versatile as either of these solutions at anywhere near the money.