CEL after stall
 

So I was driving with some friends in my car (2006 GT with 1700 miles on it). My car was fully warmed up, and I was sitting at a red light. For some reason, I forgot I was in gear, and took my foot off of the clutch to reach for something in the backseat. The car stalled, and I started it back up. When I turned it back on, there was a solid CEL. I drove to my friends house, parked it, and checked the gas cap. It wasn't loose, and re-tightened it to make sure. When i let it sit out there for about an hour (In the -5 temp), I came back, and the CEL was still there, and now the tire pressure light was on. What a crummy day, i have no idea why my CEL is on...Should i make an appointment with the dealer or wait it out? The car has only 1700 miles on it.

so I'm paranoid and still wondering whats wrong with my car at 2:21 am :(

do you feel any power lost or anything?
i'll say bring it back to the dealer and have them check it!

I believe the CEL light will not go out until it is reset, though I can't confirm this is true with the RX-8. Not sure why your CEL was thrown, but sounds like it was definitely something associated with your stalling it. I'd try taking it to your local auto parts store and ask them to hook it up to get the code(s). If it was something transient that tripped your CEL, they'll get the code and be able to give you an idea what the problem may be, then reset it. If the CEL comes back on, you should go to your dealer to have it checked out. If it stays off, you're probably OK.

My wife's van had a CEL recently. We took it to the auto parts store to have it hooked up and they told us it was a "small fuel system leak". They suggested we replace the gas cap. I had to go the dealer to buy one, but even after replacing it, the light stayed on. I took it back to the auto parts store, they hooked it up again, got the same codes as before, cleared the CEL, and it never came on again. See if you can get it reset, but be sure to write down the code(s) they give you, just in case you need the info later.

Probably.....
 

Probably not related to the stall, more to the restart.....

The computer doesn't set a CEL immediately, it just stores it as "pending". If it re-occurs in two more start/drive cycles, it trips the light.

You probably had a pending code (for cat efficiency, misfire etc.) when you restarted. That was the third "cycle" so it lit.

S

Staver - you need to find out the code. Either take it to the dealer (freebie under warranty, and you should be entitled to a free loaner if you have to leave it) or (as Groundrush suggests) take it to an auto parts store to get it read.

If you take it to a parts store and get the code, you can look it up here. Do a forum search on the code. I did a search when I got a P0455 (the classic loose gas cap one) and learned more about it than mankind should ever know about anything.

Ken

Sorry again, but I am not really an expert on anything dealing with cars. I am going to go to autozone today, before the big game :) to get the codes for the check engine light. Also, can I just fill the tires up with regular air at the gas station? I remember a while back when we brought my dad's car to the dealer that he should never put air in his tires, because they were filled with nitrogen. I am so lost.. :(

Perfect....
 

Normal air is perfect, don't worry.

S

So this is the second time this winter I needed to fill air in my tires, and one of my tires was down to 8psi!!!!! I got them filled at firestone, and the check engine light went off when they were done filling the tires. Still wondering why it went on...

8 psi? I'd look for a leak. Maybe just a leaky or loose valve core, or a nail in the tread. As long as you catch it before it goes flat - and before you run far on 8 psi - that can be fixed.

If one of the techs or tire busters at Firestone checked your air, he should have suggested checking the tire.

FWIW, if you filled your tires to 32 psi in the summer on a 100 degree day, then checked them in the winter on a 0 degree day, you'd be down to about 23 psi. So 8 is way beyond the usual winter drop.

Sure it was the CEL, and not the TPMS light? If it was the CEL, the code could have coincidentally cleared when you shut down and restarted. Anyway, take it to the dealer to have the CEL checked out.

Ken

the cel and the tire pressure light was on at the same time....When i got my tires filled, they both went away :\

the cel was related to the stall. the tpms was for the low air. some cels go out after x number of starts without the issue. it was coincidently when you started after getting air.

your tire was not down to 8psi. your tpms light would have come on way before that- unless you have nail or other such object in your tire.