So as I was driving home from the beach today, my check engine light came back on, as well as my oil light, at the same exact time. I had an oil change 3k miles ago, and topped off 1k miles ago with 10w30 non synthetic oil. According to my sticker thing, I'm not due for another oil change for another 600 miles. However when I checked my dip stick, I had barely ANY oil. So I added a little bit more 10w30 (which took off the oil light) and I'm going to get my oil changed tomorrow. And the car is running fine, no problems

So basically, my question is, could an oil shortage cause CEL? I'm not if this has been posted about before, I apologize if it has.

ALSO, I've been meaning to post about this. When I go 65+ for more than a few minutes (on the freeway or something) a red symbol light comes on my odometer. It's located above where the add oil thing would be. It almost looks like a building. I'm not sure. But it goes away if I begin to slow down or let off the gas for a minute or so. So just wondering what that is. Probably a n00b question, try not to be mean

My car is an Auto 04 with 53.6k miles. due for an oil change at 54.2k

 

Do you have a manual to check the symbols? Mine is in my car.

You should check your engine oil more often. You shouldn't wait to have the light to go on. From what I read on here, that means your engine oil is very low.

 

the red symbol is your coolant light. you probably need more coolant or a new coolant box per tsb.

the cel could be a number of things if it's the check engine light. go to autozone to get the code read.

 

Unfortunately, Calif. Auto Zones aren't allowed to read/reset codes now. I think some "great" law outlawing the practice as to avoid people polluting.

 

buy an accessport!

or go to the dealer.

 

I don't have a manual. I'll have to check the online one. I think im going to get an CEL read at Midas tomorrow.

 

let us know what they say.

 

yeah be sure to watch your oil I check mine AT LEAST once a week..but if i'm in a parking lot or somehting and think of it I'll check it to be sure...can't be too safe....

was the CEL on steady or flashing?......did you get gas recently before the CEL came on?

 

CEL light is steady. I put in new coils, wires and spark plugs about 3k miles ago, so its not that.

And yes, I had just gotten 91 Arco gas. (I had a gas card)

 

pull the battery and see if the code comes back.

 

So it ended up being one of my Evap hoses or something got detached somehow. It was $30 for the CEL light code read, and $90 for the Evap code read thing. So it ended up not being too terrible.

Did get a funny story out of it though:

As me and my girlfriend were pulling into Midas and she was talking **** about how rotaries can be unreliable and I was trying to stick up for my car. We look inside the Midas repair garage and see a grey RX8 on the lift. Hahahaha

 

Make sure to check your oil every 1k. 800 miles preferably. If you had an MT I would check it every 500 miles.

Sounds like you may need a tune up son.

Come to an OC meet.

 

Hi just got my car back from the shop. My CEL is flashing. New motor, new clutch (super sweet). Now, when I got it service man says I need a new battery because its STILL cranking too long to start. But it also needs coils, they are on back order, so I go back next week. Is the CEL flashing because of the battery or the long cranking? or something else? My CEL light was NOT on when I took it in to the shop.

 

lol i got a cell last week. but mine was due to not having the gas cap screwed tightly.

 

That happened to me and they replaced my whole gas cap and stuff lol

 

^must be nice refused to replace mine so I had to buy a new one! but it's al good now!

 

Thread resurrection. It's okay though, it's my thread. I just got another CEL but I'm almost positive its from not screwing my gas cap tight enough, FML. The CEL won't turn off unless I reset it, correct? And to do that I just take off the negative wire on the battery and then put it back on.

 

For small leak EVAP CEL, it WILL turn itself off after a few drive cycle.

The most important one is the self leak detection test. which takes couple of hours when your car is not moving.

 

Ah it's been a few days since I tightened it and It's still on. :/

 

well make sure it's tight and you could remove the batt. cable.....or get the code read for FREE and make sure it's for ur gas cap....

 

^ Dont think cali has any places that will read codes for free

 

Never fear, Jedi is here!

what are you doing Saturday?
I can send my code reader with someone if you're going to the Beach Cruise / car show.

 

^+1

Zach, show up to the socal beach cruise/car show this saturday and either jedi or see if my buddy in the maintenance shop in autotoyz can read the code for you.


p.s. - you'd better not say 'what beach cruise'

 

just got off the phone with the dealership and my CEL was due to my gas cap not tightend. but 3 different times in 2 weeks? oh well free of charge.

 

do you make sure to click 3 times?
might need to replace the gas cap