Engine light

[Atlanta Cruiser]

I pulled a trailer around town to take my riding lawn mower to the shop. After roughly 45 minutes of pulling my check engine light came on. Any thoughts?? The temp and oil level are normal and it seemed to run ok. The cruiser has 144,530 miles on it. I'm planning on driving it to Florida on Sunday for vacation with my family so I need to get whatever is going on fixed ASAP.

 

[Wilkinson]

The 96 has the OBDII so you need a scanner to read the code. Go by the auto parts store to get them to read the code for free. Most will do this. My guess is either EGR underflow or O2 sensor. If it is either of these, get the parts guy to reset the code and drive to Florida. It won't hurt the truck.

 

[Atlanta Cruiser]

Thanks Nelson! I'll run by NAPA tomorrow in the morning and see what I'm dealing with. I didn't realize this truck had the OBDII.

 

[LDowney]

The 96 has the OBDII so you need a scanner to read the code. Go by the auto parts store to get them to read the code for free. Most will do this. My guess is either EGR underflow or O2 sensor. If it is either of these, get the parts guy to reset the code and drive to Florida. It won't hurt the truck.

Or you can pull the EFI fuse and then push right back in. This will reset the codes. The O2 sensors on our '95 will trip the check engine light every now and then. Also if I pull the sensor and blow it out with compressed air, it will not trip the sensor as frequently.

 

[Wilkinson]

Larry, does the 95 have ODBII? I thought with ODBII you could not reset the codes by removing the fuse. I do that on my 94, too. On the pre-ODBII trucks you can get the codes without the scanner.

 

[Atlanta Cruiser]

UPDATE - I went to autozone this morning and they ran the code.

P0136
Definition BBH02S12

This indicated that it is a faulty O2 sensor but the guy refused to reset the light saying that he wasn't allowed.

 

[informationjunky]

If you wern't on the other side of Atlanta, I would reset it for you.

 

[Atlanta Cruiser]

Or you can pull the EFI fuse and then push right back in. This will reset the codes. The O2 sensors on our '95 will trip the check engine light every now and then. Also if I pull the sensor and blow it out with compressed air, it will not trip the sensor as frequently.

I found the fuse - do I just yank it out or is there something else i need to do to remove it?

 

[informationjunky]

I found the fuse - do I just yank it out or is there something else i need to do to remove it?

fuse puller on door of inside fuse cover (below and left of steering wheel), pull for about a minute, replace, check if reset.

 

[LDowney]

Larry, does the 95 have ODBII? I thought with ODBII you could not reset the codes by removing the fuse. I do that on my 94, too. On the pre-ODBII trucks you can get the codes without the scanner.

Yes as I recall the '95 has the ODBII (or is it OBDII?). However, '96 is when it went 'active' and because the standard emissions test interface.

I found the fuse - do I just yank it out or is there something else i need to do to remove it?

Yes it is just a two-blade fuse that pulls to remove (15 amp or so). Usually, I can get a grip on the top to pull it out with my fingers. On the times when my fat fingers are too fat to get a grip, needle nose plyers are an easy solution to pull it and replace it.

Off topic - I don't know the cause for the O2 sensors to trip the check engine light. It is my guess that the engines may have enough wear on them that unburnt residue is going down the pipe and into the sensors. If so, this may be a graceful degradation indicator. Regardless, it is something that I am keeping an eye on.

Enjoy the trip to Florida. I am interested in what kind of MPGs you get. Ours used to get nominally 17 on interstate trip, but now it seems like it is near 13 regardless.

 

[informationjunky]

Our 95 was OBDI

 

[AuburnFJsexy]

If I recall correctly, '96 and newer have the OBII, that is why when you go through emissions, all they have to do is plug it up instead of doing the sniffer up the tail pipe.

 

[Wilkinson]

If you do get the light to rest by pulling the fuse, the engine may run "off" until the computer relearns the mapping for proper mixture. This is normal, you didn't kill it . Just drive around for a few miles and it should idle correctly again.

The O2 sensor is a normal error that I get on mine occasionally, like Larry said. My guess is that the O2 sensors are degrading and work most of the time. Mine turn the light on about twice a year. I reset and I am good for another 6 months. I always pass emissions with flying colors ( having a 94 I have to get the sniffer up the tail pipe). Last time I went the guy wanted me to get on the dyno. I had to tell him I was full time 4 wheel drive. That could of been fun if he had tried it!

 

[LDowney]

Our 95 was OBDI

If I recall correctly, '96 and newer have the OBII, that is why when you go through emissions, all they have to do is plug it up instead of doing the sniffer up the tail pipe.

Per Slee's newbie guide for '95-97 80 series Land Cruiser owners

"ECU updates and truck became voluntary OBD-II compatible. Fully compatible in 1996 models"

Therefore, the '95s were voluntarily equipped but the emission standards are not based on using the OBD II.

One little item I found in the factory service manual while searching for the code reading section (which I could not find) was;
OBD = On-board Diagnostic
I had not seen it spelled out so it was interesting to me.

 

[informationjunky]

Sorry, OBDI was incorrect.....its been a while. Ours had the OBDII port but couldn't communicate. Don't know if it was the scan software or because it was not fully compliant. (I was using a PC based scanner back then)?