Check Engine Comes on -- Camry

Lately, I have been driving our 5-speed manual trans 4-cylinder 2003 Camry, because it has been cold and icy and it has snow tires and I have some issues that sort of preclude me getting stuck out in the elements for the next few months.

So, on an occasional occasion, I drive down our very steep drive, about 1,000 yards out to the actual "road" which is at about 300 feet sea level (house is about at 850 feet sea level). If I put the car in neutral, it can be a real wild ride.

So, car is pretty cold. I stop the car on occasion, not all the time, to merge on the actual county road -- which as I said is about a 1,000 yards from the departure point (a little over a half mile).

If I stop (technically required, but I am an outlaw) the check engine light will come on and then eventually goes off after about 24 hours and stays off until I do it again.

I have techstream and I could check the code, but the car runs fine, it is an occasional thing and it goes away until I do the whole cold start, downhill stop.

I assume that it is some sort of "too-rich" fuel mix that upsets the car when I do this.

Just curious. Not really any other issue. And, if I got off my lazy nice person, I could haul out the old laptop and hook up techstream and see what code is popping up.

But, why do it the easy way. Plus, somehow, I managed to get TechStream into an evaluation mode, which only gives me so many uses of the program before it freezes into a brick and I am not going to waste any of those uses on this.

Any thoughts?

 

Of course it is too much work to take out a tissue, plus they dissolve quickly. I only use paper towels I steal from the gas stations -- the thick blue ones you use for the windshield.

Plus, this Camry does use about a quart every two months, so I or my insignificant other check the oil each week -- sometimes more than once a week. Right now it is at 3/4's full. -- well -- as of 20 minutes ago.

 

Hmm. brakes. I mostly open the driver's door and drag my foot, but I do remember checking the PS fluid/wiper fluid/clutch/brake fluids on Sunday.

Pretty good about checking fluids, air pressure and filters on all the cars. I even occasionally check the AC sight glass to see if I spot any bubbles.

Still seem to think it might be fuel mix from the cold start and quick stop at idle. Not too worried --

AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT DO ANY REAL DAMAGE. Just thought it might be a semi-common thing. But, then again, how many people live on top a hill in a rain forest....

 

don't get me wrong. No criticism here.....just brings to mind one of my father's rants of about 15 years ago.

A friend was having trouble with his car (I think it was a Camry!!). He asked my dad what the problem was. Dad told him the fuel pump needed to be replaced.

Well, friend took it to the Toyota dealer. Dealer could not duplicate, and the service writer remarked that it would be tough to find because the car did not have a computer (it was a "pre-computer" Camry).

My dad shook his head and told his friend the mechanics were idiots, it was clearly the fuel pump. Friend lived with it for a few months, it got worse and worse....guess what it was....fuel pump.

Anyway, yes, the codes are nice, but sometimes even I think about the days that we did not rely on computers for everything from keeping trains going the correct speed around curves to diagnosing car troubles to even performing surgery.

 

Bob you wire me the cash and I will GET ONE!

Better yet, write a check!
kris