Diagnostic tests show that my check engine light stays on due to a charcoal canister. Is this an expensive repair?
Car is a 1998 Toyota Corolla LD
What counts as expensive? Charcoal canisters are not among the cheaper items. You can easily find prices at any one of a hundred online parts stores, keeping in mind that a shop’s price for the part will be a good 20-60% higher.
What diagnostic tests? I surely hope that no one told you that a computer code indicated that the canister was bad.
Do you frequently “top off” your gas tank - as in pumping more in after the automatic shut off?
I guess anything over $200 is expensive. I don’t think I have ever done that. Put on a new gas cap today. Light went off and did not come back during my 25 mile trip, but came back on again for the way back home. Tried repeatedly to tighten it to see if it would “heal” again. Yes, that where the information came from about the charcoal canister. Has been doing this most of the year that I have owned the car, but car has run perfectly. Need to sell the car as I am moving out of the country.
What error code did they read off the computer?
It will look like P0123.
Ok - so all you have is an error code? There are no error codes that will tell you that the canister is bad. If the canister does go bad then it will set error codes though.
It is part of your evaporative emissions system and there are lots & lots of error codes that refer to that system. So, as circuitsmith asked - what is the specific error code?
Do you fill your gas tank past the first click. If so, stop at the first click from now on and it may fix itself.
If passing an emissions test is not an issue, then dealing with this “problem” is not an issue…It does not effect the drivability or safety of your vehicle…