I have an 02 Olds Alero that has had the Service Engine Soon light on constantly, and the Trac Off light on intermittently for about a year now. Recently it was happening almost every time I started the car and the engine would shift rough. A week ago, the Anti Lock light started coming on along with the Service Vehicle Soon light and the brakes would make a weird sound even when I’m not using them. I took the car to Monro and they got codes for an O2 sensor and the Throttle position sensor, but recommended replaceing the O2 sensor in the front of the vehicle. They reset the codes, I drove the car for about 300 miles, and now all the lights are back on. Only the engine isn’t shifting rough even though the trac off light is still on. The brakes still make the same weird noise and now I can feel the brakes pulsing through my feet whenever I slow down or stop the car. I took the car to auto zone and they ran codes on my car and it didn’t show the O2 sensor or the Throttle position sensor code, but a code did come up for the catalytic converter. I’m at a total loss as to what any of this means. Sometimes it takes a while for the lights come on and the car runs fine, but as soon as my brakes start making that weird noise, the Anti Lock and the Trac offf and the other lights I mentioned come on. Before, just the trac off light came on before I replaced the O2 sensor last week. But now it only comes on with the Anti Lock light.
You need to find a good independent mechanic (no chain shops like Monro, the people there are not trained for these kinds of problems), and get your car’s problems diagnosed. Ignoring them hasn’t worked. You may be doing more damage to your car as you continue to drive it. You may kill someone when your brakes suddenly don’t work at all.
There are no codes that say any specific part like an 02 sensor or converter is bad. The codes only point to where a mechanic should start their diagnosis of the problem.
I second this great advice. Ignoring problems is the surest path to an early demise on the auto recyclers scrap heap.
Ok, but who said I was ignoring the problem with my brakes? I said that the anti lock light for the brakes only started coming on a week ago, and 2 days later I had it in the shop. Maybe Monro is not qualified to deal with diagnosing my vehicles, but I resent your statement that I am ignoring something as important as my brakes, that may get someone killed including myself, a pedestrian, but most especially my child. I came on here for advice, not rude comments. Apparently, I’m asking for advice on the wrong forum.
Mel8sa…
Yes, you made a mistake indeed. This forum is strictly for Professional Christmas Lights installers.
Besides, you’re not doing anything wrong at all. I have always, also ignored all my dashboard lights whenever they came on. And with excellent results so far.
The ignoring referred mainly to "has had the Service Engine Soon light on constantly, and the Trac Off light on intermittently for about a year now. "
I wouldn’t drive any car a mile that had unknown brake problems that included making a strange noise. (Just having the ABS light on would be okay to drive it somewhere to have it checked out.)
I’m not trying to be rude. I am trying to push you into taking action before you have a tragedy.
Ok. Perhaps I need to go into more detail about the service engine light. Yes, it is on constantly. It began 3 months after I bought the car and I had the other O2 sensor in the back of the car replaced. I also replaced the top of my engine. Replaced the ignition module, and some other engine part that I cant recall. Take it from me, I have mechanics bills totalling over $2000 as proof that I have tried, repeatedly, to diagnose the service engine soon light. As for the trac off light, I have already brought it to 3 independent mechanics over the course of the last 12 months, and none of them had been able to figure out what was causing it. When it first started coming on, it was every once in a while, then a couple times a month, to a few times a week and finally almost every time I drove the car. So, I was unable to figure out what was causing the light to come on. As I said, a week ago, the Anti Lock light began coming on, and 2 days later (on my first day off from work) I brought it to Monro, and they got codes for the O2 sensor (in the front of the car) and the Throttle position sensor and recommended I replace the O2 sensor, which they did, and they also reset the codes. This was last week. The car drove fine for 3 days with no lights on the dashboard at all, and then suddenly they all came right back…Service Engine Soon, Trac Off, Anti Lock, Service Vehicle Soon. However, even though the Trac Off light comes on again, the car does not behave the way it did when it would come on in the past. In the past, my gears shifted rough from 2nd to 3rd gear and sometimes on the highway it acted up. It doesn’t do that anymore ever since I replaced the front O2 sensor last week, but the light still comes on. So out of all of the lights on the dashboard that come up, the one that still concerns me is the Anti Lock light. When the lights aren’t lit on the dashboard, my car runs perfectly. And when my brakes make the funny sound I mentinoed, it triggers all of the lights to come on the dashboard.
So, believe me, your push to motivate me into taking action, was not necessary. I have been trying to fix these problems from the time they all started, and am still trying to fix them.
I should also mention (if I haven’t already) that I took my car to Auto Zone yesterday because someone told me they pull codes for free and the O2 Sensor and throttle position sensor didn’t come on, however a code for the catalytic converter did come up. This is after the fact that i already replaced the O2 sensor in the front last week.
OK…I will be rude in order to get an owner and driver to repair their vehicle. Ignoring a Service Engine Soon light for an entire year is the quickest way to end up on the scrap heap. I won’t enable your foolishness by stroking your ego and saying everything is alright. If you can’t or won’t take your vehicle to a qualified mechanic for repair then turn your keys over to a friend or relative so they can do it for you. Start walking. Rude enough for you?
I am wondering if it might be the wheel bearing. mine started making noise and then the trac control, ABS, and Service vehicle soon lights came on. It has a sensor attached to it for the trac and abs. I think it was $150 to get it replaced.