The trouble light for emission control systems came on, and appeared each time I drove until the trip to the dealer. I was told to buy better gas (from a national dealer) and to take it out on the interstate to ‘blow out’ the exhaust. No charge for this advice. This did happen about a week after periodic maintenance. I followed the advice this. My family says the better gas stuff is hogwash, and someone else told me I didn’t need to drive fast to ‘blow out’ the exhaust. Most of my driving is short trips. I would like more information.
Is the light still on?
The better gas and blowing the exhaust (engine actually) out is hogwash. Back in the days of leaded gas and carbureted cars there was a bit of truth to the blowing out the engine thing.
Take the car to a local AutoZone, Checkers, O’Reillys, etc. and have them scan the car for codes.
These places will perform this service for you free and it only takes a couple of minutes. Their job is NOT to diagnose the problem, only to provide you with any codes that may be present. There may be codes in memory even if the CEL is not illuminated.
Post any results for discussion.
Short trips in a hybrid. Take it to the highway and drive seven miles out and seven miles back. Do it once a week. It couldn’t hurt. Your spark plugs will love you.
I’m with OK4450 on this one.
In the old days of carburators, points, and cam-driven rotors, engines ran rich, control over the combustion process was rudimentary, and the combustion process created a lot of carbon deposits in the engines. These deposits could build up on sparkplugs and foul them. We used to take cars that never saw highway use out for a good run every now and then to blow out the carbon. We called it an “Italian tuneup”.
But today’s cars burn the fuel far, far more thoroughly and the fuel, ignition, and even the valve timing are controlled to the Nth degree. The fuel itself is finely misted to ensur contrete combustion, which pretty much eliminates carbon deposits.
And chemists today have gotten the gasoline additivev packages such that they’re all pretty much the same. The gas itself travels through the exact same pipelines.
In short, this “get some good gas and blow the engine out” stuff is BS, long obsolete and of no value. And the trouble light is triggered by many, many possibilities. There are literally hundreds of codes any of which can trip the light.
Follow OK4450’s wise advice.
The Accord hybrid is a rare beast. Sure to attain cult status. You might have a gold mine on your hands. Cross you fingers.
The advice to use “better gas” is totally BOGUS, as is the advice to “blow out” the engine (this might work for a 1967 Ferrari, but not for your car).
There is no “better gas.” All gasoline is equal. As long as you’re using the correct octane, as specified in the owner’s manual, you’re good.
Who did the “periodic maintenance?”
You have at least one failed emission sensor, and maybe just a dirty Mass Air Flow sensor, which you can easily clean or just replace yourself (the part costs about $120 and is located outside of the air filter housing, and is very easy to remove and clean or replace). Check this link:http://www.ehow.com/how_4773694_mass-air-flow-sensor-maf.html
I’d try cleaning this part first and then if there is no improvement, replace the part and then start replacing O2 sensors. You are not going to get any answers at AutoZone. Your problem will read as a symptom and not the cause.
Disregard anything kizwiki suggests…Have the code(s) read as suggested and find out exactly WHY the light came on…