She said there are apparently no leaks (dark out, deputy holding flashlight), one headlight smashed, but lights up, grille broken, hood has buckle in it.
Temperature gauge is steady and No air bag deployment.
This a small, late model Cadillac (2015-2016?) company car. I think it’s a 4-banger.
Care to hazard a guess why the CEL is on? I have no clue. When she gets here I’m going to try and pull codes.
CSA
I’ll venture a guess. The Check Engine Light is on because she hit a deer.
I’d need to look at the car to get any more definitive.
Seriously, just be thankful she’s okay.
How’s the deer?
Pretty sure the car knows it needs to file with the Fish and Game after bagging a deer.
The CEL is SOOO generic it is on because…as usual for it…’‘SOMETHING’’ is wrong.
– duh ? –
The light being on never tells you anything but… ‘‘Hey, something is wrong.’’
Some sensor or another may have been damaged, or the associated wiring. A damaged O2 sensor would be my guess. Check the battery and associated wires too. The battery is heavy and could have become dislodged due to the impact.
Edit: Damage to the transmission is another possibility.
How’s the deer?
From a phone conversation: DOA. A local guy stopped (30 mile ride home through wilderness) and said “he” was just a little one, “Good thing you didn’t hit the big 8-point running around here!”
"The Check Engine Light is on because she hit a deer.
I’d need to look at the car to get any more definitive. "
Exactly! But I can’t imagine what sensor got involved.
CSA
The ambient temperature sensor may be damaged of missing.
Do not know if your vehicle is equipped but some of the newer GM vehicles have shutters in front of the rad/condenser and these are often damaged in front end hits.
How about the MAF sensor?
This is basically a hot wire anemometer. Which means a wire gets hot in order to measure the mass of the air entering the engine.
I used anemometers in the industrial ventilation field to measure air flow. And if you drop one while the wire is hot, the sudden shock will break the hot wire.
Tester
"The ambient temperature sensor may be damaged of missing."
Ooo… I like that one.
CSA
Similar damage on my Olds was $2200 but prices are up now and on my Rivera about $2000. Hood, fender, light, grill, etc. I put those dang whistles on and I know they don’t work but haven’t hit one since. Seen a lot of them on the side of the road alive and dead but haven’t hit one. In a heavy car though, never even spilled my coffee and if the air bags didn’t deploy, that’s a good thing. In our southern Minnesota area, they got over 2100 of those dang forest rats a couple weeks ago so they are out there. Shooting them is everyone’s patriotic duty. A menace.
Good luck.
She’s OK and the car doesn’t belong to you. The important question now is who gets the deer? As I recall, you said it deserves a place at your table - next to the potatoes.
“Do not know if your vehicle is equipped but some of the newer GM vehicles have shutters in front of the rad/condenser and these are often damaged in front end hits.”
Don’t know.
CSA
"How about the MAF sensor?"
I’ll see if I get that code.
CSA
She is not hurt and it is a company car so let someone else worry about it. The insurance would most likely prefer you not mess with it.
WAG Cylinder misfire due to abrupt change due to dinner hitting bumper.
Ding, Ding, Ding… I Think We Have A Winner!
Congratulations!
meaneyedcatz said,
“Do not know if your vehicle is equipped but some of the newer GM vehicles have shutters in front of the rad/condenser and these are often damaged in front end hits.”
This is a 2014, ATS-4, 2.0T
The 2 DTC codes are, according to my reader:
U0284 (undefined)
P069e (fuel pump control module)
Hits from an internet search suggest that grille shutters are controlled by the fuel pump control module and for some reason P069e is accompanied by a P0284.
The grille is smashed, so it makes sense (sort of).
Wow, I just learned some cars have grille shutters! Where have I been?
CSA
@jtsanders
"The important question now is who gets the deer? As I recall, you said it deserves a place at your table - next to the potatoes."
I did say that. Not even local passersby wanted the deer. I guess it’s the potatoes that are better mashed, not the venison (particularly before the animal is processed). Too bad.
CSA
One deer I hit on the road to nowhere, I drove back a few miles to a town and stopped at a gas station just to tell someone. One of the guys there got real excited and wanted to know exactly where and which direction it went. I think he was grabbing his rifle and off he went, permit or not.
Sometimes the patrol will have it donated to local food kitchen or something. Not sure who would pay for the processing though. Most of the time though I don’t think they let you take the thing but who wants blood all over your car anyway.
The grille shutters are on the lower portion of the condenser. They do not cover the entire condenser.
Made of black plastic, they feel kind of flimsy. They are easy to not notice them, until you find a pile of plastic laying in the undercover.