Help me!!!! Could it just be a loose gas cap?

Hi all. This is the second time the check engine light has come on in my 2000 Dodge Durango 4X4 Sport. The first time was this last summer and I called a Dodge dealership and asked them what it could be. I explained that I had just moved from Vermont to Colorado and had a thorough tune-up done before I drove out. They told me that it only be something in the fuel system and could likely be something as simple as me not tightening the gas cap. I checked it and it did not seem lose, but I put a fuel system cleaner in the tank and filled the take. I am not sure how many days later, but the light did go off.

This past weekend, I saw the light come on for the first time. I stopped and checked the gas cap. It was completely lose. I was SOOOO releaved because I simply cannot afford any repairs on it any time soon. My husband was unemployed for 6 months this past spring and summer and we are having a very hard time catching up.

I have 67,000 + miles on it and I don't believe the warranty on it is in effect anymore. Once again, I put fuel system cleaner in the tank and filled the tank. The first time it happened, the delaership told me that if it was because of the cap, the light should turn of in 25 to 30 starts or so. So, I turned it off and on 30 times, but the light still has not gone out yet and it's three days later.

On this forum, I learned that if I turned it on and off 3 times, the code would display or flash in the odometer. I just tried that and no code displayed. Does that mean I missed the code when I was turning it on and off 30 times because the code displays only once? Or does that mean there is no code to display and the engine light came on because of the gas cap being lose? Or, did I not attempt to display the code correctly?

How do you display the codes on a Dodge Durango 2000 Sport? Does anyone know how long the warranty is good for? Was it 60,000? Please help me!!!!! :eek:

Durango2000, try unhooking the neg. battery cable for about 10-20 seconds. That will clear any codes that may be stored in the computer and shut the check engine light.

Danny

Take this the right way, as I intend it but....

Calling the dealer and asking why your check engine light is on is like calling the dentist and asking if you have any cavities.

Simply put, they have to see the vehicle and hook it up to the computer to know why.

The check engine light is lit due to one (or several) of MANY MANY different variables.....doing the 3-on ignition test should display any stored codes....after a certain number of ignition cycles, the code disappears IF the problem is gone or is intermittant. The next time the light comes on, do the on-off-on-off-on test and watch in the odometer window for a code.....that will get you started at least....

My 03 D and my wife's Chevy Malibu recently had their lights come on with 1/2 hour of each other when we had a big snowstrom...talk about coincidence.

My D ended up needing an 02 sensor and the Malibu's light rest and hasnt come back on yet (knock wood)....

In the D, I have been told that if the engine light comes on solid, it is ok to drive if the engine seems to be running ok.....if the light is BLINKING, do not drive it.

The only way to know why the light is on is to read the codes....and even then, the codes are sometimes very general...and not necessarily a plug and play kind of thing......The code could say one thing, but something else can be causing THAT reading....Problem is, ALL new cars are this way.... :(

You had a 3/36 warranty on your 2000....not sure when the 7/70 powertrain warranty started kicking in...I know my 03 has that,.....But powertrain doesnt cover the check engine light stuff.....just major mechanical failures of the drivetrain....

IMHO, an extended warranty is the FIRST modification anyone should do to their vehicle, whatever make or model. The cost is MUCH lower than cumulative repairs could be.....

You wouldnt own a home without homeowners, right?? Hopefully you will never need it...but if you do, it covers your butt....

DZ



Hi all. This is the second time the check engine light has come on in my 2000 Dodge Durango 4X4 Sport. The first time was this last summer and I called a Dodge dealership and asked them what it could be. I explained that I had just moved from Vermont to Colorado and had a thorough tune-up done before I drove out. They told me that it only be something in the fuel system and could likely be something as simple as me not tightening the gas cap. I checked it and it did not seem lose, but I put a fuel system cleaner in the tank and filled the take. I am not sure how many days later, but the light did go off.

This past weekend, I saw the light come on for the first time. I stopped and checked the gas cap. It was completely lose. I was SOOOO releaved because I simply cannot afford any repairs on it any time soon. My husband was unemployed for 6 months this past spring and summer and we are having a very hard time catching up.

I have 67,000 + miles on it and I don't believe the warranty on it is in effect anymore. Once again, I put fuel system cleaner in the tank and filled the tank. The first time it happened, the delaership told me that if it was because of the cap, the light should turn of in 25 to 30 starts or so. So, I turned it off and on 30 times, but the light still has not gone out yet and it's three days later.

On this forum, I learned that if I turned it on and off 3 times, the code would display or flash in the odometer. I just tried that and no code displayed. Does that mean I missed the code when I was turning it on and off 30 times because the code displays only once? Or does that mean there is no code to display and the engine light came on because of the gas cap being lose? Or, did I not attempt to display the code correctly?

How do you display the codes on a Dodge Durango 2000 Sport? Does anyone know how long the warranty is good for? Was it 60,000? Please help me!!!!! :eek:

my check engine light comes on along with all other lights and stays on (readings fall to the left and stay there), a code displays in the odemeter, but not sure what it means (no bu5)? i posted a msg on 1/12/04, read this and found some similarities, any feedback?? thank you for your time!

About 2 months ago I spent a morning in the dealership to have them tell me that my check engine light was on because my gas cap hadn't been tightened properly. Before they "diagnosed" the car ($90), I asked if the error code "P0455" meant anything. $45 and a tightened gas cap later, I came home and found the following page: http://autorepair.about.com/cs/troubleshooting/l/bl_obd_main.htm
which explains the codes. On my car, turn the ignition to on 3 times, leaving it on the third time, and a series of diagnositic codes streams across. Go to the above site, and it says " Evaporative Emission Contril System Leak Detected -- gross leak" I know how to tighten the gas cap, now if I could only get the check engine light off.

You might want to try cycling the ignition off and on up to (hold onto your seat) 50 (yes, fifty) times.

The guy at autozone suggested this when my wife's Malibu was doing exactly the same thing, and it worked....I dunno if it will work on other makes....

It will take sveral minutes to do this...you want to give it arest every so many cycles, so the fuel pump doesnt overheat.....I paused for a minute every 10 cycles or so....ALso, let the cycle complete...ie all the dash lights go out and the relays power up...dont just "half cycle", that might cause problems....

The light has been out on my wifes car since then.

DZ

About 2 months ago I spent a morning in the dealership to have them tell me that my check engine light was on because my gas cap hadn't been tightened properly. Before they "diagnosed" the car ($90), I asked if the error code "P0455" meant anything. $45 and a tightened gas cap later, I came home and found the following page: http://autorepair.about.com/cs/troubleshooting/l/bl_obd_main.htm
which explains the codes. On my car, turn the ignition to on 3 times, leaving it on the third time, and a series of diagnositic codes streams across. Go to the above site, and it says " Evaporative Emission Contril System Leak Detected -- gross leak" I know how to tighten the gas cap, now if I could only get the check engine light off.

But powertrain doesnt cover the check engine light stuff.....just major mechanical failures of the drivetrain....
DZ

This really makes no sense, are you saying that a power train problem won't cause the MIL to illuminate? Or are you saying that when the MIL illuminates your problem isn't drivetrain related?
Either way the info is incorrect, it is entirely possible for a check engine light to be alerting you to a power train problem, and it's also possible it could be covered under an extended warranty.

I am saying neither one....

What I said was

"You had a 3/36 warranty on your 2000....not sure when the 7/70 powertrain warranty started kicking in...I know my 03 has that,.....But powertrain doesnt cover the check engine light stuff.....just major mechanical failures of the drivetrain...."

The powertrain (warranty) doesnt cover check engine light stuff typically. The powertrain warranty covers internally lubricated and hard-part powertrain items.

The exception might be the internal solenoids in the tranny.....Other things like engine block and all internally lubed items, tranny flex plate, all tranny internals, rear axle housing/shaft/bearings, etc.....

Sensors and such are not covered......Now, perhaps my statemnet was a tad broad......If the oil pump goes bad and the engine siezes, at some point the MIL light may come on and throw codes...but the CAUSE of that is powertrain related.....If an O2 sensor, TPS, MAP sensor, etc goes and kicks the light on that wouldnt be covered.....The MAJORITY of NON CATASTROPHIC failures that trigger the MIL will not be covered under the powertrain warranty, going by what is in the policy black and white.....

IE, if you take the truck into the dealer becuase you light is on, and it truns out to be an 02 sensor, you will pay. If it is on becuase of a losse gas cap, you will pay. If it is on becuase of a bad ECM, you will pay......

The powertrain warranty covers , realisticly very little in the way of the "normal" failures....

Blow an axle bearing though, its covered.....but that wont trigger the MIL. Thus my point...

Hope this clarifies it.....Looking back my post wasa bit vague... :)

DZ

This really makes no sense, are you saying that a power train problem won't cause the MIL to illuminate? Or are you saying that when the MIL illuminates your problem isn't drivetrain related?
Either way the info is incorrect, it is entirely possible for a check engine light to be alerting you to a power train problem, and it's also possible it could be covered under an extended warranty.

Ok, now I understand what you were saying, but "The powertrain (warranty) doesnt cover check engine light stuff typically" is rather an odd statement, but I get what your saying, just a confusing way to say it.
As an example, my wifes 2000 Rodeo threw a code due to a bad fuel level sending unit, this part isn't covered under the extended warranty, however the part can only be ordered and replaced as part of the fuel pump, which is covered under the extended warranty, thus the repair was covered. It's just not a good idea to disassociate the MIL and powertrain issues.

I dont think its that odd actually....The types of problems that would be associated with the items that would be covered under the powertrain warranty are not teh same type of problems that would cause an engine light.....

A failed oil pump would light up the oil light/pressure gauge......an internal failure in the engine would most likely not throw a code...itwould maybe cause the engine to sieze etc but unlikely a code would be thrown for that.....about the only thing I can see throwing a code that WOULD be covered by the light would be one of the solenoids/sensors in the tranny itself, since those WOULD be covered under the powertrain warranty.

The light and the codes mostly deal with sensors and electronics (hence how they are able to throw codes)....just about NONE of the elctronics and sesnors are covered under the powertrain warranty, hence my statement.....

I still think it holds pretty true.... <grin>

In actuality, my statement was made in the context that the question was whether a problem that threw a code would be covered by the powertrain warranty....the powertrain warranty being the Chrysler "powertrain warranty" that is 7/70.....I submit that in all likelihood, it is unlikely that it would be given the very narrow list of componants covered by it.....

Now, if someone has an extended warranty, depending on the warranty, it most likely would....But I hadnt gotten that they had an extended warranty from the post...maybe I missed that.....

But hey, read it however ya like......my kind of logic aint for everyone sometimes! :)

Its all semantics.....

DZ

Been through this also. Ended up being a gas cap with a crack in it. Dealer replaced it and I have had no issues since.

Some items that relate to the fuel system can be covered under Chrysler's emissions warranty. I think that emissions warranty is 7yr/100k? or something like that? You may want to check with the dealer on what can be covered under emissions. I would think a gas cap would be covered under emissions???