2001 Alero Problems: DSR Brake Light, Engine Service Light

Hi all,

Searched but couldn't find any help so posting. Sorry if this has been addressed before but all the threads I found on my brake light issue have been because of a dash bord warning light.

Since we moved to LV last year, we've had two big problems with our 2001 Alero 4D:

1 - About two weeks after moving here (from Oregon) and just after the car passed the manditory smog test here, the check engine light came on and cannot be turned off. The car has been running fine (knock on wood) ever since, but we've never been able to track down the source of the problem. There's so many crook mechanics here in Vegas we're loathe to try one of them, but Midas did tell us it was either the Cat convertor (which has already been replace just after the car was bought with a universal unit) or the O2 sensor, but couldn't guarantee either.

2 - The rear brake lights are very finiky about working. The rear DS brake light doesn't work at all despite the bulb being replaced. The outside driving lights at the read will sometimes go out and you have to thump the housing to get them to come back on.

Any ideas? We have to drive this thing to Wisconsin in two months!

Hey if your check engine light is still on you can take it to an Autozone (don't know if you have them out west but I am guessing you do) they will scan the car for free usually. If the car is running fine I am guessing it is an O2 sensor. Notice any change in gas mileage? As for the brake lights I would check the fuses and relays. Pull any relay out and clean off the contacts.

Hey if your check engine light is still on you can take it to an Autozone (don't know if you have them out west but I am guessing you do) they will scan the car for free usually. If the car is running fine I am guessing it is an O2 sensor. Notice any change in gas mileage? As for the brake lights I would check the fuses and relays. Pull any relay out and clean off the contacts.

I did the autozone thing a while ago and they said it was either the O2 sensor or the cat convertor. Midas said it was because there's a non-standard GM cat convertor on the car and it's not up to spec (I got the feeling they were bullshitting me to try and get me to spend $1000 to fix it).

Are O2 sensors a hard fix? Which relays should I look at?

Wierdest thing in the world. For the past year that check engine light has been on - this morning it turned itself off. The only thing I can think of is that since the birth of my baby daughter last week, I've been filling up at a different chain of gas stations since they're next to the hospital and not the Chevron next door to me.

Could this change in gas do it?

Checking the relays tonight. I have a multimeter so will check them as best as I can but have no idea which ones to look at?