Service Engine Soon

[Angelina R]

Hi,
The "Service Engine Soon" light came on a week ago and remains on. It has come on before without any problems evident and would go off in a day or two. But I know something is wrong now because the engine has been hesitating. I recently put some junk in it I bought in Pathmark. (Nothing against Pathmark. It is otherwise a great store ) It was a fuel additive to prevent fuel freeze up or something like that. Is was then that I started noticing the engine hesitation. I don't drive much so I am hoping when this tank of gas is used up the problem will go away but just in case it isn't as simple as that, I thought maybe someone knows what it is. I own a Saturn SL 1998 with fuel injection. Any suggestions as to what it could be?
Thanks,
Angie

[streetracr32]

what kind of fuel additive? with fuel injectors, additives tend to clog the injectors, but usually not with just one bottle.

[wallynsky]

I have a saturn sl 1996 w/ 1.9L DOHC motor. I had the check engine soon light for a very long time and it used to go off and on once in a while. The only way it went off it permanently so far after 15k or so. It was by going into oil change place and doing a pressurized flushing of the engine. I hope this helps

[Angelina R]

Thanks all for your responce. I can't remember now what it was exactly. We were looking for fuel injector fluid and couldn't find it for a while so we picked up this stuff which I think was a fuel injector cleaner or gas line cleaner form Pathmark. We don't drive much so the stuff is still in the tank. It's been about two months. I am really hoping that this is what it is cause the alternative is a trip to the shop. Yikes. It is still hesitating and weak at high speeds. I read somewhere that that could be a dirty fuel injector and all it needs is a cleaning. Hope so. That would be so cool if all it needs is the pressurized flushing. I'll tell my husband about that pressurized flushing thing.
Thanks again for your help.
Angie

[streetracr32]

probably is, but tha cleaner shud take care of it.

[PowerStroke]

Replace PCV valve . If idle goes high or engine light comes on under high vacuum conditions (foot off gas at 70mph) it may fix it. I fought this for a long time. part was 1.98 from napa

[JoeDevil7]

I had the same problem with fuel additive in my 1998 Saturn SL. I used about 4 or 5 bottles, and my car started killing on me when going about 70 mph. It would first run at high RPM's, then I tried to do the trick about letting off the gas quickly. It would sometimes work, sometimes not work. Then after about 6 months, the trick quit working all together. I took it in to the dealership, and they told me the fuel additive was screwing up the fuel injection. They cleaned everything out, but now I have to use plus gas instead of regular. If I do use regular, it still runs, just not as well.

-- JoeyD

[sierrap615]

go somewhere and get the code read