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Light On Steady: An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might be required.
You might be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
• Make sure the fuel cap is fully installed. See Filling
the Tank on page 5-8. The diagnostic system can
determine if the fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or missing fuel cap
allows fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.
• If you just drove through a deep puddle of water,
your vehicle’s electrical system might be wet.
The condition is usually corrected when the
electrical system dries out. A few driving trips
should turn the light off.
• If you recently changed brands of fuel, be sure to
fuel your vehicle with quality fuel. See Gasoline
Octane on page 5-5. Poor fuel quality causes the
engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You might notice this as stalling after start-up,
stalling when you put the vehicle into gear, misfiring,
hesitation on acceleration, or stumbling on
acceleration — these conditions might go away
once the engine is warmed up.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at
least one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the
light off.
If none of the above have made the light turn off, your
dealer/retailer can check the vehicle. Your dealer/retailer
has the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to
fix any mechanical or electrical problems that might have
developed.
Emissions Inspection and Maintenance
Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or
might begin programs to inspect the emission control
equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass this
inspection could prevent getting a vehicle registration.
Here are some things to know to help your vehicle pass
an inspection:
• Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
check engine light is on or not working properly.
• Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
OBD (on-board diagnostic) system determines
that critical emission control systems have not been
completely diagnosed by the system. The vehicle
would be considered not ready for inspection.
This can happen if you have recently replaced
the battery or if the battery has run down.
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