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How do you turn off check engine light?

109K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  DonBC 
#1 ·
I've got a 2008 Kia Sportage LX 4wd V6. The check engine light came on last night. Today I will check the gas cap to make sure its tight and then run by Auozone to have the code read. Once read I want to get the light turned off. How do you do this? On another Kia board someone said that for their Kia they disconnected the battery for 15 minutes to wipe out the CEL and that turns off the check engine light. Will that same procedure work for my Sportage?
 
#2 ·
Disconnecting the battery for a few minutes will reset the stored error codes, but of course not an existing one.
You could also have Autzone reset it while they're reading the codes - this is my preferred method because that way the ECU does not have to re-learn the adaptive tuning etc.
 
#4 ·
I recommend getting a bluetooth code reader and downloading an app for your smart phone. I use torque (android only).. dont know whats out there for apple stuff. Get wifi if you're going with an apple product tho.. just to save you some time and having to buy one later. Scans codes and clears them if you want it to.. all from the comfort of your driver seat, any time you want (please be safe.. )

I've got less than $30 USD in my setup.
 
#7 ·
You might want to try Advance Auto Parts and see if they will erase the codes (and will turn off the CEL)...

Harbor Freight has some very good OBDII reader/scanners and doing your own diagnosing/repairing of your car they are worth having... These are "all in one" and do not require another adapter,computer, smart phone, or software...
Plug it in the OBDII port (left of steering wheel) , read the codes, and clear them...

They are nice to have if only to check the stored codes BEFORE taking the car for repairs... You then have something to compare against what your mechanic tells you..

I have a more expensive model than the basic and it has paid for itself in just a couple of repairs...
Dave
 
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#10 ·
I didn't tighten my fuel cap properly which triggered the check engine light as soon as I drove away. I tightened the cap right away and have also refuel the car again since I did this and the check engine light is still on. The first time that this happened a couple of years ago when some ice around the cap prevented my wife from tightening the cap properly we took it to the dealer and he reset the computer for a fee of course. He said the computer should have reset it's self after about 24hrs after the cap was tightened properly. So far that has not happened. Any other suggestions?
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the advice. I decided not to go the route of going to a shop somewhere to have the computer scanned and reset as this would involve me having to book a time at a shop, get in line for a ferry, taking a ferry over to the city, going to the shop to get the work done and then reversing the process to get home. Time spent would be at least 5 hours. I knew that not tightening the gas cap caused the CEL so I decided just to disconnect the battery and let the computer reset when I reconnected the battery. Sure I had to reset the radio but my wife and I seem to always listen to the same station all the time anyway(LOL) so that was no big deal and reset the clock which we always have to do twice a year anyway so we are experts at that.
 
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