Check engine light disable question?

[celicali]

Is this possible? to disable the check engine light? like by cutting the wire that turns it on in the gauge cluster thing
thanks
ali

[Maelfyn]

I suppose there is a way. I would think you could break the LED or something like that.

[larryd]

easiest way to make it go away so you dont see it anymore would be to take your gauges apart, put a peace of black electrical tape over the led that lights up the CEL part of the dash and put it all back together and bang, no more CEL :).. I did this myself for a while

[Maelfyn]

Larry speaks mad wisdom.

[larryd]

i try ;)

[BlackGTS2002]

or you could find out why its on ...and fix it...

[larryd]

sometimes thats impossible :)

[BlackGTS2002]

I hear that...my last celica (95 Rest in pieces) had one like every other week....i drove the hell outta her though

[celicali]

well the reason my CEL is on is because my catylat converter (however u spell it) is clogged and the only way to fix that is the get a new one ($1200) which is insane...but there is no immediate danger....say in about 5 years then it will get bad then i can just cut it off. but i really dont want to right now...because it gets really loud...my friend cut his off of his 2001 celi its annoying :)

[Maelfyn]

I have taken my car to the dealership about 3 times they can't fix it. VVti code they say. SHRUG. It has been on about 8 months or more...

[VZV21]

With the CEL on, the engine goes into backup mode. THis backup mode is where the ECU runs off of a pre-determined set of inputs to get the car to run. It totally ignores what the sensors are saying. You'll probably a reduction in performance.

By covering it, your engine may run worse when the CEL is on, and you won't know about it.

Just something to think about if you decide to "defeat" the CEL warning.

[VZV21]

Originally posted by Maelfyn
I have taken my car to the dealership about 3 times they can't fix it. VVti code they say. SHRUG. It has been on about 8 months or more...

There's a strainer on the VVT-i oil port. Check to see if it's clogged. According to the Haynes manual (for Corollas), that little filter is one of the leading causes of VVT-i trouble.

I can't give you specific instructions, since the haynes manual is at my parent's house....because they have a Corolla.

[RedGT2000]

I got black tape on mine also it's better then looking at it and when its off you can give the frame a paint job. It hasent heart my car I dont think. But my car is in the shop for bad shifting.