Check Engine light is on in my 1996 Ford Bronco but runs fine. What could the problem be?

Question

It has been on for a month or so, and I have not had a problem. It is a 1996 Ford Bronco XLT with about 152000 miles on it.

i have heard from a friend that this could actually be a gascap that isnt sealed properly. is that true?

Answer 1

If you have a check engine light on, it means one of the systems the computer controlls and/or monitors is not working properly. Lots of people will tell you that if the car runs fine, there is nothing wrong, or to replace the O2 sensor (the oxygen sensor). They don't know what they are talking about. Something IS wrong, and although it may be a minor problem, it is in your best interest to find out what it is. Go to your local parts store, and they will read the code for free. If it's something minor, like a loose gas cap, great. Tighten it up and drive with peace of mind. If it's something serious, you'll be glad you were able to address it before you incurred costly repairs or possibly, endangered your safety.

Answer 2

1996 Ford Bronco Xlt

Answer 3

Try to disconnect a battery terminal for a bit then put it back on. Or there may be a reset in the fuse panel to reset the check engine light. It could have been an intermittent issue, water in fuel, gas cap etc. that had caused your emmisions system to pick up and issue an alarm. After you connect your terminal, your truck may run rough for a bit until the computer relearns a little bit. If the light comes back on you may want to take it into a good service centre and have them run the codes and find out what is going on.

Answer 4

you can get an odb 2 reader for about $40 at kragen.
Any car made after 1995 has the odb2 connector. plug it in and read the codes. then clear the codes, that will turn off the check engine light.
It can be a temporary problem that is now fixed, or it can be more serious. the reader will give you the error code, read in the book what the error means, see whether you should worry and bring it to a mechanic or not.
good luck

Answer 5

If you have an AutoZone auto parts store near you, they read out the check engine error codes for you. You can also buy a $100 Actron OBD-II diagnostic tester from AutoZone that you can easily hook up yourself to the OBD-II bus connector directly under the steering wheel and lower edge of the dash. Then you'll know what sensor is causing the error code fault which can help diagnose the problem.

Answer 6

Many cars have a Oxygen sensor that sets off the check engine light if you didn't put the gas cap on tight enough it should go away after you refill the tank a few times. It used to happen all the time on my ford escort.

Answer 7

Try disconnecting your battery for a few minutes and the re-connect it. Start the car and see if the light is still on. If it is, it's probably an emissions thing like an oxygen sensor or something, presuming the car is still running well. If the light goes out, it may have been your gas cap not on tightly.

Answer 8

I don't think there is anything wrong with it. My dad used to have this Chevy Corsica from like 1989 and the check engine light came on shortly after we owned it from a used car dealership but nothing happened. It worked fine the whole time the check engine light was on. I don't think there is much to worry about but if your really concerned then take it to a mechanic.

Answer 9

check engine light deals with emission control. That model I don't think it could be the gas cap. Usually it is with the egr system. You could disconnect your battery for a minute and reconnect it, and see how long it takes the light to come back on.
Don't forget what I said first, most of the time the light deals with emission control, it won't damage the engine.

Answer 10

Could be a couple of sensor issues. DPFE or O2 sensors. If it is running fine, then there should be nothing to worry about. It should be a failed sensor. Very easy to replace but they need to hook the vehicle up to a computer to confirm the problem.