Idiot lights

I have a 2000 mitsubishi montero sport with about 46,000mi. yesterday the "service engine soon" light came on. I checked all the fluids and they are OK. Is this a gimic to get me to the dealer? Do I need to go to the dealer??

I had a 1987 montero sport. same problem. went to the dealer they did something with a sensor, did not make any repairs. (saw the work being done) years later the light came on again and I drove aroud for years with the light on. had the truck for 15yrs and cried when I had to sell it.

 

The check engine light (or service engine soon light) is not a gimick to get you to the dealer. It means your computer has received a malfuntion code from one of the monitored parts.
Take it to Autozone or Advanced Auto parts and they will check your computer for free!!!! You walk in the door and ask someone at the desk to check your Sevice engine soon light. They will ask you what make, model and year and follow you out to the car. Then they will tell you what the problem is. May be something as simple as an O2 sensor or something more drastic. They will then reset the computer (if you ask) so the light goes off. ALL FOR FREE !!

DIY is the cheapest way to go !

 

thanks. i'll give it a try.

 

I went to autozone. They said I need an 02 sensor but could't tell me which one. They said if my truck is single overhead then there is only one sensor. I couldn't find on my truck where it says single or DOHC so I called the dealer. The parts guy said the 2000, 3.0L sports are all DOHC, and that there are 4 sensors.
Is there a way to find out which sensor is bad?
Are they all the same?
Are they easy to change or should I bite the bullet and go to the dealer?

Thanks

 

the trouble code usually tells you which sensor (bank 1, sensor 2) etc...Do you have the code #? If so, come back with it and someone will tell you before or after cat and which side if has 2 sets.

 

the autozone guy confused me by asking if my truck was single or dual overhead cam. He said if it was single then there is only one sensor and if it is dual then there are 4 sensors. He also said if it is dual he could not determine which one was bad. However the printout he gave me is based on a single OHC (I still can't find on the engine where it says single or dual) but says:

OEM Number to Cross: P0161

" the PCM has determined that a malfunction exists in the heater circuit for oxygen sensor 2 in bank 2..."

If the printout tells me oxygen sensor 2 in bnak 2 (I didn't read this until now) then why did't he just sell me that sensor????