Trick to turn off check engine light?

I have 2008 legacy gt, my check engine light comes on intermittenly because my cruise is malfunctioning. Is there a way I can turn the light off for now till I have time to get it fixed? It's SUCH a pain not being able to use the SI drive. ( it locks you in sport mode when the check engine light is on.

Go to AutoZone, have then pull the code and they can shut it off. Make sure you save the code though. They will do it for free.

why dont you take it to the dealer and get it fixed? is it still under warranty?

The solution would be to fix the problem, not masking it.

I would just fix the problem... On your fresh 2008 like that? No sense in having the check engine light on!! Mine is a 97 LGT and I won't even let the check engine light stay on...

Your cruise control is malfunctioning BECAUSE you have a problem.

 

Check the code, fix the problem, then your CC will work.

 

Don't bother going to Auto Zone. They will pull the codes but they wont reset it. They say they have some sort of liability if they reset it. Even if they hand you the scanner and you personally clear it. Easiest wat to clear a code for free at least for me, 97 LGT, I just unhook the battery for like 30ish mins and it resets the ECU.

No until the issue is fixed your light will illuminate. You can disconnect the battery for 5 mins or so which will disable the light but once it incurrs the error condition it will illuminate. Cruise is disabled by default when CEL is on.

The best thing is to check the code first, because it may indicate a serious problem that has to be taken care about.

 

It may of course be a stupid problem too, but until you have checked it's not possible to decide. And if the car is under warranty - it's not your problem, it's a dealer problem so go get it fixed before the warranty runs out!

I went to Autozone one time with another car to have them check the CEL light with their OBDII reader and the guy told me it was the speed sensor. I asked him if he could turn it off so I could get an inspection sticker. He said he could, but it would probably come back on before I got my sticker. His recommendation was to take a really tiny drill bit and drill through the dash where the bulb was to break the bulb and shut the light out forever. I told him I'd rather just replace the speed sensor.

His recommendation was to take a really tiny drill bit and drill through the dash where the bulb was to break the bulb and shut the light out forever. I told him I'd rather just replace the speed sensor.

 

are you serious? that's possibly the stupidest piece of advice i've ever heard

Don't bother going to Auto Zone. They will pull the codes but they wont reset it. They say they have some sort of liability if they reset it. Even if they hand you the scanner and you personally clear it. Easiest wat to clear a code for free at least for me, 97 LGT, I just unhook the battery for like 30ish mins and it resets the ECU.

 

Your car is telling you that it is sick, and you just keep ingoring it.

 

I hope you are not a doctor

The trick is to take it to Subaru for service.

If I took my car to Subary for service they'd be like, "WTF?!?!? What you need is a great deal on a brand new Subaru, come check out our large inventory.........Blah blah blah"

 

I do my own repairs. Forget paying some jackass $80/hr to do them for me. That's not including parts with a 25% markup on the price tag.

 

When my Subaru threw a CEL they wanted $40 just to read the code (Pre '94, non OBDII compliant). That was just to read the code!

^ really? but autozone does it for free?

 

just get the code and then sift through the CEL code index on the forums to figure out what's up

Your 2008 is still under 3/36 bumper-to-bumper warranty, isn't it?

 

Getting it fixed right should cost you nothing.

^ really? but autozone does it for free?

 

just get the code and then sift through the CEL code index on the forums to figure out what's up

 

they can only read '94 model year and newer. Mine is a '92. Before '94 cars were proprietary and CEL codes could only be read by the manufacturer. In 1994 the government required all cars to conform to OBDII specifications, making everycars CEL codes the same, and all plugs standardized. Subaru is the only one who can read my CEL codes.

 

If he's the original owner, or a direct descendant of the original owner he should still be covered under warantee. If that's the case definatly have them do it for free.

Cars before '94 were running OBD-I, and even those codes are readable. You have a list in some Hayned and Chilton manuals as well as on the web.

 

The trick is how to read the flashing light... Each code is a 2 digit code, and there are relatively few codes around so it's not that hard.

Just take a part the dash and remove the bulb behind the check engine symbol...no drilling and no more CEL.

Or you could remove the engine, and if there's no engine to check then the light should go away.

^ brilliant.