Lexophile

My LS430 has started showing the engine symbol all the time I am driving. The car drives and behaves normally but the symbol remains on

Has anyone out there had a similar experience and is there a fix or fixes I can try myself before taking the car to the stealer? (and myself to the cleaners)
The only thing I have done to the vehicle recently is put on new wheels and tyres.

I think it has something to do with the throttle but as I said, it drives fine.

lexuscrazy

There is no way of telling what the problem is till you get the code/codes pulled.

Lexophile

Hi Lexuscrazy

Thanks for the reply, but does that mean I have to drive 80 miles to my nearst dealer?

lexuscrazy

It's up to you if you want to go through the dealer. There are alot of independent mechanics out there that would be able to perform a scan on the vehicle. Hope that helps.

AlexusAnja

No, you don't have to go back to your dealer. I believe all cars use the standard OBDII diagnostic interface, so you can go to any local shop or local car parts store like Pepboys, Autozone, etc. and they'll do a free read. It will tell you what's coming up as the error code, but you may not necessary understand it all, so just ask the reader what it means. Example, you might get like "P0171" which is Bank 1 Running Lean... what does that mean?

Just because you don't feel anything wrong, doesn't mean nothing is wrong. The check engine light (CEL) is monitoring hundreds of little things, some are just minor things like the code I gave you above, or a failing EGR valve, which may not exhibit any physical problems you can detect. Others like a cylinder misfire you can definitely detect because the engine will shake.

Take to get the CEL checked ASAP and see what issue is. Since you said you don't feel anything wrong, you don't want a small thing turning out to be a big thing.

usermel

The reason your check engine symbol came on is probably one of a few things i'll name the ones that come to mind.

1.There is a glitch and their is no problem with the car at all. Sometimes malfunctions occur but, you dont chance it is a false alarm.
2. Problems when detected are signaled by your car to warn you as early as possible. If their is a real issue with your car it is telling you to get it looked at. It can be minor but if it's a major issue and you ignore it then it can turn major because of neglect to have it checked!
3. Their is a real problem with your engine but, it is still workable and hasnt completely went out. The computers in the cars these days have warning systems so we should always take serious the warnings. Doesn't mean their is one but, again don't chance it!

ll the best it probably is nothing serious so pay the few bucks to have it checked out now before it cost you more in the future!!!!!!

L.G.N.M

Lexophile

I got the codes pulled (local garage) The mass air flow sensor or the air temperature sensor came up as faulty. I cleaned the air flow sensor first with isopropyl and a cotton bud. the second time I started her up the CEL has gone.

All is well and my thanks go to the good people who offered help, some of you are perhaps unaware that I live in England so names like "Pepboys" and "Autozone" could be space stations on Mir for all I know of them but I do send my grateful thanks to all who replied//

AlexusAnja

Doh, sorry, didn't see you were from the UK. Yeah, Pepboys and Autozone are quite regional... to US. Anyway, good thing the fix for you was nice and easy. How many miles on your LS430 that the MAF sensor even triggered a CEL. Dirty fuel out there over the pond?

Lexophile

Hello AlexusAnja!
The mileage on my car is 91k, I changed the oil, oil filter, transmission fluid, spark plugs, air filter (for a K&N one) fuel filter and wheels and tyres recently and went on a 2740 mile trip through France, the car returned an amazing 27.4MPG at an average speed of 54MPH. But the guy at my garage yesterday noticed that the fuel filler cap retainer (the plastic wire that stops it falling to the ground) was caught in the hinge of the fuel filler door, he said it could have been that (letting air in) but the codes suggested that either the air temperature sensor and the MAF sensor will die on me soon. We shall see. Thanks once again.

CarguyinGa

Look forward to this happening in the future, K&N air filters suck in my opinion...they have a larger mesh than standard filters that will allow larger particles through unless they are oiled, hence your problem. The filter oil comes into the airstream as a mist and clings to the hot wire element of the mass air sensor. This is a common issue I see in my line of work. The marketing they have is great, but you are not going to gain any notable amount of power, nor will you gain fuel economy from them as advertised. On a non feedback system with a carburetor it may allow for a slight gain of economy in certain conditions, but on a mass air system, it will not help. The mass air sensor is not going to fail from this, but the contamination will reoccur eventually, I'd recommend to all to spend your money on the OE filter, better filtration will be given and you won't get the contaminated MAF issue. I love the 1,000,000 mile warranty they have (who the hell is going to drive one vehicle a million miles?), figure up how much the recharge kits (cleaner and filter oil)cost you in addition to the filter itself over the life of the vehicle VS the OE and you'd be better off in all aspects with the OE. The only exception would be a vehicle used in exceptionally dusty conditions that will block filters very quickly.