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Question
Couldn't find an expert in any other GM line, so hopefully you can help. I have a 2003 Buick Century that has a "service engine soon" light that keeps coming on, and stays. I have had it checked and they tell me there nothing wrong, just don't worry about it. I hate to have it showing all of the time. I also have a Toyota that had the same thing after each oil change, and they told me how to turn it off. Is that Possible in a Centry- just to turn off the light?
Hello,
You obviously have to find someone at a service garage that has a tech II hand held diagnostic scanner or equivalent to find out why that light is on. There is something wrong in the emission system causing the engine not to run efficiently.
Whoever is looking at your car is not competent to be working on it. The On Board Diagnostics II system has been the standard since 1994, so this is nothing new. If someone told me to drive the car with the service engine soon light on and don't worry about it, I would not even trust him to change my oil! Depending on what sensor or related part that s causing that light to come on, could determine if you could potentially do damage to the vehicle.
With the light on steady, that is known as a hard code. If a scanner is use on the car, it will tell you what the problem is.
No, it is not the same as the switch for oil changes like on your Camry. Time to go to one of the larger service garages out there (not the dealer).
Good luck!
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Rob Painter
Expertise
Alarm system questions cannot be answered on this forum. These systems are not what I can answer. Without being physically at the vehicle and not knowing what kind of electrical service has been done on the vehicle, there is no possible way to give an accurate answer over the internet. My expertise is in Ignition/key based anti-theft systems. These issues include GM VATS (resistor chip in key blade) PASSLOCK (MRD)-ignition lock rotation based, no special ignition key and the PKIII Transponder (computer chip in key) systems. These systems are not alarm based and are integral with the starting of the engine. This is why I cannot diagnose alarm problems without physically looking at the vehicle: Alarm systems are a completely different annimal than ignition key/lock based anti-theft system. Many alarm questions come from vehicles 10 years old, and since older, many hands that had been involved over the years.I am an expert in all GM factory (ignition/key based)systems. Alarm system questions pose to many situations beyond my knowledge as to what has been done to the vehicle over the years. Some guy may have actually wired the stereo into the alarm system. Who knows? Over my past 30 years in vehicle wiring repair, I have seen unbelievable wiring disaters done by guys that consider themselves "mechanics." I have seen stereos and alarms intalled using surgical tape. I have seen modules burn up, un-fused circuits, wiring jambed between the doors and even lamp cord used for a starter kill. To answer alarm questions over the internet without examining the vehicle is like asking; What does it take to remove a dent?
Experience
Education/Credentials-ASE certified. 11 years with a GM dealer and 17 years with a repair facility dealing with only the repair of theft recovered vehicles.
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