Resetting codes?

[koditten]

A buddy of mine has an '07 Dodge Ram, 5.7 Hemi engine. He stops over the other day and tells me his CEL lamp is lite. His insrument cluster also tells him that the problem is related to the fuel vapor system. The gauge insformation screen actually says that his fuel cap may be loose. It was not. He goes to Autozone for a free scan. The tech can't clear the code. They tell him there may be a leak in the fuel vapor system. Anyways, the AZ (tech) tells him that the only one who can reset the computer is an actual Dodge dealership.

My questions are, will the check engine light and the loose fuel cap alert go away if he finds the leak and repairs it? Is it true that the only place to clear a Dodge CEL codes is at an actual Dodge dealership?

My vehicles are 10 years old and when I get a code thrown, I fix the problem and clear them with a genaric scanner. To me, having to go to a dealership that deals with your brand seems like a bit of a monopoly. Please educate me.

 

[Hoss356]

Pop the hood, open the fuse box, find the pcm fuse (25 or 26 or something?). pull the pcm fuse (pcm bus??). get in the truck, buckle the seatbelt (yeah its important), turn the key to run, then off, run, then off, run, and you should here ding.......ding ding. if you hear the double ding, you're good. plug the pcm fuse back in and start it up.

 

[HVAC Phil]

Autozone "tech"? Now that is funny. Anyway, do as above. You CAN clear codes with OBDII scanner. Clown at Autozoo is a *****.

 

[stingry]

Autozone "tech"? Now that is funny. Anyway, do as above. You CAN clear codes with OBDII scanner. Clown at Autozoo is a *****.

I've ran into this before, it's not that they are unable to reset but that they are not allowed to since it is an emissions related malfunction.


Cheers
Steve

 

[DoyleDee]

But, some of them will "turn"their heads and look the other way...(as was told to me by a friend)- I have my own scan tool...

 

[Ford12508]

Can't you also just disconnect the battery for about a minute? I would feel much better doing that than opening the computer and pulling ****.

 

[HVAC Phil]

Can't you also just disconnect the battery for about a minute? I would feel much better doing that than opening the computer and pulling ****.

No, OBDII doesn't do that like the old systems were. Buy a $90 code reader, you can check them and clear them yourself.

 

[Ford12508]

No, OBDII doesn't do that like the old systems were. Buy a $90 code reader, you can check them and clear them yourself.

Im pretty sure my 1999 Expedition is OBDII since it is a 1999...Thats how I always do it(disconnect the battery)

 

[frank_c]

Can't you also just disconnect the battery for about a minute? I would feel much better doing that than opening the computer and pulling ****.

i thought it was a half-hour. can't remember.

 

[Hoss356]

Disconnecting the battery will work on these trucks too, but you lose all your radio stations. The reason I know this is because I have a 2008 ram hemi and have reset the PCM using both methods in the past.

 

[idrivevintage]

My questions are, will the check engine light and the loose fuel cap alert go away if he finds the leak and repairs it? Is it true that the only place to clear a Dodge CEL codes is at an actual Dodge dealership?

I had a similar issue with recently on my wifes 2003 Dakota, it only threw the light on the dash however as it does not have a detailed on-board diagnostic capability like your friends Ram.

After running out and getting a scan tool it came back with a code PO442 if I remember correctly...a small evaporative emmisions leak.

After replacing the fuel cap to no avail I started looking around and found some rubber line split causing the leak. One at a connection going to the throttle body, another at what I guess would be a test port the evap system (had a green cap on it)

Replaced the bad sections of line and decided to see if it would clear itself like the old S-10 we had always did (boy do I miss that truck)

Wife drove it for a couple days and it never went off, was worried that maybe there was a leak elsewhere but decided to clear the code with the scan tool and see what happens.

It has never came back on and its been quite a few weeks.

Hope this helps, good luck.

 

[econoaddict]

Another thing that is common and throws that code, on the evap canister under the truck there is a hose that splits. We see enough of them we keep a hose on hand.

 

[Ford12508]

Disconnecting the battery will work on these trucks too, but you lose all your radio stations. The reason I know this is because I have a 2008 ram hemi and have reset the PCM using both methods in the past.

I have never lost my radio stations on my fords, must be a dodge thing. I still think it is worth not opening and closing the computer. Why mess with something like that if you really dont have to? Suppose something goes wrong somehow. Thats a big fix. If you mess up removing 1 battery terminal, you shouldn't be under the hood of a car anyway.

 

[phoenix5x]

Yeah Auto Zone policy does not allow there employees to clear codes with their scanners...go to Advance Auto if you have one near you they will clear the codes for you...Not to say they wont come back if there is still an issue but Advance will clear them for you.