Help! Check engine light and gas caps...

[BurnR8]

two things I can think of.....one is a guess....1) I am guessing you would need to start the car a few time to let the ECU cycle on the Trouble code....take it for a drive and let it run its test....2) unhook the battery and clear the ECU this will start everything all over but you will lose what your puter has learned to date....which is ok cuz it will learn it again over time.....all that being said....if the new gas cap does not seal correctly your puter will keep giving you the code....sorry about the vandalism....makes you scratch your head....

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

You said something about a rubber piece and wondered if you are just talking about the gas cap flap ( covers the fender so you don't rub on it ) or another rubber piece? If it is a rubber gasket that could be the problem, but likely the only problem is you haven't gone through enough run cyles for the computer to reprogram. It usually takes five 20 minute sessions of driving to reset everything, so hang in there. Call me if you have any other concerns.
1-800-889-1893

 

[Rich Carlson]

Your vehicle has a device called a LDP or Leak Detection Pump. It is part of the emission system for OBD II. At a predetermined time, the pump is turned on and tries to pressurize the fuel tank and vapor lines to determine if there is a leak to the atmosphere. With out the gas cap, it was unable to do so, and after the second attempt, it turns on the MIL lamp on the dash. The light can be turned off by the correcting the problem, and either erasing the code with a DRB II which the dealer has, or by driving the vehicle and when it determine that the cap is present , it will after two good trips, turn the lamp off. But you are going to have a problem if you didn't replace the gasket or you don't have the correct gas cap. The gas cap that is used with the vehicle is a Pressure-Vacuum cap. That means that there are valves in the cap that prevent excessive fuel tank pressure and or a vaccum build-up. For the LDP to work properly, is must have the correct cap. I am not sure the an after market cap is going to meet these specs. Hope this helps.

 

[Vip-RT10]

And remember, as JonB says, drive the car for at least 20 minutes with the A/C on, this makes it learn quicker.