Hey everyone, I recently changed my spark plugs and everything seemed to be running fine until today. While I was driving the RPM gage started to slightly fluctuate while stopped at lights, the engine was acting like it couldn’t breath, and while applying gas the acceleration felt inconsistent. The “Service Engine Soon” light has illuminated. Autozone and Oreillys claimed they can only check codes for “check engine” lights. But I feel like I’ve had them pull codes for my truck last time when I had a similar issue with the PCV. Any recommendations or advice, I’m at a loss for what the issue is right now

 

They most certainly can pull your code.

But if your going to drive an old truck, you need own scantool.

 

Potato, potato.

Service Engine Soon and Check Engine Light is the same dealio. I agree with MBB, buy your own scanner.

 

Good heavens, you wonder how much automotive experience the employees at AutoZone and O'Reilly's have. If I am not mistaken, the OBD light on many vehicles is just a symbol, such as an outline of an engine. What would these employees do then? Tell you that it must be some kind of exotic foreign vehicle with ancient hieroglyphics? I agree totally to just buy a scanner. They come on sale often and pay for themselves with the gas you'll save running to AutoZone and O'Reilly's in vain!

 

You could refer to it as MIL....malfunction indicator light.....and really blow their minds

Different mfgs call it different terms...

 

Totally agree. No idea how I'd fix any cylinder misfire problems without honing on on them with error codes. With 8 cylinders even finding which one takes way too long without scan tool.

 

service engine soon? - what is soon? for me with certain things, soon is 12 months away

 

I have known people to put masking tape over the SES light - out of sight, out of mind.

 

Well OP you have found where not to go when asking about fixing your truck. Neither of those employees no jack squat. I bet they ask if your truck is a 4x4 or 4x2 when looking up which wipers you need. Go back tell them your engine light is on and have them pull the codes... they can even print them off for you. I also agree buy your own scanner. You can buy a wifi ELM327 adapter and use FORscan Lite on your iphone or buy a bluetooth ELM327 adapter and use Torque Pro on your android. Its the cheapest scan tool you can get. No need to buy a dedicated tool unless you shell out the money for the nicer tools that can read more than just engine codes.

 

I work at O'Reilly's on the weekend, and that **** makes me facepalm to hell and back. Holy ****, those are some dumbasses.