95 thunderbird check engine light, is it safe to drive?

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red95tbird - 31 Dec 2005 19:31 GMT

I have a 1995 t-bird that is close to 150K. I just had major repairs
done to it, that hasn't needed before. Before that, I had always kept
it serviced every 30-60K. The problem was the head gasket and water
was in the oil. This was repaired and the car sat at home in front of
the house after repairs for about 4 weeks. Now when drive it and the
check engine light comes on each time I turn on the engine. Is the car
driveable in the mean time, let's say, for about 1/2 hour of 40 mph?

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=AB Paul =BB - 31 Dec 2005 19:59 GMT

> I have a 1995 t-bird that is close to 150K. I just had major repairs
> done to it, that hasn't needed before. Before that, I had always kept
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> check engine light comes on each time I turn on the engine. Is the car
> driveable in the mean time, let's say, for about 1/2 hour of 40 mph?

If you tell us why the check engine light is on then we could
perhaps make an educated guess as to the car's driveability.

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plainoldmechanic - 01 Jan 2006 04:07 GMT

without a proper scan being performed in order to retreive the trouble
code being stored in your first generation OBD, it is impossible to
tell exactly what is triggering your "check engine" light to come on.
try this:
1. unhook either one of the cables from the battery.
2. step on your brake pedal and hold for approx.1 minute,
3. wait 10 minutes (drink a cold beer)
4.hook your battery cable back up

this procedure will re-set your OBD back to factory defaults and your
light should go out. drive the car, if the light comes back on, you
should have it scanned by a competent tech. to see why.
REMEMBER THIS: warning lamps or MIL's on your car are color-coded.
anything major will trigger a RED light, other small things will
trigger a YELLOW or ORANGE light or message. driving your vehicle with
the "check engine" lamp on will not do any immediate damage. drive
your car and relax-----let me know if this helps. and
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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red95tbird - 10 Jan 2006 05:24 GMT

Hi,
I just wanted to thank you for your advice. It made me feel safer
about driving my car around until I could get it to a tech. Well, just
before I brought it in to check it out, or do as you said, and unhook
either one of the cdables from the battery, the check engine light went
off. It hasn't come back on and I haven't had any issues for the last
4-5 days with the car. Should I still take it in to get it checked, or
is the car ok as it is? Will it cost me anything if I go to a
mechanic, tell them this story, and have them take a look and do some
sort of diagnostic? I'm wondering if this is a foreshadowing of
problems to come, or am I just being paranoid.

Thanks!

> without a proper scan being performed in order to retreive the trouble
> code being stored in your first generation OBD, it is impossible to
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> your car and relax-----let me know if this helps. and
> HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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