The "check engine" light indicates "a problem", usually with excess
emissions.    Most of the items the computer responds to are EPA-mandated.

There is no way the owner can "read" the error codes without fairly
expensive equipment or a trip to your service facility. Even then, its
not unusual that the computer reports no malfunction.

The connection between the "check engine" light and the loose/bad gas
cap is the unsealed filler allows hydrocarbon fumes into the atmosphere;
that's a government-mandated alarm.  I've done this two or three times
with my car; the light is usually gone the next day

If its on steadily, the car can be used and checked later; if it is
blinking, stop and figure things out right away.  Generally, any check
engine light which goes out on its own indicates a transient problem
that requires no repair. Its reasonable to wait 1-2 days, or a few
engine on/off cycles, as long as the car feels and sounds normal.

Joe
Silver '99

Hi Brian,

Congratulations on your purchase!

When I got my '99 (used) the light came on and eventually required an
$800 repair - covered by the warranty. The dealer tried to weasel out of
it by suggesting it was the loose gas cap, or moisture from detailing.

Since then I've had it come on for a loose gas cap a couple of times.
After tightening the cap the light went off after a day or two.

At my first inspection with the new regulations (in NJ) the light was on
and the car didn't pass. I had the inspection done by my mechanic and he
explained what the fail code probably indicated. I looked this up on
Miata.net and found the fix was fairly simple - clean a dirty/clogged
egr valve I think it was. I did it and the car passed.

What I learned from my mechanic was that you can have several fail codes
that all come about because one thing is wrong. Fix the one thing and
all the others "may" go away. Also, the system has to go through what he
called "drive cycles" before the fail codes are cleared. The fact that
the light has gone off doesn't necessarily mean the internal fail code
is gone. This is good to keep in mind if you do the repair/maintenance
and the light goes off and you then return to have your car reinspected
and it still fails and your mechanic thinks you've just tried to fool
everybody by disconnecting the battery to get the light off. I wasn't
foolish enough to do this of course.

Since then, I purchased an OBDII scanner that plugs into my laptop. It's
very simple to use and reports the error codes. Without this
information, you are totally at the mercy of whoever works on your car.
In my case, I trusted my guy a reasonable amount, but he only could read
the codes by using the inspection computer. The local Miata dealer would
have been my other possibility. The cost of the scanner was somewhat
less than the at least $200 I always have to pay any time one of my
car's is in the shop - I shudder to think what the dealer would soak me for.

One of the parts franchises apparently reads codes for free - when I
called though there were all sorts of obstacles.

I don't know the accuracy or reliability of the OBD scanners, but I
haven't heard anything bad so far. They vary in cost depending on
features and whether you need a computer to attach to. Still, I think
worth it to know.

Gary Fuchs
'99