Los Angeles Times

• Car troubleshooting: If a service light comes on, you can use iGaauge to help solve the problem.

• Car help: If your tank is on empty, iGaauge can find you the closest gas station or AAMCO service center.

• Car assistance: iGaauge can connect you to an AAMCO employee 24/7.

Go Mobile with St. Louis AAMCO

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Clean out the winter blues, and help boost your car’s performance. Choose any two of our fluid change services and get the third FREE!*

• Power Purge Transmission Flush $99.95
• Oil & Filter Change & Tire Rotation $29.95
• Radiator Drain and Fill $89.95
• Power Steering Fluid Exchange $69.95
• Differential Drain and Fill $59.95
• Brake Fluid Exchange $89.95

*Buy two Spring Services listed above and get the third Spring Service at equal or lesser value free. Valid at participating AAMCO centers only. Prices may vary by center. Standard fluid only. Additional charges will apply for synthetic and other premium fluids. Power Purge price does not include pan gasket and filter. Offer available on most domestic vehicles and limitations may apply. Cannot be combined with other offers. See participating centers for details. Promotion expires April 7, 2010.

For example, off-road “wading” or “rock climbing” can cause under-vehicle issues such as a rusting chassis, sagging springs or poor shock absorbency.

If you are considering purchasing a used 4×4 vehicle or are unsure of the maintenance issues that you can expect when driving an off-road vehicle, then read “Four Wheel Drives – Faults & Problems.”

Of course you can always count on your local St. Louis AAMCO Center for expert advice on maintaining your 4×4 vehicle – either after a heavy snow or a fall camping trip. The 4×4 services St. Louis AAMCO Centers offer include:

• Draining and refilling the Transfer Case with OEM-specified fluid
• Draining and refilling the Front Differential fluid
• Draining and refilling the Rear Differential fluid
• Plus a complete TranScan check to spot any potential problems before they happen.

Our PowerPurge Transmission Flush, a 100% total transmission fluid exchange, is recommended for 4×4 automatic transmissions. For manual transmission 4×4′s, your St. Louis AAMCO technicians will drain and fill all necessary fluids to  match OEM specifications.

What the Check Engine Light indicates
(see list of OBDII codes)

Since the 1996 model year, cars and trucks sold in the U.S. have featured an on-board computer system to capture problem reports from various systems and to alert the driver to a problem with the vehicle by turning on a Check Engine or Service Engine Light.  Known as the On-Board Diagnostic  system – Generation II or OBDII, this computer system has enough memory to retain code error reports even after the engine is shut off.  This is also true for a short period of time when the problem goes away and then the light goes off on its own.

Earlier  generations do not have this memory and require a scanner reading while the light is on.  Your AAMCO Center will work on the pre-1996 cars, but the method of diagnosing a problem will sometimes slightly change.

Cars and trucks may have 2-4 computer systems in addition to the OBDII computer.  These other computers monitor and control a vehicle’s major systems, such as the engine, transmission, electrical and electronic devices.  These system computers all talk to the OBDII computer and will tell it to turn on the Check Engine Light if a problem is detected.

So, if you have a spark plug that fails, the engine-control computer will detect a misfire in a particular cylinder. After a set number of errors are reported, the engine control computer will send the misfire code to the OBDII system, and it will turn on the check engine light.

In our OBII Transmission Codes post, you will find translation for popular Check Engine Light  code numbers.  This listing may help you gain some understanding of what problem may be igniting the Check Engine Light.

AAMCO Complimentary Check Engine Light Service
When an AAMCO Center offers a free  Check Engine Light service, a technician will plug a scanner into your vehicle.  The technician will tell you what code(s) is triggering the light and advise about next steps. In some cases, a problem has an obvious solution. Other times, additional diagnostic time may be needed as some systems are large or complex.  Also, if multiple codes appear, an experienced technician needs to determine if single repair may be the solution or if there are multiple problems with your vehicle.

My error code starts with a 1 not a 0.  What now?
This will actually happen much of the time.  A four-number error starting with ‘0’ is a generic error code.  If the number starts with a ‘1’, this indicates the manufacturer is using this code to indicate a specific problem(s).  For example, the code P0350 and P1350 both indicate a problem with the ignition coil system. The ‘1’ indicates that the manufacturer (Ford, GM, Toyota, etc.) has additional information about this problem, and this may include subsequent tests that need to be done,. Your AAMCO store has this information in the databases it uses to support the code reading systems it has in Centers.

It’s easy to be intimidated about topics, such as your car, where you don’t have a lot of expertise. This AAMCO YouTube commercial provides tips for talking to your auto technician.

Primary, your experience is what counts most. Don’t feel intimidated to say the car is making a “thunk, thunk” sound or to mention that there is a sweet or burning smell associated with a problem. Just like a visit to the doctor, AAMCO technicians are trained to translate the symptoms you provide about your car, truck or SUV and solve the problem.

We hope these tips provide you with more confidence the next time your vehicle is in need of maintenance or a repair.

Here is a convenient check list from our friends at Car Talk.

Check out the YouTube video about the new iGAAUGE iPhone application.

AAMCO recently released a handy iPhone^® and iTouch^® application that allows users to locate the nearest gas station, check for traffic updates, locate the nearest AAMCO, connect with roadside assistance, check for a car’s maintenance schedule and troubleshoot automotive problems.

The iGAAUGE application is not only useful in an emergency, but also in educating car owners on how to maintain their auto investment while also enhancing safety awareness with regular maintenance. iGAAUGE users will also receive notifications of specials and other deals.

“We feel the features of the iGAAUGE are extremely compelling and extend far beyond applications developed by our competitors, putting advanced diagnostic tools, GPS functionality and AAMCO offers right in the palm of your hand,” said Jack Bachinsky, vice president of marketing at AAMCO.

Read more about iGAAUGE. Download iGAAUGE at the iTunes store.

Common OBDII Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC):
P0100    Mass or Volume Airflow Circuit Error
P0200    Injector Circuit Error
P0300    Engine Misfire Detected
P0400    Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Error
P0500    Vehicle Speed Sensor Error
P0600    Serial Communication Link Error
P0700    Transmission Control System Error/Request for MIL

Commonly occurring OBDII Codes
NOTE:
- a “0″  in the second position indicates a generic industry standard code
- a “1″ in the second position indicates the code is manufacturer specific and requires access to a database for a more detailed description
- Every AAMCO Center has access to manufacturer databases.

P0121    Throttle/Pedal Position Error
P0131    O2 Sensor Circuit, Low Voltage, Bank 1 Sensor 1
P0132    O2 Sensor Circuit, High Voltage, Bank 1 Sensor 1
P0133    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0134    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0135    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0136    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0137    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0138    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0139    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0140    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0141    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0142    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0143    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0144    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0145    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0146    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0147    O2 Sensor Circuit
P0171    System Too Lean, Bank 1
P0174    System Too Lean, Bank 2

P0316    Misfire on Start
P0325    Knock Sensor
P0326    Knock Sensor
P0327    Knock Sensor
P0328    Knock Sensor
P0329    Knock Sensor
P0330    Knock Sensor
P0331    Knock Sensor
P0332    Knock Sensor
P0333    Knock Sensor
P0334    Knock Sensor
P0335    Crankshaft Position Sensor Error
P0340    Camshaft Position Sensor Error
P0350    Ignition Coil Primary/Secondary Circuit

P0401    Insufficient EGR Flow
P0420    Catalytic Converter Efficiency Error, Bank 1
P0422    Main Catalyst Efficiency Error
P0440    General Evaporative Emission-System Error
P0442    Evaporative Emission-System Leak Detected, Small Leak
P0455    Evaporative Emission-System Leak Detected, Large Leak

P0505    Idle Control System

P0705    Transmission Range Selector Error
P0720    Output Speed Sensor Error
P0730    Incorrect Gear Ratio
P0731    Incorrect Gear Ratio (gear 1)
P0732    Incorrect Gear Ratio (gear 2)
P0733    Incorrect Gear Ratio (gear 3)
P0734    Incorrect Gear Ratio (gear 4)
P0735    Incorrect Gear Ratio (gear 5)
P0736    Incorrect Gear Ratio (reverse gear)
P0740    Torque Converter Clutch Error
P0741    Torque Converter Performance or Stuck Off
P0742    Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Stuck On
P0743    Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Electrical Error
P0744    Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Intermittent Error
P0745    Pressure Control Solenoid
P0750    Shift Solenoid
P0760    Shift Solenoid
P0765    Shift Solenoid
P0770    Shift Solenoid

P0811    Maximum adapt/excessive clutch slippage
P0894    Transmission component slipping