That was quick...

HokieKarma · 03-10-2012, 01:21 AM

Check engine light is on and can't get it to go away. Only 222 miles and she is going back to the dealer. According to the dealer it is not a big issue and they are going to give me a demo Karma to drive while they clear the issue.

All in all it does not bother me. I kind of figured I'd have to take her back two or three times to work the kinks out. Of course I'll get some time with the tech to get details on the fix.

-jeff

Skibum · 03-10-2012, 11:34 AM

"Of course I'll get some time with the tech to get details on the fix."

Good luck with that. I'm pretty sure you'll get a shoulder shrug and a statement to the effect of "this issue should be cleared up in the next software update." I hope I'm wrong (please let us know), but I doubt it.

LonePalmBJ · 03-10-2012, 12:26 PM

Hokie,

My check engine light has been on since the day I got the Karma. It's almost certainly a function of a software issue, not an actual problem with your vehicle. When I got mine I had the dealer pull the codes and assure me of such. The current software version, 6.14.2, resolved a lot of the spurrious CEL problems but not yet all of them. Your dealer can probably reset the CEL, but it may come back on until 6.15 or another software update. Think of it as a quirk and an idiosyncracy for now that is annoying, but in my opinion not worthy of much concern. The only drawback is not getting the digital speedo in Sport mode while the CEL is on, and of course having to look at it.

Brent

marcus · 03-10-2012, 12:33 PM

CEL might be the most common problem. I'm not taking mine back to the dealer until the next software release.

Fabulist · 03-10-2012, 12:39 PM

My car had an actual plumbing issue that caused the CEL to come on, but that also caused erratic engine behavior. If the drive system is behaving as you would expect, you can lower the steering wheel just enough to cover the CEL -- and problem solved. But if the car is doing anything unexpected, like the ICE running in stealth mode when it was not supposed to, then have the dealer check it out.

Nimisys · 03-10-2012, 01:21 PM

There is a software glitch in the EVAP test that is causing a false fail condition which turns on the check engine light. Sometimes a hard restart will clear it.

ct-fiskerbuzz · 03-10-2012, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nimisys

There is a software glitch in the EVAP test that is causing a false fail condition which turns on the check engine light. Sometimes a hard restart will clear it.

I'm wondering if the software guys have a good simulator on which to test the software ... something like Simics, only for all the various sensors and CAN-busses and so on.

If not, someone should write one.

Nimisys · 03-10-2012, 02:55 PM

In this case its more of an unexpected hardware situation. Through running one of the EVAP tests they are trapping a pocket of pressure in an evap line that is greater than spring pressure of one of the solenoids, causing it to become stuck. It then doesn't see a pressure change like it should and assumes the solenoid valve is bad and flags the check engine light. A software change to prevent pressure above a certain point seems like the obvious solution, however since it's EVAP related it has to go through EPA what-not before release, so the timing takes a bit longer.

ct-fiskerbuzz · 03-10-2012, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nimisys

In this case its more of an unexpected hardware situation. Through running one of the EVAP tests they are trapping a pocket of pressure in an evap line that is greater than spring pressure of one of the solenoids, causing it to become stuck. It then doesn't see a pressure change like it should and assumes the solenoid valve is bad and flags the check engine light. A software change to prevent pressure above a certain point seems like the obvious solution, however since it's EVAP related it has to go through EPA what-not before release, so the timing takes a bit longer.

Oh.

A stiffer spring is the other obvious answer but presumably that too would require EPA approval, plus of course all the existing cars needing retrofits (expensive).

Nimisys · 03-10-2012, 05:31 PM

In this case, they are using a common OEM solenoid valve (seen it on a few different manufactorer vehicles) that is mounted in an area that is fairly labor intensive to replace. I doubt you will see the need for hardware replacment, just an adjustment to the test procedure through the software to prevent it from occuring.