Is there a problem or not?

[rugger bugger]

About the middle of August my check engine light came on...i had it checked out by a shop...the sniffer didnt find a thing...i drove it around for a while...none of the guages gave any indication something as wrong...i had a big ass stereo installed...and the amp power wire was tugging on the battery terminal...sometimes i would try and start the car and the electrical system would do out...pop the hood...jiggle the connection...and the car would start up...but the check light wouldnt be on...probably for about 15 miles or so...i drove out to CO from CA...with the light on...no problems...after a while the connection problem stopped...and the light went off at some point...then...about a week ago...after a month of it bein off...the check light came back on...could this just be cuz the 94 is old (but not that old for a toyota)?...or is there some problem that isnt threatening to the car but the light is telling me something is wrong?...anyone else ever had this?

 

[canuck215]

If you have been driving around with it like that and nothing has happened yet then most likely your not hurting anything to badly. That doesnt mean something is wrong though. If you are curious as to why the check engine light goes on the best way to find out is to go to a shop and have them pull the code that you computer is giving off and that will tell you what is wrong. The whole sniffer thing that you mentioned doesnt make any sense to me as to why they wouldnt have just read the code from there code reader.

 

[PYROMATE]

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TROUBLE CODE RETRIEVAL

Here is the skinny on check engine light trouble code retrieval. 1995 was the last year you DO NOT need an anyalyzer to get the codes. Here is how it is done. Find the diagnostic terminal on the passenger side of the motor near the front by the fuse blocks. Open it and read the terminal markings. Find the ones that say..TE1 and E1. Construct a small jumper wire using a small piece of wire and two female spade terminals that match the connector pins on the diagnostic terminal (easy). Turn on ignition switch untill the indicator lights come on. The check engine light will blink a number of times. Count the blinks. The smaller codes will blink first. You may have several codes stored in the memory. Count the blinks and write them down. I don't have time to list all of the trouble codes here. Call your local dealer and if you are nice....they will read them off to you...better yet go to the dealer and have them print the list.....better yet...spend the $$200.00 and order the factory repair manual. The haynes guides....SUCK!
To reset the CHECK ENGINE LIGHT....pull the E.F.I. fuse and re-install it. Use (jump)The SAME TERMINALS TE1 and E1 to check the timing.
This Info should useful and helpful for you guys...if you didn't already know.
John :cannon: