i bought my 88' firebird V6 2,8 4 months ago, it got around 40.000 miles...
every time i start the engine a little "check engine soon" lightens up...
since i didn't get a manual along with the car, and since it's difficult, not to say impossible here in germany to find a pontiac/GMC garage/repair station, i'm asking by what this light is triggered, is it the miles the car got? or something with the engine?

tnx,
dwayne.

 

my light came on and it was my MAF sensor that went out(cracked). but that is a $200 part, not a quick, lets see if this fixes it part.
if you are in the military (US) then the local autocraft shop should have a place where you can check your computer.

 

Does it come on when you start the car, then go off?? Or does it come on and stay on??

A way to pull the code. Take a paper clip, bend a "U" shape with it. Then, under your dash, their should be a "plug" bolted under your dash. Stick that paper clip in the two upper right slots. You will be "shorting" the system. Then turn key to forwards "radio on" mode. Watch the check engine light, it will blink. Most start out blink once, pause, blink twice (code 12), then long pause, then more blinking and pausing. That gives you the trouble codes. Try that and post it on here. Then we can help you more.

 

hmm well, when you say you start the car, the lights comes on, it's susposed to, but it's not susposed to stay on.

 

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first, tnx for the answers so far...
now, i mixed things up,
the light does say "service engine soon", not "check engine soon", sorry for that...
it stays on for around 3 secs...

 

Then turns off???

Thats normal, almost all your lights in your dash should come on when you first start the car, then go off.

Alt, oil, ses/cel, bat, all of them.

 

If you have checked the codes and your car runs fine, ignor the ligt.

I know I know I know but unless you got the time and energy to track down a blind problem, it if runs good and you fixed the codes, ignor that light. its not allways right, that light has run me in circles many times. not only wasting my time but money.

 

hey i did not know that all your lights are suppost to come on only my choke light comes on when i put the key forword and when i pull the em brake, that comes on. but i never seen any other ever come on, how do i get the seat belt light to come on???? thought this light never came on i can see what it says it says shift. what does that light mean??

 

that's a shift light, in other words, cars with manual transmissions could get help when it came to shifting times. Kinda wish my car was a stick for that reason, that way i could use all those damn guages that are hidden in instrumentation.

 

definatly a sensor, most common is O2 and mass airflow sensors, could be a relay or a computer problem, but check the sensors, it should clear it up, commor problem, these cars eat the mass airflow sensors all the time

 

Yeah...I've heard of sooo many people replacing MAF's it's scary. Glad I dont got one!