Durametric Help

[jeeper31]

My airbag light is on and I had a check engine light. I was able to scan the DTC codes to find out what was wrong. When I tried to clear the code it gave me a code cleared message but the light didn't shut off. When I scanned the codes again it found the same trouble codes. I am having a misfire in cylinders 1 and 4.

The Duremetric was unable to turn off the check engine light OR the airbag light.

The airbag light came on when I pulled the seat to do the water pump. I did not disconnect the battery first.

Thanks,


Dan

[JFP in PA]

Have you made sure you have repaired the misfires and reconnected the seat harness properly? The codes will not clear if the condition that triggered them is still present.......

[jeeper31]

I have not fixed the issue yet however I can turn it off with an OBD II scanner And the light goes off it stays off for a couple hundred miles and then throws the trouble code again and the light comes on.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by jeeper31

I have not fixed the issue yet however I can turn it off with an OBD II scanner And the light goes off it stays off for a couple hundred miles and then throws the trouble code again and the light comes on.

Then you already know why the Durametric doesn't turn it off. No system, even the almighty PIWIS, can permanently turn off a MIL light unless the problem if fixed first. Different systems may turn if off for brief periods, but it will continue to come back as soon as the I/M Readiness monitor mandated by the EPA resets (the I/M monitor is there to prevent people from clearing the codes and trying to squeak by state inspections. Until the monitor cycle is complete, the car would come up as "not ready" and will fail inspection, once the monitor resets, the codes reappear).

[Gelbster]

Airbag Light Passenger seat.
I have the same situation. The specific code identified by Durametric relates to a Child's safety seat !Is that the one you have?
I have been ignoring it until someone like you and JFP resolve it. Thanks !

[jeeper31]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

Then you already know why the Durametric doesn't turn it off. No system, even the almighty PIWIS, can permanently turn off a MIL light unless the problem if fixed first. Different systems may turn if off for brief periods, but it will continue to come back as soon as the I/M Readiness monitor mandated by the EPA resets (the I/M monitor is there to prevent people from clearing the codes and trying to squeak by state inspections. Until the monitor cycle is complete, the car would come up as "not ready" and will fail inspection, once the monitor resets, the codes reappear).

Why would an OBD II scanner turn off the check engine light but not the duremetric? On 2 separate occasions I tried to turn it off with duremetric and couldn't and then took an OBD II reader and it shut off the light. He light didn't come back in for a couple of days either so it's not a constant condition. It happens every once in a while, not immediately after the code is cleared.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by jeeper31

Why would an OBD II scanner turn off the check engine light but not the duremetric? On 2 separate occasions I tried to turn it off with duremetric and couldn't and then took an OBD II reader and it shut off the light. He light didn't come back in for a couple of days either so it's not a constant condition. It happens every once in a while, not immediately after the code is cleared.

It all depends upon how it turns it off. Most hand held OBD II scanners simply reset everything, while the Durametric allows you to clear single codes. As mentioned earlier, resetting everything forces the I/M Readiness test monitor to go active and that leads to having to go through drive cycles before the monitor resets, and the codes come back. Durametric tries to clear the single code without resetting the I/M monitor, and it appears not to clear because the problem is still there, so it comes back up immediately. The systems are just doing it differently because the Durametric offers more options on how the code is cleared. With the ability to clear single codes, the car could be repaired and immediately go for emissions inspections, with the OBD II scanner clearing method, the car would read "not ready" and would not pass emissions until the monitor resets after some drive time. In any case, if the problem(s) are not addressed and fixed, no system can turn it off permanently

[Gelbster]

Jeepers,
JFP is correct.He has had a lot of chance to practice :-)
If you just want to clear a code a $14.99 Harbor Freight Code Reader works great.
If you want to try to figure out what caused that code ,use the Durametric.
Unless it is an aberrant code, clearing a code is useless for passing Smog or peace of mind.
Digging deeper into the Durametric usually gives you great clues about where the problem is.
From a Smog Test perspective clearing the Code (CEL) does nothing for an associated Ready Status failure. So your car will fail the Test anyway.
Make sure you have the latest download of the Durametric software.They had several updates of updates recently and you'll need those to make the Activations work correctly.

[jeeper31]

Originally Posted by Gelbster

Jeepers,
JFP is correct.He has had a lot of chance to practice :-)
If you just want to clear a code a $14.99 Harbor Freight Code Reader works great.
If you want to try to figure out what caused that code ,use the Durametric.
Unless it is an aberrant code, clearing a code is useless for passing Smog or peace of mind.
Digging deeper into the Durametric usually gives you great clues about where the problem is.
From a Smog Test perspective clearing the Code (CEL) does nothing for an associated Ready Status failure. So your car will fail the Test anyway.
Make sure you have the latest download of the Durametric software.They had several updates of updates recently and you'll need those to make the Activations work correctly.

I really have no idea what to do with the Duremetric now. Lol. I did get the codes which I indicate a misfire in cylinders 1 and 4 but no idea where to go from there. I have gotten some mental relief as I turned it off with the OBD II scanner and it hasn't come back on yet. What else can the duremetric tell me about the problem? Thanks.

[Gelbster]

Misfire on #1 & #4 - have you checked the coils and plugs ?
Suggest you read the Pelican Article on their replacement.

Then we can move on to the seat belt issue.

[jeeper31]

I was just thinking, which is not always a good thing. IF the code i am getting is a misfire which is not a constant condition, how would the duremetric sense that I haven't fixed the problem. It reads the codes with the engine off. And wouldn't i get a message that it can't be cleared instead of one that it has been cleared?

Just brain farting.

Thanks

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by jeeper31

I was just thinking, which is not always a good thing. IF the code i am getting is a misfire which is not a constant condition, how would the duremetric sense that I haven't fixed the problem. It reads the codes with the engine off. And wouldn't i get a message that it can't be cleared instead of one that it has been cleared?

Just brain farting.

Thanks

Like many other codes, Durametric stores "pending codes", which are codes triggered by single events such as a onetime misfire. It waits to see if the code trips a minimum number of times (varies by code type), and then sets a "hard code" if the problem remains. For certain codes, a single trip is enough to retrigger the light.

[jeeper31]

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

Like many other codes, Durametric stores "pending codes", which are codes triggered by single events such as a onetime misfire. It waits to see if the code trips a minimum number of times (varies by code type), and then sets a "hard code" if the problem remains. For certain codes, a single trip is enough to retrigger the light.

Ok. Let me know if I am being dense. The light never goes off. I hook it up, scan for codes and i gives me the list which are related to misfire in 1 and 4. I then erase the code and on the screen it says it erased the code but when I look back at the dash the light never went off. (like turning off a light switch and having the light stay on). It's not like it turned the light off and then I ran it and the light came on. So the car is sitting static without the engine running and the light stays on even after it says it is cleared.

BTW i appreciate the help. Sorry if i am not getting it. lol

[JFP in PA]

The light does not go off because there is still an active code. You originally said you had and airbag related code, did you fix the problem and then clear the code? If the problem is still there, the light will be also...................