Check engine light for low battery?

My check engine light came on this morning, and my truck was fine yesterday. I noticed I left my lights on last night, but the truck started fine...could it have gone on from leaving my lights on? If so, how do I reset it? I'm out in the middle of nowhere (my small hometown in BC) and there is no place to have it scanned. Truck runs fine, and I need to drive it 600 km tomorrow...think it'd be okay?

 

maybe u need an oil change. i think ul be fine, but get it checked out as soon as u get near civilization

 

It had an oil change 3000 km ago...I get it done every 5000 km with synthetic...surely it isn't that?!

 

Is your gas cap loose or did you just put a new one on?

 

Hold the computer a little closer to the truck

 

I don't think the check engine light would come on from a low battery. And if the truck started fine and you ran it for a while , the battery would have been charged back up by the alternator anyway, so the light should have gone off. Your best bet would be to buy a code reader, since you are so far away from anywhere that could read it for you.

I know I wouldn't drive it 600 km without knowing if there was the possibility of me doing damage to truck or not.

 

Was it a Check Engine light? Or a Maitenance Required light?


The check engine light will not come on for a low battery.

 

When the battery goes, it goes without warning. I had my battery die last summer. It cranked fine without any incling it was dying. I was driving with the radio cranked up. Pulled into a convience store, got back to my truck & tried to start it. It was dead. All I got was a click.

 

The OP is in Canada which means it is the check engine light since Canadian Tacoma's don't have the Maintenance required light (oil changes).

I had a battery crap out on me last year and no check engine light, so your problem lies elsewhere. Oxygen sensor would be my guess.

 

Well, I had to drive it back yesterday, and it drove fine. Guess I'll have to take it to get it scanned...

 

Fabian,

For the most part, the color of the light is a clue. In the US, the only reason a vehicle can illuminate a CEL is because the system thinks there is a problem that can likely cause the emissions to be higher than allowed. I am reasonably sure Canada is similar in regulations.

Rarely will a CEL be a concern that can cause severe damage to the vehicle in a short time, that is why the light is yellow. The idea is caution. Red lights are for stopping now. (like brake warning, oil warning, temp lights, charging system failure and so on) They are typically safety related.

The one exception to this rule that vehicles follow is if the CEL is FLASHING. That is usually accompanied by a vehicle running very poorly. The flashing CEL indicates a condition that could destroy an expensive catalyst in a VERY short time. Those should not be driven to prevent costly damage. Other than that, have it checked at your earliest opportunity.

HTH

Without a code, these are always difficult threads to reply to. Everyone is blind.