[megsabelle]

Hi!

I just purchased a 2001 Insight with about 95K on it. I got in in April when Honda was doing the free inspection deal, got a clean bill of health and haggled a great deal (with a trade factored in I think I spent $6700 on it). I drive mostly in town, and bought some octane booster to see if it would help me out in the horsepower and fuel economy. Stupid me, I put the 16 OZ bottle of it in when I had just filled up the day before! I had no problems yesterday, but today, after hitting a bump in the road, my check engine light came on! Did the bump cause the fuel to splash into the charcoal cylinder? That's what I think happened, and if so, will burning off some fuel make the problem go away?

Thanks!

~Meghan

 

[merigayle]

a lot of things can cause the check engine light to come on. If the recall has not been done on the car, that could do it too, but usually on long trips. If you do not close the fuel tank properly the light can go on as well, but should go off in a couple days once it is fixed.

I cannot answer your question about the fuel and the octane booster.

 

[megsabelle]

[mod edit: Removed entire quote in immediate reply, please see the rules]

Thanks! This happened on the way to work, so I haven't gotten to drive it again yet- I did take off and then replace the fuel cap (making sure it clicked about half a dozen times). If the situation isn't resolved in a few days or with a bar of fuel being used, I'll likely take it to a dealer or at least call one for advice.

 

[Guillermo]

octane booster is only useful for those that drive sports cars with an aftermarket engine tuning designed for 94 octane and they are in the middle of nowhere (far from large cities) and have to use 87 or 91 octane fuel to keep driving. If their engines are tuned only for 94 octane their engines will not run properly and can through a check engine light if they use lower octane fuel, so if they use octane boost to raise the octane level to what their highly tuned engine needs they can get by. But this is a short term solution because it's very expensive. It's cheaper to buy higher octane fuel.

The Honda Insight only requires 87 Octane fuel so in most situations using a higher octane fuel does not make enough different to be worhwhile.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

Did the bump cause the fuel to splash into the charcoal cylinder?

The evaporatave emmissions system doesn't work that way. The bump could simply be coincidental, or not. Get the code checked.

HTH!

 

[megsabelle]

How do you get the code checked? Will I have to bring it to the dealer, or is this something I can do myself?

 

[Insightful Trekker]

You need a scan tool for accurate code identification.

A dealer or any import specialty repair shop would be the likely place to go. The tools start from around $250 and up.

But as merigayle suggested a loose gas cap could be the code. If it nudges tighter before clicking then it will self clear the light after 2 "normal" days of driving. (short trips under 5 miles don't count as normal)

 

[megsabelle]

Thanks to all- I'll drive it for a few days, and if it doesn't go off, to the dealership we go!


By the way, I am really excited to be a new member of the Insight community. I have only seen one other on the road up here in New Hampshire!

 

[Leeper]

Engine scan tool

Here in California most Autozones have them for use for free - its called an "OBD II reader". The plug is just under the dash and easy to get to. Simply plug it in, follow the very brief instructions, and it'll tell you what's wrong. Don't bother with the dealership unless it is something serious. The scan tool will also allow you to reset and erase the code. It is not uncommon for our cars to "throw a code" every so often...

 

[megsabelle]

Thanks Leeper! I'm going to explore that option. Anything free is great!

 

[james]

"The plug is just under the dash..."

On the passenger side. It might be more accurate to say that it's behind the center console (where the stereo is).

 

[megsabelle]

That's for sure! I went to Autozone and it took 2 people about 30 minutes to find the darn thing! It gave the P1164 code, which, in doing some research I discovered can be a false error report in Insights. I'm going to call a dealership today and see if maybe I can get it reset. My theory is that once reset, if I drive it and the light stays off, this must have been one of the false errors. If it comes back on, I guess it's new O2 sensor time!


Thanks for all the advice and tips!


~Meghan

 

[merigayle]

did ya find out if the car had the recall done?

 

[Willie Williford]

P1164 code I think only means that the #1 O2 sensor is slow to respond. Expected life span (per the O2 manufacturers) of the O2 sensor is apparently around 100,000 miles (Suggested change for emissions).

CLear the code and unless it reappears soon..........."keep on truckin".

Willie

 

[megsabelle]

****UPDATE****


I ordered myself an OBD II Scanner and, of course, no sooner did the payment get processed than the check engine light went off! I'm glad I'll have it in case it happens again, but it's like when you have an umbrella with you it will never rain, or whatever the old saying is!

And Willie, I am approaching the 100K mark, so thanks for the head's up!

 

[Insightful Trekker]

I ordered myself an OBD II Scanner and, of course, no sooner did the payment get processed than the check engine light went off!

The code will still be stored until the PCM looses 12v. (battery goes dead or you pull the right (wrong ? ) fuse.

With a _recurring_ slow to respond O2 sensor code, low MPG will soon follow. "Bad" (sometimes _without_ a code) Insight O2 sensors have also been reliably reported to cause an over rich condition and damage an otherwise serviceable catalytic converter (CAT) ($1000+ :shock: ).

For me and my Insight _any_ suspicious O2 sensor will be replaced ASAP :!:

HTH!

 

[megsabelle]

Thanks for the head's up- I'll definitely be keeping an eye on it!