ok im new to camaros in fact its my first car only benn driven 3 times since ive gotten it and it runs great but when i was coming home last night my service engine soon light came on, the car didnt act weird or anything it still drove like it normally did, nothing died,clicked,etc etc. being that its my first car i dont really know anything about it. so im wondering if that light just means its a sensor in the car.

my brother drives a 98 mustang and his check engine light came on a while back but its just a sensor his o2 sensor actually but his car still drives as good as the day he bought it.

so my question is, is the service engine light to my car as the check engine light is to my brothers.

i have to drive a good 30 miles today and im just wondering if my car is alright.


please help

thank you

by the way my car is the base model 98 camaro v6 with a z28 xenon body kit and flowmaster duals

 

Your best bet is to get it scanned and see what it is complaining about. It could be something like a bad gas cap to something that can leave you stranded.

 

The SES light means that something is bad and affecting how the engine is running, or how the air/fuel mix is being handled. It could be one of many sensors, a fuel injector, plugs, wires, ignition coil, wiring issue, fuel pressure regulator, fuel filter, fuel pump, catalytic converter, even a bad gas cap. And maybe something else that escapes me at the moment.
You need to get the car scanned so you can narrow down your guessing field. Don't just start throwing parts at it with the hopes it'll fix it. You most likely won't get that lucky, unless you can see one of those "that doesn't look right" kind of problems.

 

It's free to have it scanned at Autozone too.

 

yea its free at autozone and i believe its free at advanced and napa or you could go to somewere like harbor freight and get one for about 20-50 dollars for a simple obd2 tester or what ever type will fit your needs. that is why i hate newer vehicles dont get me wrong god bless technology but sometimes it just gets in the way but like z28pete said it could be just about anything but if you have your codes read get them to clear them out and if and when it comes on again have them read again and see if it reads the same result

 

Everyone these days who buys a car should get a scanner. Actually, the car makers should have just BUILT THAT IN.

 

Like has been posted, get the code for why the SES light came on. Mine has come on twice, and both times were for something as simple as a bad O2 sensor.

 

I bought my own scanner off of eBay for $35. It's not a complex one, it'll tell you the car's VIN, the codes, and allow you to clear the codes which will turn off the light and a couple other things I think. That thing has come in handy MANY times. I originally bought it for my Nissan because I kept having EGR problems. I get a P0306 code for my Camaro. It ends up going on and off by itself. Your car will be fine, but just for a little bit. You should at least get it scanned somewhere for free to see what's coming up, then get it fixed asap. Computers and sensors are such a pain in the ***. And burn a hole in your wallet.

 

If your going to have the car for a while, I highly recommend that Actron CP9145, and its well worth the investment. Couple that with a GM service manual on ebay for about $70 and you'll be able to do nearly everything yourself.

I've had mine for a few months and does a lot of what the GM Tech 1 does. Plus they don't charge $40 to get specific codes like the GM dealer here does.

It's cheapest on amazon

 

but that would make to much sense for the automakers