The Gas Cap Code and DIY Check Engine Light Car Repairs

The gas cap code is a common diagnostic trouble code that might turn on your check engine light. I put together a video discussing a problem my neighbor had with his vehicle after they filled the fuel tank.

It is a common scenario that I see often. As you can see in the ladder diagram from the service manual, action step 1A is to check the fuel cap. Note: By popular demand I added a common evap system electrical diagram at the bottom as well.

You can see the short video and diagram below. But first I wanted to talk a little more about the gas cap code and the possible causes. On some automobiles it is known as the P0440 code.

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Online Car Repair Manuals for Auto Repairs

If you are looking for online car repair manuals you are faced with several choices. Not only are there many to choose from but they are from respected brand names. This makes choosing the right one for your specific car repair needs challenging.

I have been turning wrenches for 26 years professionally. I have used most of these programs at one time or another. The one I use now is All-Data online. Note that I am also an affiliate. You can find out more about this relationship on the material connection disclosure page.

The truck repair shop I work for has also experimented with different online car repair manuals. They decided to go with the all data program. So I am biased in my decision to recommend this online auto repair manual. But give me a chance to back it up by answering some frequently asked questions and showing you a car repair video of how it works. The clip is only about 4 minutes long!

Car repair manuals frequently asked questions

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Online Factory Service Manuals for Driveway Auto Repairs

Why good service manuals are as important as wrenches in my humble opinion. Tools are to the mechanic as blood is to the human body. One of the most important tools can be a repair manual. Hear me out before you turn the page. Too often I see people avoid purchasing an auto repair manual because they considered it a wasteful expenditure.

When in fact it may provide the most bang for your buck. The most efficient way to get between two points is a straight line. Auto service manuals can provide this point-to-point route. There is no way for a professional technician to remember all of the procedures and specifications needed to repair cars properly.

This also applies to even the most experienced do-it-yourself driveway mechanic. Good solid repair information plus a little knowledge and experience will bring you to your desired result fixing the car. And take you there with the least amount of frustration. It can also lower the cost in parts as the diagnostic tree charts help you test individual components.

Factory repair information

The most reliable source of information about a specific vehicle comes from the company that builds it. Car makers create a complete set of repair diagrams and auto service manuals for the cars it produces.

Although this information is created mainly for professional mechanics that service those models at the dealership level it can also provide a tremendous amount of assistance to Diy auto mechanics. Since many inherent problems develop on certain car lines service manuals need to be constantly updated.

This is what separates the professional auto repair information from the do it yourself information found in auto parts stores. If you work at a dealership your shop is supplied with updates referred to as technical service bulletins. In the old days they sent the paper bulletins to the shop and they were physically added to the repair manuals.

Car repair manualsIt is more common today for these updates that repair common problems to be issued online in a database format. It is also becoming more common for car repair manuals to be published by independent companies rather than the car makers themselves.

This makes the communication between the manufacturer and the publisher extremely important. Some companies are better at this communication process than others. And this is why the quality of the repair information will differ between car lines.

In some cases the publishers try to condense the format to much. This allows for more coverage in less physical space. This can also make the car repair information less specific. It is not uncommon for mechanic's either professional or driveway to have to use their brain more then expected. Sometimes you have to put the pieces together to get the vehicle repaired the right way on the first attempt.

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Protection from Rip-off Car AC Repairs

I have a video to share about rip-off car AC repairs. The video is from the today show and one of the better camera exposés I have seen related to the car business. Although these hidden camera stories are nothing new they are getting a lot better.

In this one the bait vehicle has six high definition cameras installed. I'm posting this in the air-conditioning section because the repairs are directly related to this often misdiagnosed system. Rip-off car AC repairs can be one of the easiest ways for a repair center to dig very deep into your pockets. Because these repairs can be expensive.

The drivers want for comfort on hot summer days can outweigh the costs and the owner’s common sense about getting second opinions. Automotive consumers are most vulnerable to these scams when it is 112 outside and the auto repair service center is backed up with other air-conditioning repairs. In this situation a driver can feel a sense of desperation and approve repairs even if they are skeptical about the diagnosis.

Car A/C repairs dealer rip-off

Here is the video that was provided by the MSNBC website. This video focuses on new car dealership service departments. At the end of the video the investigative reporter announces that he plans to go to some aftermarket shops in the near future with the same vehicle and the same air-conditioning problem.

This should provide a fair and balanced full report in the future. What is real interesting about the video is some automotive consumers are under the belief that the car dealership will provide the best service or at least have technicians with the highest level of expertise for that specific vehicle. These things might be true. But if the result is rip-off car AC repairs then knowledge really doesn't matter. It may be more important to your wallet how honest the auto repair center is.

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