40,000 mile maintenance?

[nametakennow]

Right, so I'm driving along right before dinner Monday night, and suddenly I sense this yellow light on my dash. Looking away from the road at a stoplight, I notice that it says, "service engine soon," so I don't get too worried since its not a CEL or anything. Okay, but at that point I was at 38,500 miles (I'm now at 38,610ish), so I wonder, "WTF?" So I go to my local tuner and ask them (since they also do maintenance/service) if that makes any sense. The guy there (he just fixed my passenger window, the regulator was screwy) tells me that the last servicer may not have reset it, and also asks me if everything has been done (ie, the most recent service and oil change, the former has, the latter I will have to do within the next 1000 or so) and I say I'm pretty sure, but I'll check with my dad (who bought the car). So what is it? Is there a 40,000 mile service or something? The model would help I bet, it's an '01 Sentra SE 2.0. TIA

[NISTECH]

that is your CEL. you have a code stored. it may still be under warranty. did you by chance leave the gas cap off on your last fill up. check make sure its tight and the teather isnt caught under it. if so resecure it and wait and see if the light goes out. if not get to the dealer and have them check codes.

[nametakennow]

Crap... I'll check that before I go to bed... ::mutters curses:: you sure the "service engine soon"= CEL? that seems odd... oh well.. ARG...

[NISTECH]

100 percent sure I fix'em about 35 times a week. for one reason or another. if you engine was a 1.8 I could give you a whole list of codes it could likely be. be thankful you dont have the 1.8l engine

[nametakennow]

Haha, thanks. I checked the cap and it did seem a bit loose, then I ran the car for a while and while it didn't turn off, the manual says it should within a few trips, so hopefully it will turn off tomorrow at some point (swim practice, school, home, friend's house). Thanks!

[NISTECH]

tomorrow morning start the car up about 20 mins before you leave do not touch the throttle and let it run at idle for the entire time. this will complete the evap test. UNLESS you have over 3/4 or under 1/4 of a tank of fuel. if it tests good the light should shut out the next time you drive the car. the key to the test is the vehicle goes from operating temp to fully warmed up with out the throttle being pressed. then it must idle for an aditional 70 secs. that will complete the pressure portion of the test. then when you drive it the car will run the vaccum portion of the test. if the light doesnt go out within a couple of days take it to the dealer have them pull the code.

[nametakennow]

Yeah, I got up Fri. after having screwed it tight the night before and drove to swim practice, then to school. Sometime within the last couple of miles before school it shut off, so that was it I guess. Awesome, thanks a ton NISTECH!