Service engine soon light keeps coming on

[jerrykur]

Hi,

I have a 2008 G37s and my service engine light is on. The light first came on when the car had about 1,000 miles and I took it to the dealer. They reset it and it came on again in 30 miles. They reset it again and it came back in 20 miles. I have put another 1000 miles on the car and it went off once for a few days and then came back on a couple of days ago. I use premium gas (Shell and Chevron).

Any thoughts?

Jerry

PS. The Nav system in this car has also failed (after 1000 miles, parts not available for months). This is my first Infiniti and I was wondering if they have a lot of failures.

[marlin29311]

It could be the gas cap - did they tell you the OBD II code?

[Q45tech]

At minimum a code light only means one of the multi-hundred test parameters is out of range by 25%. Each year since 1996 they have added more and more tests and narrowed the perfect parameters.........made system more sensitive.

Every owner should have a $100 OBD2 scanner and a *.pdf copy of FSM so you can read the code number , look up the problem and weigh the urgency of a dealer visit..............100's of codes are not critical, 50 or so are dangerous to life of vehicle.

Important to know which means don't drive it and call a flat bed.

[Sentientbydesign]

I see something seriously wrong if the dealership is just clearing the code and sending you on your merry way.

I've owned 2 infinitis so far and in the 5 years of combined ownership, I've only dealt with a handful of Check Engine Light issues. Most of them were caused by me (over-revving at a drift event, creating a custom intake, forgetting to plug in the MAF sensor, disconnecting a knock sensor...etc).

[jerrykur]

Hi,

According to the dealer it was the gas cap both times. But why does it keep happening? Also, loosening and tightening the gas cap does not seem to help.

[marlin29311]

It takes 3 days or so for the light to turn itself off - just be sure to click the cap several times when you get gas.

[tollboothwilley]

+1

Make sure to spend a little extra time clicking that gas cap. From my experience it takes around 100 miles for a CEL to go off.

If the problem persists, I would take this to the dealer and make them fix it. It is not normal to keep having a light. Infiniti is very reliable and on a new car this is out of the norm.

Keep that gas cap as tight as you can

[Sentientbydesign]

Hi,

According to the dealer it was the gas cap both times. But why does it keep happening? Also, loosening and tightening the gas cap does not seem to help.

This was a common issue with Maximas too. Something about gas tank pressure seems to ring a bell. Have they considered that your gas cap might be faulty?

[fbpem1]

well it seems your code is a gross evap leak, since they said the gas cap is loose.

Get the FF data next time or ask to see it. Evap leaks are the hardest to diagnose

SBD, with the gas cap being loose or off, it will not allow the system to self test itself while driving down the road meaning there is a leak it can not apply pressure to evap system and check for leaks since there is a leak. Easiest way of describing it. Also from all my experiances a Knock sensor on a nissan/infiniti product will not click the MIL but will store a code no light illumiated though.

Now what you need to do is find out if its a gross leak, small leak, and very small leak.

Did the dealer preform the DTC Confirmation procedure after the "repair" was complete, that is always a neccesary step in an evap leak since they are the worst to diagnose. Also did your SRT's (system readiness tests set)

Q45Tech...Being a dealer tech as i am and have been for years, i would NOT want customers resetting MIL's by themselves on a brand new car and brand new model like that. Also as you should know GST's are GST"s and they are not acurate which means what...it means the descriptions are wrong a LOT. Heres a perfect example i know one member of this forum inperticular had a code on their Acura and it said was a Mass Air Flow sensor code and he asked me i said no f'ing way since the car does not have that looked up the code and low and behold it was a sensor voltage problem. Going off of descriptions (which is what 99% of people do that pull the codes on thier own) is a bad idea. As for clearing the code and waiting to see if it comes back is a bad idea for me and other people at dealers since if a new model new car sets a MIL in ANY system I want to know about it. Reason being i can start compiling information to send to the various DTS's and DPSM's i associate with to make the product better, stronger, and less prone to malfunction.

thats all for now keep us updated with what code it is and i will help point you in the right direction for what to say to the dealer when you take it back if this problem persists.

[SteveTheTech]

I've got to agree with Fbpem1 on the points he mentioned above.

On something like a CEL in a brand new car you would want to get it in and get it addressed as soon as possible. Scheduling and dropping your car off is not usually that much of a hassle and you'll get a loaner.

Since this would be your third time in for the same complaint they may be facing a buy back and they do not want that. Plus we all want you to enjoy your new car.

Basic OBDII logic requires the CEL to shut off after ~40 cycles, and emission faults on these cars only self test once they meet exact conditions. Testing these are indeed a PITA but there are procedures that need to be followed to isolate the fault.

~Hey Fbpem1 that's not my Acura your talking about is it? I don't like diagnosing that thing. Stupid car has the alternator positive lead is wired through the HO2S2 heater circuit , who does that? Seriously WTF.

[Jacko3]

StevetheTech and Fbpem1:

All i can say is, I am unworthy.

[fbpem1]

~Hey Fbpem1 that's not my Acura your talking about is it? I don't like diagnosing that thing. Stupid car has the alternator positive lead is wired through the HO2S2 heater circuit , who does that? Seriously WTF.

thats why i'm here, remember i'm a Honda guru as well

I used that car as an example because its easy to look at the description and when you came and asked me i looked at you like you were crazy haha. The reason i use that is who's to say that its not a vent control valve code i need the code # for a accurate diagnosis.

[fbpem1]

PS. The Nav system in this car has also failed (after 1000 miles, parts not available for months). This is my first Infiniti and I was wondering if they have a lot of failures.

I totally missed this on my original response.

TO answer your question NO Infiniti does build a very solid vehicle. The reason why your picking a few things out or things are happening is you have the first model year of something these problems the G37 is having is NOTHING compared to the early model 03's. I remember PDIing those things and then they come back a few days later for a few recalls or something not working or the transmission noise that people hear and think something is wrong. Don't worry your car will be fine.

As for parts not being availible for months i am very certian i have put a few radios in G37's already Steve if you want to back me up on this i know a few have been done and it took no more than a few days to get the parts in . Since it was a harddrive issue with the few that i have had.

Once your initial issue's get worked out your car will be fine i have a few G37's that i have previously stated that are already over 30k+ and no issues aside from having the muffler replaced and the engine noise TSB with ester oil + reprogram (thats another disscussion for another thread though)

Push your MIL issue with the dealer and speak with the service manager 3 times for the SAME issue is absolutely unacceptable! In my standards thats not validating the customer concern not double checking your work. That car should have never left the dealer if they would have performed DTC confirmation for a small or very small leak it would have told them the car is broken and something is wrong. /rant

[joe603]

I doubt Q45tech will reply...

I agree with you guys 100%