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Joined: Dec 2004
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New CEG\'er
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OP
New CEG\'er
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 24 |
Hey Everyone,
My check engine light has been on for quite some time now, ever since I purchased my car about 4 months ago. The previous owner told me it wasn't a big deal, and that once I figured out what the problem was, he'd help me fix it. I recently got my emmissions tested and their diagnostic machine told me the CEL code was: P0420. It describes this as "Catalyst System Effieciency Below Threshold (Bank 1)." Does anyone know what this means exactly and how I would go about fixing it?
Thanks,
Barrett
Edit: I actually used the search function on the site and found a lot of listings for P0420. Sorry for the useless post.
Last edited by Barrett54; 02/28/05 11:09 PM.
Barrett
99 SVT Contour
Black w/ Midnight Blue Interior
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Joined: Dec 2003
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Dec 2003
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Is your car smelling like sulfur i.e. rotten eggs? It may be a dying cat.
99 Black Contour SE Sport
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Joined: Sep 2002
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Take it to the dealer. They will either reflash the computer or replace the precats.
Hopefully, you are still in the 8/80 warranty. Lou Fusz out in the Chesterfield valley had a mechanic name Kevin (friend of a niece) who did ours about a year or two ago.
Steve
98 Contour SE Sport 2.5 Duratec ATX The wifey's car
89 Taurus SHO - 246K miles
94 SHO ATX - 190K
1997 F-150 5.4L ATX - The Workhorse 150K.
ANY THREAD WITH "OMG" or "WTF" ETC IN THE TITLE WILL BE IGNORED!
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 24
New CEG\'er
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OP
New CEG\'er
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 24 |
Thanks for the info,
There's no smell like rotten eggs that I've noticed. The previous owner seems to think it may be the O2 sensor. How common is that? What's the cost to reflash the ecu if that's what needs to be done? Also, since my car is under the 8 year/80,000 mile mark, it won't cost anything to get the cats replaced? and if they don't need to be replaced will they charge me a fee for checking it out?
Barrett
Barrett
99 SVT Contour
Black w/ Midnight Blue Interior
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Veteran CEG\'er
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Veteran CEG\'er
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I just had my p0420 fixed about a month ago, dealer did not charge me anything.. If your CEL was on for that long and thats the code it was throwin' , you should bring it to the dealer and get it fixed(for free),of course they are gonna try n sucker you into some scheduled maintanence or somethin to try n get some money outta you..
Keith P.
Killed in action-4/27/06
'99 CSVT
#2369/2760-7/28/99
New Recruit-
1998 EO CSVT
# soon to come
Black 106,xxx
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Joined: Sep 2002
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Barrett,
Ford recently, last fall, stopped automatically replacing the precats for P0420 and P0430 codes. Instead, they are re-flashing the computer to widen the parameters for the catalyst monitors. There was a thread at that time that gave the exact text of the TSB.
I do not know whether they charge fro this or not if you are outside the 3/36 but inside the 8/80. Your local or your selected dealer can answer this question if you reach the right person.
Steve
98 Contour SE Sport 2.5 Duratec ATX The wifey's car
89 Taurus SHO - 246K miles
94 SHO ATX - 190K
1997 F-150 5.4L ATX - The Workhorse 150K.
ANY THREAD WITH "OMG" or "WTF" ETC IN THE TITLE WILL BE IGNORED!
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 24
New CEG\'er
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OP
New CEG\'er
Joined: Dec 2004
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Well,
I just got the call from Bo Beuckman Ford in Ellisville, MO. The problem with the car is officially the catalytic converters which they will be replacing in the next week. Thanks goodness, b/c that was the only way I was going to get out of this without paying a dime. Thanks for all the info from everyone.
Barrett
99 SVT Contour
Black w/ Midnight Blue Interior
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 33
New CEG\'er
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New CEG\'er
Joined: Mar 2005
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I'm sure averybody already knows this but I had that problem when I first purchasd my 98 Contour SVT. A buddy of mine at the dealership told me I probably had cheap gas(not above 91 octane) and to tighten my gas cap atleast 3 twists. Apparently there is a censor right on the cap that will cause the Check Engine Light to come on. I haven't had a problem since!
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Originally posted by CSVTCHICK:
I'm sure averybody already knows this but I had that problem when I first purchasd my 98 Contour SVT. A buddy of mine at the dealership told me I probably had cheap gas(not above 91 octane) and to tighten my gas cap atleast 3 twists. Apparently there is a censor right on the cap that will cause the Check Engine Light to come on. I haven't had a problem since!
While a loose cap is one of the possible hundreds of causes of a CEL, the gas cap is not at issue here. There is no sensor on or at the cap.
The octane of your fuel, likewise, will never trigger a CEL.
Sounds like your "buddy" wasn't particularly well versed in OBD-II systems...
Steve
98 Contour SE Sport 2.5 Duratec ATX The wifey's car
89 Taurus SHO - 246K miles
94 SHO ATX - 190K
1997 F-150 5.4L ATX - The Workhorse 150K.
ANY THREAD WITH "OMG" or "WTF" ETC IN THE TITLE WILL BE IGNORED!
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 140
CEG\'er
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CEG\'er
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Originally posted by Manch-VegasSVT:
I just had my p0420 fixed about a month ago, dealer did not charge me anything.. If your CEL was on for that long and thats the code it was throwin' , you should bring it to the dealer and get it fixed(for free),of course they are gonna try n sucker you into some scheduled maintanence or somethin to try n get some money outta you..
I went to the dealer and they wanted to charge to diagnosis it! They also stated that it wasn't covered under the 80/80k warranty.
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