Thread: Car Problems...Need Advice!!!

First, When I popped off my engine cover today and oil cap came flying off with it...Grrrr!!! Question is....can I drive the car a short distance to the auto store to get a new one??? I can't find the darn thing anywhere!!!

Second, my engine light is on and stays on. I have noticed that it seems to run high Rpm's and when the car is started and just sitting it sputters a bit. Also, my gas gauge as not been working properly and majorly fluctuates, dunno if this could be related??? I have ran out of gas twice in the past few months. Any ideas???

Third, my security light comes on periodically. Sometimes it goes off after a few minutes and other times stays on longer. What could this be?

I'm just trying to get some ideas of what could be going on. Figures my extended warranty just ran out too!

Do not.... I repeat do not drive it with oil cap off!!!!

Originally Posted by gtpinsc

Do not.... I repeat do not drive it with oil cap off!!!!

Great! I have no other car to get to the store with. Anything I can use to cover it temporarily?

id look for the one u lost... if u drive it with anything that doesnt seal/cover that fill hole... ur gonna have oil everywhere under ur hood.

It fell down into the hood somewhere but I could not see it!

for a short ride u can use plastic wrap and a rubber band, its not a permanent fix tho, it will probably melt over time.

u look under the car? its gotta be there somewhere... i wouldnt trust the plastic wrap.

at least use duck-tape, if anything. Did you check the engine cradle? or behind the grill?

Well I ended up getting a new one today...then later this evening the old one fell out and I have it now too. Its funny, the replacement was just a cap. What I lost was the whole tube with the cao attached, so I put the original back on.

Even better! My battery died last night because I had Halloween music playing while I was handing out candy. This morning after I replaced the cap I jumped the car and then took it for a drive. My engine light has not come on since!!!!

light will come back on.. battery dying reset ur PCM and killed the code.

^if its electrical maybe it won't come back.

take that stupid neck off the valve cover and put just the cap on it. looks way better.

The SES light came on from the oil cap being off because it allows a large amount of air to enter the intake (through the pcv system), and will probably through a lean code of some sort.

The fluctuation in the gas gauge is caused by the fuel level sensor in the gas tank. Usually because the tension on the wiper of the gas gauge sensor becoming weak or excessive play in the float arm.