Recently for the past while I have had a SES because I installed obx headers and haven't put in an o2 sim yet. A couple days ago I started the car and the SES was gone, (it's been on for about 2 months)... I don't understand why it went away, the only reason I can think of is that the weather has gotten really cold and that was the first cold day (-15-20 deg. celcius)

does this make sense to anybody? I thought the light could be burned out but that seems unlikely... anybody who has any ideas please chime in.

BTW- (TC+ABS)*Winter Tires= FTMFW my car is like a tank plowing through 2 feet of snow!

 

Yes, the SES light can go out on it's own. The bulb should come on when the ign. sw. is moved from OFF to ON (this is the bulb check).

 

i ran my headers without an o2 sim for a year, the light every few months would go off..only to turn on a day later. putting the sim in, never had an ses since..

 

The light will go on and off based on the number of key cycles.

 

The MIL can clear itself (depending on the code), or it could have burned out; lthough this is Maxima, not a VW/Audi.

 

My SES light will go off when I change to different gas stations (Shell, BP, Sunoco) each time I fill up. Been off for 5000 miles now ... knock on wood.

 

the SES light comes on during certain conditions. I don't remember the exact numbers, but let's say the ECU detects something wrong with your o2 sensor. It will not throw a code right away. It needs to detect that problem 3 times in X amount of time. If it does it will throw the code. If it does not it will store a ghost code. If the o2 seems to start working again after the SES light comes on, ie the condition does not happen 3 times in X amount of time, the light will go out.

 

When my thermostat was going bad and when I had a P0139 code, they would come and go for a couple months before the SES light would come on and not reset itself.

 

You will probably have a pending code (one which does not illuminate the SES lamp).

I also get on/off P0138 cycles which may be sometimes a day, a week, a month, who knows. Just gonna replace that sensor because no matter how minor it is, it's there for a reason & I hate staring at that SES lamp.

 

yeah it could be whatever was throwing the code was intermittently working/failing so its best to just replace it soon. the code will go away once the ECU senses nothing is amiss, but will return when it does. and when i said code i meant light...the light will turn off. the code will still be stored until you clear it.

 

How do you read the SES light codes and where can I find the code list. My SES lights is now on. Darn!

 

Autozone.

Search the .org

 

Ditto on "X" of number of key turns the SES will go out and will return with the condition is recognized. BTW, did you install your own headers? I am looking for any suggestions and/or recommendations because I am about to install my own. PM me please.

 

a] go buy an OBD II code reader
b] go to autzone they read for free
c] go to your dealer and pay $110 or more

to read the code list, most OBD II codes mean the same thing regardless of make or model.

 

mine comes on and goes off every few days for my 0420

 

d] put the ECU in diagnostic mode 2:
1) turn key on
2) wait 3 sec
3) fully press accelerator 5 times quickly
4) wait X (X=12 sec - time_it_took_to_do_step_3)
5) press accelerator until SES starts flashing, release accelerator

Flashes are the codes.

 

FWIW i had a bonneville that had a ses light all spring/summer and during the winter it went off until the spring again..