Is there a manual way to reset the codes that made my check engine light come on? I unplugged the mass airflow sensor to test and see if that was casuing my rough running idle issues. No check engine prior to doing this so I know that's the reason it came on.

Or is somewhere like autozone my only hope?

 

If it was me I'd just take it to the auto parts store get them to plugin and tell you what the code is. They can reset it also. It doesn't cost you, and it's way better then just resetting it yourself. I've seen where just unplugging the battery for a spell should reset everything in most cases...unless the error is constant then it will come back.

 

I don't think this is the exact article I used but I did something like this on my altima to read the codes in my driveway.


https://www.nissanclub.com/threads/h...r-them.263453/

 

I believe if you disconnect the neg. battery cable for a minute or two, probably less, this should clear the "check engine" light. When you clear the check engine light soft (or current codes) should be erased but "hard" codes should be retained in memory to be "read" when necessary. If you really believe that disconnecting the MAF caused the check engine light, and I believe it did, then your check engine light should stay off until the system finds and reports a real problem, turning the check engine light back on.

I agree that you really need to have the codes read by someone who knows what they are doing and can interpret the codes for you. One or more codes just might reveal your rough-idle problem. It is possible that the system may have reported your problem by setting a code without turning on your CEL.

 

That's the thing I had zero codes and no check engine light until I unplugged the mass airflow sensor to check and see if having it unplugged helped the rough idle which in turn threw the check engine light like I knew it would.

Everything I have read a couple drive cycles should return the check engine light back to off since I plugged the mass airflow sensor back in.

 

You could speculate here on a forum for days, or just pull into an autoparts store and ask them to take a look with the scanner. Worst case is you come out knowing no more then you know now, but you may come away with some knowledge as to why your car runs rough, which was the original problem.