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2002 Prizm Emissions Trouble
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k.Pinder
New User
Jul 10, 2012, 5:50 AM
Post #1 of 8
(3839 views)
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2002 Prizm Emissions Trouble
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2002 Chevy Prizm; 87000 miles
Just after the first of the year my Check Engine Light (CLE) came on. I went to a Midas shop locally that has done right by me over the years. They checked the onboard diagnostic system and said it was an emissions problem and that they needed to do a fog test to sort out the problem. The diagnosis was that 2 components in the emissions system were bad and needed to be replaced. The diagnostics cost $150. The replacement of the two faulty emissions components (Evap canister and evap purge valve) was $930.
Three weeks later the CLE came on again. I took it back and a somewhat less accomplished mechanic said I didn’t have the gas cap screwed on tight enough. He cleared the CLE and all seemed OK. I have since learned the car does an infrequent diagnostic on the emissions system so the CLE not coming back on right away meant zilch.
About three weeks later the CLE came on again. Midas did another diagnostic and said that the Evap vent valve was now bad and needed to be replaced. That was $140.
The mechanic said he was concerned there might be a more fundamental problem underlying all of this. He said if the CLE came on again the problem might be in the wiring from the gas tank to the emissions system, or the onboard computer might be bad.
Sure enough the CLE came on again a few weeks later. The mechanic verified the wiring was OK, but during his checks he manually instructed the onboard computer to tell one of the components to do something, but it didn’t. They can get a computer out of a junked car for about $250. The mechanic said it wouldn’t be too costly to install.
In the meantime it was coming up on the deadline for my car to be emissions tested. The mechanic said if I kept the gas tank at least ¾ full, the car’s diagnostics would default to bypass the emissions diagnostic and my car should pass. This didn’t work. Within two weeks the CLE was back on again.
I had the car emissions tested as required. It failed of course. The fail codes were P0440, P0441 and P0446.
My question is this. Do I go ahead and have the computer replaced, or…is it time I had another shop look at this?
Any guidance would be much appreciated.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 10, 2012, 6:34 AM
Post #2 of 8
(3817 views)
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Re: 2002 Prizm Emissions Trouble
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You can't simply put a junkyard computer in there. It has to be programmed by the dealer before it will run which means towing it to the dealer and spending over $100 more and they may end up telling you that computer won't work and you will be charged anyway.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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nickwarner
Veteran
/ Moderator
Jul 10, 2012, 8:06 PM
Post #3 of 8
(3776 views)
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Re: 2002 Prizm Emissions Trouble
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If you have brake trouble, see Midas. Anything else you have already seen what happens.
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k.Pinder
New User
Jul 26, 2012, 12:53 PM
Post #4 of 8
(3723 views)
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Re: 2002 Prizm Emissions Trouble
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I took the car to the dealer and they verified Midas' diagnosis that the computer was messed up. They replaced it ($1200). One week later, on the way to the Emissions Test center to have the car retested, the Check Engine Light came on again. Of course it failed again. Same codes as before. At least they gave me a two year pass, but I'm going to have to go thru this all over again in 2014.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 26, 2012, 1:18 PM
Post #5 of 8
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Re: 2002 Prizm Emissions Trouble
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Now I think if the exact same codes as before springing for the dealer you should go back there to find out what went wrong. They concurred that it was the computer and replaced it and still bad?!
Stuff happens no matter what you do but I think they owe you an explanation or fix the problem you paid for,
T
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k.Pinder
New User
Jul 26, 2012, 2:03 PM
Post #7 of 8
(3699 views)
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Re: 2002 Prizm Emissions Trouble
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I have had the car in 2 shops a total of 5 times over the past 7 months. I have replaced 4 components of the emissions system including the computer control module. I'm out $2400+ and, quite frankly, I'm right back where I started. I'd like to have the car in perfect running order. The dealer confirmed that the fault codes that are being generated are bogus. All of the faulted hardware is working fine. The only thing wrong with the car is some glitch in the emissions control diagnostic process. I could take the car back in and let the mechanics continue to chase gremlins for an additional pile of $$$, but I can no longer reasonably see light at the end of this tunnel. I don't think I can be legitimately faulted for not trying to get this fixed, nor deciding it's time stop trying.
Now if someone would like to volunteer to pay for the next repair...
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jul 26, 2012, 2:16 PM
Post #8 of 8
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Re: 2002 Prizm Emissions Trouble
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You very well could have a bad PCM again and it probably would be because the dealer never looked for the cause of the first PCM failure. They usually don't die a natural death, they are killed by an outside problem.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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