Resetting the CEL

[Mikevan10]

I just talked to a mechaninc who works at the Subaru dealer. He said that disconnecting the battery for a period of time will NOT clear the fault codes. I thought that consensus on this list is that this does the trick. No?

 

Also, this guy suggested that most scanners will not be able to clear the codes on a Subaru and in fact my only option may be to get it cleared by a Subaru scanner (i.e. at a dealer).

 

Now, this all sounds like maybe the guy was just trying to get me to spend money at the dealership he works at but this guy has helpled me several times in the past (like lending me factory tools and providing technical advice spo I could avoid the dealer and do things myself).

 

What say you to all this???

 

Thanks,

 

Mike V

'97 Legacy 2.2 with many CEL fault codes....

[johnceggleston]

my understanding was / is that disconnecting the battery for a few minutes will clear codes. when you start up if the problem persists, the code will return. to clear history, leave it disconnected over night, or at least a long time.

 

i had my CEL read this week, and the guy at merchants cleared it ... misfire #4, new plugs and wires. so i'm not sure what he's talking about.

 

i alsao here that leaving it disconnected for a long period, will reset the ecu's memory and it will learn how you drive again. not too sure about that one!!

 

john

 

I just talked to a mechaninc who works at the Subaru dealer. He said that disconnecting the battery for a period of time will NOT clear the fault codes. I thought that consensus on this list is that this does the trick. No?

 

Also, this guy suggested that most scanners will not be able to clear the codes on a Subaru and in fact my only option may be to get it cleared by a Subaru scanner (i.e. at a dealer).

 

Now, this all sounds like maybe the guy was just trying to get me to spend money at the dealership he works at but this guy has helpled me several times in the past (like lending me factory tools and providing technical advice spo I could avoid the dealer and do things myself).

 

What say you to all this???

 

Thanks,

 

Mike V

'97 Legacy 2.2 with many CEL fault codes....

[skizix]

I've cleared codes both by disconnecting the battery (hitting the brake pedal ditches any residual charge) as well as with a lame generic code reader.

 

Both methods turn off the CEL, erase all hard and pending codes, and reset all the component/system ready-states to "No".

 

I don't know if it resets short and long term fuel trim, or any other "learning" states, but I would assume yes, especially with the battery reset.

 

Either the dude really does not know, apart from heresay (it is likely he's only used a Subaru Select scanner), or he's yankin' yer chain.