Urgent: Alarm lights

[begete]

Tuesday we brought our 2008 Honda CRV and motorhome back from the motorhome dealership after having a Unified braking system with a breakaway feature installed in both vehicles in addition to the towing system we had installed in late September....the US Gear one, after reading all the helpful comments here.

We drove the Honda uneventfully Wednesday and Thursday, but Friday night we started getting a flashing message that the gas cap was not on properly.

We immediately stopped the car and refastened the gas cap, but the message did not disappear. This morning the message was gone. My husband drove the Honda to exercise class, about a half hour away, and when he started the car an hour later, there was a new warning light on to alert us to a problem with the emissions equipment.

In reading the CRV manual, it says that different warning lights may appear and reappear if the battery has been disconnected, and that this could last several days. Would installing the braking system in the Honda have required its battery to be disconnected? and if so, the "symptom" did not start until Friday, 3 days after the battery was reconnected. Is that what they mean?

We tried calling both the mortorhome dealership and the Honda dealership's service departments, but neither is opened on weekends. The Honda manual cautions against driving it if the Emissions problem light is on.
Would appreciate any insights or advice.

Thank you.

[dsbike]

Yes the battery could have been disconnected to do the wiring for your break away system. Now the next question is not so easy, The code may be generated by the work that was done & may not. The code should reset to normal after 3 - 5 times of starting the engine, driving above 35 mph. & then repeating the process. If the computer does not see a fault it should clear itself. If you have a Auto Zone or Advance Auto parts store local you can go there & they will check your codes through the OBD2 connector for free. They can also clear the codes & you see if they come back. On Monday I would call the shop that did the work & see if they can explain the reasoning for the light to come on. They may have come across this with this set up before. I would definately find a reason for the light coming on before I drove any extended distance.

[begete]

Dan - did you mean 3 to 5 times after we started getting the messages? or 3 to 5 times after the word was done on the Honda?

We have driven it at least 5 times since the work was done (and the battery reconnected again, assuming it had been disconnected), perhaps more, but we didn't get the first message for 3 days after that, and then that message disappeared and we got a different message.

[dsbike]

I meant 3-5 times after the message first appeared. I have limited experience with Hondas, but for most cars this is the norm. I would have it checked out at this point if it did not reset itself & turn the light out. See if a local auto parts will clear the messages after they read them & record them for you. They should go away and then if there is a fault they will come right back after you start &/or drive. This could just be a coincidence that it happened after you had some work completed on the car. My mother has a 2000 - 2003 Accord. She had a check engine light that we reset and then it came back a few days later & she did have a sensor fail. The Check Engine Light also known as the CEL usually does not come on for no reason.

[bldrbob]

If the battery was disconnected the radio would need resetting.
BOB

[wa8yxm]

Since the US-gear unit is an electrical device and since it uses both battery power and motor home battery power (The latter to re-charge the towed battery so you don't run it down) the instructions say to start by removing the NEGATIVE cable from the battery (Thus disconnecting it)

Not all technicians do that... I don't, normally, however in some cases I would (Depends on how hard it is to make the positive connection I have to hook up) But the instructions call for disconnecting the battery FIRST.

[begete]

Thanx guys...another question. We got a speeding ticket at the same time all the lights were flashing in various sequences. Could detaching the battery have affected the accuracy of the speedometer? This was my husband's first speeding ticket in 31 years!!

[dsbike]

The on board computer controls a lot of functions including the speedometer. Unless there is a malfuntion with the computer or transmission sending unit it is highly unlikely the speeding was a cause of the computer. More likely just a heavy foot & not paying attention at the moment, sorry. 31 years without a ticket is a good job on his part. In 35 years I have only had 2 speeding tickets, probably deserved more just didn't get caught.

[wa8yxm]

Could it have affected the speedometer's accuracy? I would like to believe no but .. I have way too much experience with computers to do that.

Look up Speedometer shops in your area and visit one for a calibration check.. May be worth it,, May not. OR.. And this is the easy way.

Break out your handy dandy GARMIN.. Hop in the car next to hubby, Have him drive at a fixed speed, say 50 MPH in a place where that is legal and read the display on the Garmin (or other GPS) (set it to the page that shows speed) .. And there you are.. IF the two agree. Hubby needs to get the lead out of his foot. If the garmin says 70, and the dash says 50.. Visit the Speedometer shop, have it re-calibrated, take the bill to the court and ask the judge (or before that the prosicutor) about consideration ..

Also, if it's off by that much.. Send a notice to the NHTSA folks, ask the meter shop to do that too.