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Jim Grant's Tech Tips
92
Mazda MPV, Check Engine Light
Q: I have a ‘92 Mazda MPV mini van that just
reached 80,000 miles and the check engine light came on. The manual says
it needs to have the emissions checked every 80,000 miles. I'd like to
know how to reset the light so I can save some money. I read one book
and it said to take the negative battery cable off and depress the brake
pedal for 5 seconds and hook it back up. Is this correct or is their something
else to do?
A: You
can disconnect the battery and hold your foot on the brake all day long,
it's not going to turn the light off. Your Mazda makes use of a mileage
sensor that will illuminate the check engine light at 80,000 miles. Why
does Mazda turn this light on at 80,000 miles? It's time to change the
oxygen sensor.
The folks at Mazda figure that after 80,000 miles of operation the oxygen
sensor has reached the end of its useful life. The oxygen sensor provides
information to the vehicle’s onboard computer that is critical in
maintaining good gas mileage and low exhaust emissions.
If you're mechanically inclined replacing the oxygen sensor should not
be too difficult. But, turning off the check engine light may prove to
be more challenging. The instrument cluster must be accessed or removed
from the dash of the vehicle to gain access to a set screw that will reset
the check engine light.
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