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[LordBaal]

Dude the check engine ligth could be anything, from a burn out sensor, low engine oil or a serious mechanical hazard or even a preprogrammed crap installed when you reach X amount of KM (or miles for you in Liberia,  Myanmar or USA).

From what you say it might me something stupid. Maybe a timing belt or chain replacement (depending on which one your car uses, belts are way cheaper but need to be changed more frequently, exactly the opposite with chains), or maybe some filter or sensor. Don't sweat it until you really know, and maybe find a second opinion if you can.

[McTraveller]

The check engine light is almost guaranteed to be only emissions related.  So it's only "serious" in the sense that they want you to take the vehicle in to get serviced (and in the sense that, if you are in a location that has mandatory emissions checks it might be an issue).

I'm not aware of any modern vehicle actually where the check engine light is related to a mechanical issue.  Mechanical issues usually have separate dedicated lights actually: brake light - serious. Low oil light - serious. Overtemp light - potentially costly.  Tire pressure light - annoying.

Fun random related facts: your check engine light can illuminate if your gas cap doesn't maintain a tight enough seal.  Depending on the age of the car, the most likely issues are one of the O2 sensors or a failing ignition coil.  Could be a dirty fuel injector, and on some cars maybe a dirty air filter.  I think sometimes a clogged PCV valve can throw the light too.

If you're in the US - don't know about other locations - most chain automotive parts stores will pull the code for you and you can usually buy the replacement part yourself.  If you're handy with a wrench, it can save a ton of money; I had a failed O2 sensor once and I replaced it myself. Cost was maybe $30 and an hour of my time, instead of over $100 and more than an hour at a repair shop.

[LordBaal]

I'm not aware of any modern vehicle actually where the check engine light is related to a mechanical issue.

I had this on my 2006 Ford Ka, sniff sniff... how I miss that car.

Low oil pressure was fucking up the tensor of the timing chain (because that tensor works with engine oil instead of a coil because... don't know) and the lack of tension was allowing the chain to eat up the plastic skids and somewhat affecting the engine thus the light was on. Or at least that's what I was told. It was replaced (was about time) and the light went off. Funnily the oil lamp never got on, maybe it was burnt out or something.

[Rolan7]

They claimed it was the fuel cap, yeah, but also a rubber-rotted gasket which was supposedly causing air to get in.  That's the expensive part (I already have an estimate on the cost, so at least I know).
I say "supposedly" but I do believe them.  The car's from 2004, and I'm sure the computer said the mix has too much air.  It's just that the car *felt* perfect.  I was upset and irrational, though I kept control (until I snapped at my mom afterwards).

All of it (there was stuff like extra-cloudy headlights) needed to be done at some point, I guess.  I don't like being forced to fix it.  My windshield wipers were fine, frick, but it literally takes a minute to swap them so I'm letting them do it.  Gotta pass that inspection.

[LordBaal]

All of it (there was stuff like extra-cloudy headlights) needed to be done at some point, I guess.

You could do that yourself, in theory. Toothpaste can be used to polish the exterior of the headlights. It might not end up perfect but it could help.

[Hanslanda]

All of it (there was stuff like extra-cloudy headlights) needed to be done at some point, I guess.

You could do that yourself, in theory. Toothpaste can be used to polish the exterior of the headlights. It might not end up perfect but it could help.

 

A mechanic friend of mine said bug spray works too but I haven't tested it.

[Doomblade187]

Also, you can buy kits to do the headlight polishing yourself. It's fairly straightforward, my Dad did that for the family's cars.

[scriver]

Also, you can buy kits to do the headlight polishing yourself. It's fairly straightforward, my Dad did that for the family's cars.

I'm sorry, but both slavery and child labour is against the law these days

[Rolan7]

I appreciate the advice.  It's all okay now.  It was expensive, but only by a short-sighted perspective.  The car hadn't given me trouble for a long time, this was inevitable. 
I was much more concerned that I lost control and snapped at someone who was helping me, but that's okay.  I apologized immediately, and we went walking/talking the next day.

Unrelated:  I watched Pikasprey LP "Doki Doki Literature Club" a couple days ago.  I'm still not sure how to feel about it, but it certainly terrified my jimmies.  Maybe touched a phobia a little.
The investment in the characters was very good.

[Egan_BW]

A magical game. I enjoyed it thoroughly myself. Given that it's free and not skill-based, I'd recommend downloading and playing yourself over watching an LP.

Best ending payoff since Portal.

[Lord Shonus]

Honestly, I think I liked what it was pretending to be more than what it turned into.

[heydude6]

Honestly, I think I liked what it was pretending to be more than what it turned into.

And yet the game wouldn’t have been as popular as it was if it weren’t for the second half. I just think it was an issue in execution.

[Lord Shonus]

I'm not saying that the route they took was wrong, just that it isn't what I would have preferred them going with.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Up until just after Sayori's death, I thought it was going to be the typical "mess of neuroses" cast of characters, with the twist being that you didn't have the ability to alter the final outcome. I expected it to be "no choice you make will prevent the first suicide, which will set off a cascading catastrophe that winds up with the player being the last alive. That would bave been a pretty interesting take on the VN genre, as all those I've seen have some way to get a "good ending" where everything, or at least something comes out OK. The whole "Just Monica" thing simply wasn't the sort of story that interests me.

[Egan_BW]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I think it tries to make you think that's where it's going, making the whole meta-thing more of a surprise.
That would have been an interesting story, though. Just not what the game's shooting for.

[Loud Whispers]

I have winged it and gotten more focused and overwrought with work than I really ought to ever be in one life-time, but the absolute cake in my sleep-addled state is that I have been fretting and stressing over my dissertation, whose topic pertains to happy fun life of Lovecraft and the racism in his works. I had moved tabs just to get up a reference from a scholar's works on Poe, and was completely thrown aback when the image of Poe was Poe, but his eyes had fallen out and the blood poured from my screen, and then I woke up - realizing I had fallen asleep, woken up my computer from its sleep and went back to work. The image of Poe is not acting up anymore, but for even a moment it seemed real.