So yesterday, as I get home from work, I notice my Malfunction Check Engine light is on.

Today I took it by Autozone and they read the code - P1486, Cooling System Malfunction.

Autozone suggested I replace the thermostat or check the coolant levels. I'm full up on coolant and my car doesn't appear to be running hot or taking too long to start blowing hot air, although my heater's air does have a hint of gasoline smell in it that I'm a bit curious about.

So some research yielded a service bulletin that ECM could possibly be the problem and that it's throwing a false code. So if I do need to replace it, is this only something that can be done at the dealer? If so, what's the damage? I've heard a quote of around $800 to replace the damn thing.

Any way I can turn the light off until I save up some cash for this?

 

How may miles ecm are warranted for 80k or 8 years. Thy probably will not tell you that at the dealer. You will need to call honda use the numbers in the back of you owners manual.

 

Ugh. I'm at 92k.

 

You could always disconnect the battery for a few minutes to reset the light. See if it comes back on. I've had mine come on twice in the year and a half I've owned it and simply disconnecting the battery fixed the problem. For all you know, It could have been that you didn't tighten the gas cap enough.

 

The cap is new and I double checked it and it was tight. Wouldn't that throw a P1456? But I'll try disconnecting the negative battery cable and see what happens.

 

Coolant Temp Sensor....start little first and work your way to the big stuff (ECU)

Resest it

 

I think the coolant temp sensor is good but at $25 bucks a pop, it's worth changing first and checking the results.

So I guess I'm going to change the temp sensor, thermostat, and flush the radiator and put in fresh coolant and see if that fixes it.

Anything else I should try before I surrender so much hard earned cash to a Honda dealership?

 

Thermostat wouldnt be causing you to throw that code....one of your sensors is bad

Does it overheat?

 

Nope. No overheating - runs just fine. It threw the code last Friday when it was starting to get really cold out.

I was going to do the thermostat since the read out suggested it may be low on coolant or the thermostat may need to be replaced. So I shouldn't bother with these?

Coolant levels are fine.

 

Was it a read out that Autozone gave you? lol