MIL on, 4th time in 1,500 miles

Re: MIL on, 4th time in 1,500 miles (AmberMae)

Common reasons: 1) engine temperature sensor failure in the V6 (don't know if the same in the 4). This is the sensor that the computer uses, not the one for the dash indicator. Dealer may not want to take the time to replace it!.......buried deep. If you have Climatronic, it can easily be diagnosed with Climatronic buttons 2) Starting the engine and running it for only a very short time before shutting down. 3) Loose vacuum hose? 4) loose gas cap.

Re: MIL on, 4th time in 1,500 miles (AmberMae)

Depending on your driving habits, you may want to have the dealer install a set of "hotter" spark plugs. I had the check engine light at about 10,000 miles, and the new plugs (one heat range higher, and swithcing from the original NGK to Bosch) did the trick. If you do mostly urban driving and don't flog the motor often, the plugs might not be reaching their "self-cleaning" temperature.
I don't see how changing to a lower octane gasoline would help...seems counterintuitive to me...

Re: MIL on, 4th time in 1,500 miles (AmberMae)

Try someone close to you on this list for an unbiased reading of what the error really is: http://www.steve-hall.com/cgi-bin/VAG-Manager.pl
In PA, if your car has the same problem three times or is out of service for 30 days, it is considered a lemon.