Everyone has seen those little yellow icons or “check engine” lights illuminated on their instrument cluster at some point in time. Most folk’s get nervous and think that this is an indication that an expensive repair is needed. Maybe that is the case but most of the time a good diagnosis from a reputable shop will find the culprit to be on the less serious side. It has been my experience based on dealing with hundreds of “DTC’s” (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) that usually the check engine light is set due to a faulty sensor that feeds data to the Powertrain Control Module, which is the computer that controls the engine and other powertrain componets on the vehicle.

If I were to make a list of the most common problems to set a DTC, I would say that oxygen sensors, mass airflow sensors and the evaporative emission system would probably be at the top of that list. Many times I have read codes that say “Evap Emission System-small leak” and find that the cause is a loose gas cap or one with a worn gasket and not sealing properly. Now I am certainly not saying that a check engine light cannot be caused by a serious problem, because it can.

For instance, a DTC may be related to an abnormal reading from an oxygen sensor. The problem could be as simple as a bad sensor or could be more serious and costly such as a bad catalytic converter or an exhaust leak. My intention in this short article is to make the car owner aware that when a check engine light comes on it could be a relatively simple problem or it could be a more serious and costly problem. Only a through diagnosis by a good shop can give you the anwser. For more detailed information please visit the following links.

http://www.obdii.com/dtctypes.html      http://www.autotap.com/techlibrary.asp

There are quiet a few automotive classified sites online these days. Autotrader andCars.com are a couple of the major ones and attract millions of users. When we decided to develop Carpuff we wanted to be a little different and offer the buyer/seller a more personal site and one with more information to assist in decision making. As experienced automotive dealers we knew that potential buyers are concerned about three things; How many previous owners; Any negatives history such as accidents, odometer tampering, etc.: and are there any service records available for the vehicle. Our goal is to provide as much of that information as possible. The way we do that is we require each seller listing a car for sale to indicate whether the car is a one owner, any negative car history and if they have any service records available for the vehicle.

Of course we are relying on the honesty of the seller in providing this information and urge all buyers to verify that the information from the seller is correct. This can be done by getting an Autocheck or Carfax history report and asking to see any supporting documentation from the seller before committing to any deal. Also we use our blog to provide pertinent information and open dialogue on subjects of interest in the automotive marketplace. We hope you find our site helpful and welcome any feedback.

The two big players in the automobile history business are Carfax and Autocheck. One of the most common questions is which one is best and the answer usually depends on who you’re asking. While Carfax seems to be the one best known to the average consumer it may surprise you to learn that industry insiders are big users of Autocheck. Most of the dealer only car auctions, many lenders and even manufacturers are using Autocheck to provide their history reports. Does this mean that Carfax is inferior? No, not at all as I believe Carfax does a great job in providing accurate vehicle histories. To sum it up in my opinion both are great at what they do and as a dealer I am confident in both companies. I decided to feature Autocheck on CARPUFF as I feel they provide a better value to the consumer in their pricing.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Just remember there are two great companies providing car history data and you should have confidence in whichever you choose to provide your history reports.

We here at CARPUFF really appreciate you taking the time to visit our automotive classified website. Whether you are looking to buy or sell a motor vehicle we are sure you will find our site both userfriendly and for private sellers and buyers FREE!

Please check our listings and our blog often as we hope to be an invaluable source to you for automotive listings and information.