Hi Everyone, I purchased my Accent just ten days shy of a year ago. When I bought it, it had 143,000 miles on it. A couple of weeks after buying, my check engine light went on. I took it to Advanced Auto and the young clerk gave me a number of options that could be right/wrong. He did say it's probably the O2 sensor that's located right under the hood. Not feeling confident I scheduled an appointment with the Nissan dealer (that's where the Accent and I found each other) However, by the time I reached them (they are about a 40 minute highway drive away) the light had gone out. Of course I was told there was nothing they could do. A couple of weeks later, it came on again. I was driving by an Autozone, they used the scan tool but I was told there was no information on the system, but if he had to guess, he would say it was the O2 sensor by the CAT. I made one more trip to the dealer and guess what? That's right, light went off just as I was getting there. (Somebody "upstairs" has a lot of explaining to do)

Anyways, over the course of the year, the light would be on for a week or two, and then it would go off for a week or two. I did start seeing a pattern. I've only put on approximately 6500 miles over the course of the year. I drive mostly "around town". When I would return from visiting my son in RI (highway drive) the light would go off. (Son told me that my in town driving was causing a carbon buildup and going on the highway was blowing it out)

It's inspection sticker time and of course, the light has been on for about a month now. I've intentionally taken the highway twice to turn it off, and it no longer goes out!!! I was near Autozone again, clerk took a reading and said it was coming up a P2096. He went on his computer, put in the code, and there was no Hyundai information on that code. Co-worker instructed him to find a common cause with the vehicles that did come up. (EEEWWWWHHHH, are you feeling my confidence in this situation?) Was told it was the down**** something O2 sensor.

Came home, jumped on computer and there is much controversy over this NON-Hyundai code. Also just read over 230 post on this forum using O2 as a search tool.

I've read: check rubber boot that is between throttle body and the air cleaner, check exhaust flex pipe, faulty CAT and replace O2 sensor.

The first two I believe I can check. With that said, is it possible that the on/off of the check engine light was due to the O2 sensor going and now it has simply gone, or does that sound more like a problem with the CAT? (If the O2 sensor, where can I find a diagram showing where the down**** O2 sensor is located)

Thanks so much!

 

That code is for a lean condition after the cat. That means the O2 sensor after the cat may be going out. However, it could just be a bad batch of gas. Do you always use the same gas? If not, do you notice this happening with a particular brand of gasoline?

Also, anytime the light goes on there is a code. If the light goes out, that code is still there. So have the compute scanned for the code even if the light went out.

Lastly, sometimes there will be a "pending" situation that will cause the CEL to go on. If later that situation does not return, the light will go out. If so, there is no real problem to worry about. But since this has happened a few times, there is something going on.

 

there might be a slight leak in the exhaust flex pipe, which draws air into the exhaust, causing the rear sensor to register "lean"; this is easy to test, by monitoring the sensor waveform with the scanner, while spraying brake cleaner spray onto the flex pipe; if there is a slight leak, the sensor will register it immediately

 

Thank you both for responding. You are both greatly appreciated!!!!

To NovaResource, 90% of the time I get my gas at Hess. The other 10% is when I'm away from home. For the next two weeks I'm going to save up the $ for the O2 sensor and the wrench needed and use Mother's Day as a way of convincing my son to do this little favor for me.

To Duke, when you say "monitor using scanner", are you referring to a scanner which reads the codes or something that is found at a repair shop?

 

Since this last post in May, I have been saving up to buy a O2 sensor.
As life goes, some other things stepped to the front of the line and the sensor kept getting pushed back. This is where I say, "things really do happen for a reason!" My son, a graduate of UTI was looking under my hood because I also have a screaching siren when there's moisture in the air. While under there, he was pointing out different items on/in the engine that may interest me (???) One of those items was the location of my air filter. He showed me how easy it was to open. When he pulled out the filter, it was as black as the ace of spades. (It was originally orangey/peachy.) I was told by the dealer that it had been changed. Ha! Well I bought a new one and replaced it all by myself A day later, I was thinking to myself, "I wonder if that "ick" had something to do with the check engine light and the P2096 code?" So I cleared the code.

I have since driven over 200 miles and multiple, multiple starts, and the check engine light has not returned!!!!!!! So glad I didn't buy that sensor! Just thought I would share this info in case anyone else has the same code. I'd certainly try the air filter first.