I have a 1995 Toyota Previa and in the last 6 months the check engine light has started going on and off. It usually goes on when I am accelerating up hill on the freeway. It has always gone back off within 3-4 days until now. It has stayed on for almost 2 weeks. I have noticed my gas mileage is not as good as it was and I am stalling if I sit at a red light or stop sign for extended periods of time. Otherwise when the car is on the road it is running normal. Any idea what type of repair I need. I like to go to the mechanics well informed.
My Previa was doing the exact same thing and it turned out to be a LOT of carbon deposits in the connecting passage between the throttle body and EGR valve. It just needed cleaning. That little passageway tends to get clogged on Previas a lot.
Many 1995 Previas are OBD II compliant (earlier models are not).That means there is an OBD II connector in the fuse box in the center of the dash on top. That means you can go to Pep Boys and they will give you a diagnostic code readout for free. You can reset the light by pulling out one of the control system fuses (I think the EFI one) or disconnecting the battery cable. My check engine light would come on as frequently as every 100 miles, but it still passed the smog test no problem. The code indicated catalytic converter, but the smog tech indicated I was probably OK to let it slide until it got worse, given the antiquity of the vehicle.
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You most likely have one or two bad catalytic converters. On this year's model they are welded on, unlike the earlier Previa's bolt on. This means extra expense when replacing them. Expect to pay about $400. for replacement of both catalytic converters, more for origianal equipment.
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