After 20 mintues of driving with my headlights on, my check engine light appears. It never ever appears with them not engaged. I recently grounded my headlights because they were reallllly dim because of a faultly ground, hopefully i did not mess anything up. Anyone have any ideas?

 

have you tried reading the code off it? to see if it is a real or phantom code.

 

No not sure how to do that, nor am I sure what a phantom code is. The thing is if its on with my headlights, I will turn the car off, than Immediately back on and than will have to wait another 20 min for the check engline light to turn on.

 

While the car is off
1. get a paper clip or some 18 gaquge wire.
2. look under your hood you will see a small black box that says diagnostic on top. its above the wheel well near you driver side head light.
3. bend the paper clip/ wire so that one connection is in the space that says TEN and the other end thats says GDN or GRD (something like that.. its obvious when you see it)
4. click the key over but do not turn the motor. you will see you engine light flash a certian pattern.

ex:

long flash then a pause followed by 4 short flashes, then another pause and 5 short flashes..

that would mean you are throwing codes 14 and 5

a long flash means tens and the short flashes mean single digits.... if you are unsure just write down the flashing pattern and post it on here. i will be more then happy to help out.

 

just ground the pins whenever the light comes on. if you turn it off and it is not a hard code it will not store it when you try to retrive it it does not matter if the car is on or o not when you do it.