Trip to dealer with P0301 code

[flinter]

Hi,

As I had posted about this issue a few days ago and my engine light coming on and off and getting P0301 code (cylinder 1 - misfire detected)......

Well, yesterday I took my car to the Hyundai dealer and they are not able to find the code. I had cleared the code. I had thought that clearly the code just clears in on my scanner, but was told by the dealer is also clears in on the car's computer, thus the reason they could not find or see the P0301 code. So the dealer couldn't do the repair under warranty with the code not showing. I just have 41,000 miles on my 2017 Elantra so the service would be under warranty at no charge. The dealer was very nice and really wanted to do the service at NO charge warranty, but without the car's computer showing the PO301 code, Hyundai would NOT be able to cover it under warranty. The service manager told me next time engine light come on, come back immediately, DONT clear the code, and they can do the warranty at no charge, which he tells me is much likely a bad or going bad ignition coil in cylinder 1. He said its a very common issue and easy and quick repair.
Also, I see when I hit the I/M readiness for omissions test button on my OBD2 scanner, suddenly I am seeing a lot of red x's. I read that this happens after a code is cleared and you have to reset with some type of a "drive cycle"?? Prior to the engine light issue, the I/M readiness always showed all ok with all green check marks.

Any thoughts?

 

[The Critic]

The dealer is correct. You cannot clear codes and expect the dealer to address the issue. Many OEM's require a diagnostic printout confirming an active fault code with their warranty claim.

Anytime codes are cleared, you will need to perform the appropriate drive cycles to set the monitors.

 

[flinter]

Critic,

Thanks

 

[Hall]

If it's under warranty, beyond reading the code for your own curiosity, why would you clear it ? Just leave it after you read the code. The code isn't "in" your scanner, it's just displayed there, so yeah, clearing it clears it from the car (as you now know).

 

[flinter]

Hi,

As I had posted about this issue a few days ago and my engine light coming on and off and getting P0301 code (cylinder 1 - misfire detected)......

Well, yesterday I took my car to the Hyundai dealer and they are not able to find the code. I had cleared the code. I had thought that clearly the code just clears in on my scanner, but was told by the dealer is also clears in on the car's computer, thus the reason they could not find or see the P0301 code. So the dealer couldn't do the repair under warranty with the code showing. I just have 41,000 miles on my 2017 Elantra so the service would be under warranty at no charge. The dealer was very nice and really wanted to do the service at NO charge warranty, but without the car's computer showing the PO301 code, Hyundai would NOT be able to cover it under warranty. The service manage told me next time engine light come on, come back immediately, DONT clear the code, and they can do the warranty at no charge, which he tells me is much likely a bad or going bad ignition coil in cylinder 1.
Also, I see when I hit the I/M readiness for omissions test button on my OBD2 scanner, suddenly I am seeing a lot of red x's. I read that this happens after a code is cleared and you have to reset with some type of a "drive cycle"?? Prior to the engine light issue, the I/M readiness always showed all ok with all green check marks.

Any thoughts?

If it's under warranty, beyond reading the code for your own curiosity, why would you clear it ? Just leave it after you read the code. The code isn't "in" your scanner, it's just displayed there, so yeah, clearing it clears it from the car (as you now know).

If it's under warranty, beyond reading the code for your own curiosity, why would you clear it ? Just leave it after you read the code. The code isn't "in" your scanner, it's just displayed there, so yeah, clearing it clears it from the car (as you now know).

Because I didnt know and now I do! Thanks

 

[Chris142]

Never clear a code right before taking a car into the shop.

 

[wdn]

Don’t clear codes yourself. Drive to dealership with the check engine light on, then there is no doubt. The ECM stores not just the code but also freeze frame data for every event that was out of spec.

 

[flinter]

Now I know better!

 

[doitmyself]

Tough crowd here flinter. We were all born knowing everything and the school of hard knocks does not apply to us, LOL.

 

[Jake_J]

Also, I see when I hit the I/M readiness for omissions test button on my OBD2 scanner, suddenly I am seeing a lot of red x's. I read that this happens after a code is cleared and you have to reset with some type of a "drive cycle"?? Prior to the engine light issue, the I/M readiness always showed all ok with all green check marks.

Any thoughts?

That's normal after you clear a code, typically a drive cycle involves taking the car on a >15-20 minute drive to let the engine get up to operating temperature. Your I/M readiness monitors will go back to normal just with driving the car normally. Clearing your P0301 doesn't make the problem go away, so assuming it's not a very flaky intermittent issue the code will return shortly and you can return to the dealer for the warranty repair.

 

[javacontour]

It's not that we know everything, it's that we are questioning why someone would do something like this when they do not know.

The OP clear said he didn't know. So the question is why did he clear the code?

In the grand scheme of things, it's no big deal, that's true. Many are pointing out that perhaps the time to task the question is BEFORE taking an action such as clearing the code.

Of it's not what we don't know that gets us into trouble, but what we think we know, but are wrong about.

Tough crowd here flinter. We were all born knowing everything and the school of hard knocks does not apply to us, LOL.

 

[Hall]

Because I didnt know and now I do! Thanks

Sorry if that came off a bit harsh too

 

[JTK]

Gotta love the Hyundai 5yr/60K bumper-bumper warranty. Sure beats the usual 3/36K where nothing goes wrong in that timeframe.

 

[Wolf359]

That's normal after you clear a code, typically a drive cycle involves taking the car on a >15-20 minute drive to let the engine get up to operating temperature. Your I/M readiness monitors will go back to normal just with driving the car normally. Clearing your P0301 doesn't make the problem go away, so assuming it's not a very flaky intermittent issue the code will return shortly and you can return to the dealer for the warranty repair.

Or he should just google the drive cycle needed for his car. There's certain parameters to be met and some of it is related to the gas tank and heating/cooling cycles so it could take up to a week or more of regular driving to hit all those monitors. Or if you know what the monitors are, you can do the specific cycle listed and maybe clear it in a day or two. Only really matters if you're trying to get an inspection sticker and they won't give it unless the monitors are in a ready state.

 

[bbhero]

It's not that we know everything, it's that we are questioning why someone would do something like this when they do not know.

The OP clear said he didn't know. So the question is why did he clear the code?

In the grand scheme of things, it's no big deal, that's true. Many are pointing out that perhaps the time to task the question is BEFORE taking an action such as clearing the code.

Of it's not what we don't know that gets us into trouble, but what we think we know, but are wrong about.

To be perfectly honest....

I have a fairly good code scanner, live data, graphing capable scanner and one that can run test too...

I have cleared codes on my car deliberately before going to a long time trusted shop... Because I just did not want to deal with a catalytic converter going bad on my car. So I cleared that code right before I took it to them.

Having said that... I thought there was a possibility that the code would possibly still be stored somewhere in my car's computer system.

Evidently that is not the case. So I learned something new on here today myself.

I did eventually have to get that catalytic converter and the other catalytic converter repaired on my car... I did take it to that same shop to get them replaced there. I have been going to their shop for 17 years. They are great people and in that case... I left the codes in the system.

 

[Hall]

I have cleared codes on my car deliberately before going to a long time trusted shop... Because I just did not want to deal with a catalytic converter going bad on my car.

Is this a state-mandated emissions thing ? As in a shop is obligated to mandate emissions-related repairs if a vehicle shows an applicable code while they have the car ?

 

[mfewtrail]

They should still be able to pull the code on a vehicle that new whether you cleared it or not, but I assume they just did a quick code scan, got the "no codes" prompt and moved on to the next car.

 

[demarpaint]

Well it could be a one time event, wishful thinking but it can happen. If the CEL comes on again with that code you know you have a problem, and you'll bring it to the dealer with the CEL illuminated this time. Good luck.

 

[JTK]

Are the ignition coils easy to get at on this series of engines?

I realize it's under warranty, but if I could get at at least 2 of the coils, I'd swap them around to see if the problem follows the coil, just for my own reference.

Interestingly, the only coil-on-plug vehicle I've ever owned long enough to loose a coil was my 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe with the 2.7L V6. Got a sudden misfire on it around 2010 with ~60K miles on it. Of course it was on the cylinder bank under the intake manifold so I couldn't get at those coils. I think it cost me around $250 to have a local shop troubleshoot and replace w/ an OEM coil. I'm sure he re-used the intake manifold gasket as well.

 

[dishdude]

I thought newer ECMs held an audit trail of what codes had been set and at what mileage.