Can anything else go wrong?
Don’t answer that.
The girls and I headed out at 9 this morning. I even headed to the truck ahead of time to check the tires and secure my walker in the truck box. Everything was going as expected.
One of the things that I’ve been noticing on the truck is that the oil pressure has been slowly dropping over the past while. Still within normal levels, though, and I figured an oil change would address that. Yesterday, my husband had called the garage to book one for me, because I would remember while driving, then forget once I got home. In the last few days, however, it was starting to drop even while at highway speeds and, when stopped at traffic lights, the needle had started to drop just under the “normal” line. Again, not enough to be too concerned yet, but definitely something to look into.
Two things happened once we got on the highway.
The check engine light turned on, and the pressure gauge started to slowly drop while I was still at highway speeds. Still within “normal”, but it hasn’t dropped like that, while maintaining a speed, since we got the oil pressure sensor changed again.
My daughter messaged my husband for me to call the garage again (he’d left a message, yesterday) about the oil change appointment, and to mention the check engine light was now on. I’d texted them last night to ask them to do a general check on things during the oil change, because we were going to have a lot of medical appointments to drive to. So when my husband called, they were ready with an appointment time for me, tomorrow afternoon. They squeezed me in. Normally, it’s at least a few days before they can book me. Mind you, that was at their old location. They have more bays available in their new locations.
I was taking the highway into the city with no construction on it, rather than the one that went straight into the city almost directly to the hospital my daughter’s appointment was at. That meant we had a town to drive through, with gas stations and plenty of parking space. Since we’d left so early, I pulled over any my younger daughter checked the oil for me. Oil level was fine, but the engine was still hot, so it would not have been completely accurate, but with where my daughter could see the line (something I have a very hard time seeing), we didn’t see any need to add more oil.
My older daughter made the executive decision to cancel her appointment (which, to be honest, she’s been wanting to do for at least a couple of weeks now), and we headed home.
As soon as I parked the truck, I linked the OBDII scanner while my daughters headed inside to call and cancel the appointment. A couple of codes came up. This was one of them.
Top reported fix (the only reported fix, actually): replaced EVAP Canister Vent Solenoid Valve Assembly.
The other code was for the oil pressure sensor performance. That one listed 4 top reported fixes. Replacing the oil filter, which would have been done with an oil change, was the first. Second was replacing the oil pressure sensor, which has already been done, and is finally working. Next is to replace the engine valve lifter oil filter, followed by cleaning said filter.
It also doesn’t look like it’s going to be a very expensive fix, though I have only the link to Amazon parts to compare to. The price will likely be higher, locally.
On the plus side, after this fix, our mileage should improve. When we stopped at our usual gas station’s parking lot to check the oil, they were at $1.699, down 10¢ from yesterday. The other gas station, across the highway and just up the block, had gone UP 10¢ to $1.899 !!!! Yesterday, I’d pre-paid enough gas that the needle was just barely touching the full line, and we’re already down a quarter tank since then.
I screen capped the scanner’s readings and texted them to the garage once I got inside. My older daughter had called the hospital and left a message telling them we had vehicle troubles. My younger daughter remembered to call prescription refills to the pharmacy for delivery tomorrow. The doctor called back not long after. I had a chance to talk to her for a bit and said we’d turned around and come home because of the truck. She was understanding. She spoke to my daughter for a bit, and they will call back with a new appointment time later.
Ah, that reminds me. While we were out yesterday, my husband answered a call from the eye clinic. My 6 month eye tests are in the middle of next month, and they were needing to reschedule. That came in before I reached my own doctor’s appointment. Since I’m now expected to have my surgery in about 4 weeks, that actually works out, since I would probably have had to reschedule, anyhow! I want to book an appointment for my older daughter at the same time. It’s been years since she had her eyes tested, and she needs new glasses badly. Once she has them, she can finally take her written test for her driver’s license. She knows how to drive – we taught her how when we were living not for from here before, and she was just big enough to reach the pedals. Since moving out here, she just hasn’t been able to get it done. She doesn’t even have photo ID for this province.
Now that my younger daughter has her current medications, she wants to do her road test, but she needs to do 2 hours with an instructor, and get access to a loaner vehicle, since our truck wouldn’t be accepted for a road test. They don’t care that the light on the dash is just tire sensors needing replacement. We don’t know how much a road test and loaner vehicle will cost, but with all the extra bills we’ve been having, we don’t have anything “extra” to cover it anyhow, even with the girls helping out as they are able. Now there’s going to be another truck bill.
*sigh*
Well, it is what it is. We just need to deal with things as they come.
It would be nice to get a break, once it a while, though!!
The Re-Farmer
The Re-Farmer 