please house,

I just got a Toyota Camry CE 1999 model, took it for a service for the first time and it keeps showing the check engine sign. The mechanic tells me its nothing but your contribution/suggestion will help . I'l be grateful for your wholesome contributions.

Ask your mechanic if he is smarter than the Toyota Engineers that made the car and put the check engine light

If he says he is (which i doubt he is) Tell him to start building his own cars

The MIL lamp (check engine) is on because the ECM (engine control module) has seen one of the EFI related components (sensor/sensors) is operating out of its specific parameter. These parameters are embedded into the memory of the ECM from factory. Once out of spec the ECM will ground (earth) the negative side of the the MIL (malfunction indicator lamp) circuit and permanently illuminate the MIL on the instrument cluster.

You will need to run a diagnostic scan to retrieve the the fault codes, soft (intermittent), hard (permanent)., from the ECM. This will guide you towards effective diagnosis and repair of the problem.

Just for your information, most of these used cars form the US are prone to having the MIL lit on the dashboard. Mostly it is the O2 (oxygen) or A/F sensors operating below threshold on these Camry's. Vehicle will inmost cases run fine, but it will cause excess fuel consumption.

Good luck!

@md autotec; Thank you

@Obamax I had a Toyota camry 2001 model for about 3 years. Two days after I bought the car, I decided to fix timer that cuts off fuel supply within four minutes if not deactivated. On the same day I fixed the Security, I observed that the check light appeared on the instrument cluster. At first I attempted to unravel if there was any problem...but when I realized that there was no problem, I left it like that and of course i was a little wary about our mechanics not being educated enough concerning it.

I used the car for nearly 3 years including traveling to the east with the car four times & just sold the car a couple of weeks a ago. Fuel consumption is superb as full tank takes me to the East from Abuja. It has neither stopped on the road had a fault for this duration of use.

If you are in doubt, I will advice you do a scan. I do not think you have any reason to worry.

Good luck.

@bravolad; Thank you

md_autotec: The MIL lamp (check engine) is on because the ECM (engine control module) has seen one of the EFI related components (sensor/sensors) is operating out of its specific parameter. These parameters are embedded into the memory of the ECM from factory. Once out of spec the ECM will ground (earth) the negative side of the the MIL (malfunction indicator lamp) circuit and permanently illuminate the MIL on the instrument cluster.

You will need to run a diagnostic scan to retrieve the the fault codes, soft (intermittent), hard (permanent)., from the ECM. This will guide you towards effective diagnosis and repair of the problem.

Just for your information, most of these used cars form the US are prone to having the MIL lit on the dashboard. Mostly it is the O2 (oxygen) or A/F sensors operating below threshold on these Camry's. Vehicle will inmost cases run fine, but it will cause excess fuel consumption.

Good luck!

You are absolute correct. At times, servicing a car with less quality oil also brings on the sign. But generally for me, check sign is not a treath when driving a US car in Nigeria expecially when its 2002 and below.