been coming on and off for 2 yrs at least. I don't care to spend $100 just to have them connect a computer to it to tell me whats wrong.
anyone know of what it might be? if it's something cheap I may replace myself if I can.
You can pick up a cheap OBD-II code scanner for less than $30 and know exactly what is setting the code.
O2 sensors are NOT useless. People have this perception because they see them as part of the emissions system, but in reality, your computer uses data from these sensors to adjust air/fuel ratio, ignition timing, etc. If you have a bad O2 sensor (or sensor
s), you'll likely suffer in terms of fuel mileage and power.
Obviously before you drive the vehicle, check all of the fluids. Tighten the gas cap and then reset the computer (typically this is done by pulling the negative on the battery and pressing and holding the brake pedal for 30 seconds). If the light is still set, chances are it's a hard failure and not something transient.