Holy smokes, Batman!…The Batmobile’s check-engine light is flashing:

Holy smokes, Batman!…The Batmobile’s check-engine light is flashing:

It’s another night fighting crime in Gotham city. Commissioner Gordon had called you earlier on the Bat Phone, informing you that the Joker was robbing another bank.

The power of the Batmobile’s turbine pushes you and your crime fighting partner Robin back in your seats as you race out of the Bat Cave at high speed. As you pull up to Gotham’s First National Bank the Joker and his henchmen are making their escape in the Joker Mobile. The Batmobile starts to lose power and stumble as you try to catch the Joker. “Holy smokes Batman! The yellow check-engine light is on” yells Robin. It’s no use. You must abort the chase as the Batmobiles once powerful motor is barely running. Using your two-way walkie talkie from your utility belt you call your faithful butler, Alfred, to bring the limousine to tow you back to the Bat Cave.
You, Robin and Alfred must diagnose and repair the cause of the yellow check-engine light as soon as possible, before the Joker steals more of the citizens of Gotham’s money.
Alfred connects the Master Tech computer to the on-board diagnostic connector of the Batmobile to access the trouble codes that were logged into the Batmobile’s computer when the check engine light went on. The vehicle’s computer or ECM controls the operation of the engine and transmission. It takes information from various engine and transmission sensors and checks the data against parameters that are programmed from the factory. If a sensor reads outside of its parameter, the computer will cause the check engine light to go on, to warn the vehicle driver of a potential problem. When a check engine light is on the vehicle will automatically fail the California smog inspection.
The diagnostic trouble code stored in the Batmobile’s computer is a number P0-0300 which indicates cylinder number three and number five are misfiring.
You instruct Robin on the proper way of testing the ignition coils and spark plugs.
“Eureka, Batman! We have found the problem,” Robin enthusiastically announces. The ignition coil that makes the spark for cylinders three and five has stopped producing the high energy voltage required to ignite the air/fuel mixture in the cylinders.
With a “Bam” and a “Thud” the new coil is installed. The trouble codes are erased from the computer’s memory.

With the Batmobile’s turbine running smooth and the crime fighting Caped Crusader back in action, the evil element of Gotham City’s underworld will not be able to terrorize the innocent civilians.

Next week we will check in with Bond, James Bond and see what happens when the ABS light goes on in the Aston Martin.

I hope this article helps you. I am Ken Levine, the owner of Kens Quality Auto Repair in Thousand Oaks, where we specialize in Lexus and Toyota vehicles. If you have any car questions, please e-mail me at kq@verizon.net, visit www.kensqualityauto.com or call 805-494-4344