This is the second time this has happened over a period of a month. I do fillup gas twice a month also, so that may not be a coincedence. This time, I filled up gas a couple of days ago and had tightened the cap 3 clicks as recommended, and this morning I noticed a CEL. I checked the gas cap and it was very loose. The last time this happened, I took the car to the dealer and they charged me $40 for a 5 min job to check and reset the light. So, that's not happening anymore! Even though I have
extended warranty, they charged me for it ..... but that's another can of worms we best stay off at the moment.

So, did anyone else have this problem and what it the remedy? New gas cap? What did you get and recommend? Should I be able to get a new gas cap from the dealer as it is a defective OEM part?

Thanks!

 

buy a new gas cap from the honda dealer parts dept

 

it happens to me on occasion...i just retighten it and the light goes away after a bit.

 

The dealer mentioned last time that it could take a few days to a week to go away. Is that true?

 

I've gotten the Check Engine light three times. The first time, it was under warranty, and the dealer reset it, and told me it was from not tightening the gas cap ( I know I had been very careful always to tighten at least three clicks). The second time, I suspected the gas cap was the culprit, although it was properly tightened. Went away by itself after a couple of weeks. The third time, quite recently, was a similar event. I actually saw the light shut off while I was driving along. Obviously, either the gas cap or some of the evaporative control plumbing is not exactly right - it seems to be a common S2000 problem.

Shouldn't this all be covered under the extended mandatory warranty on the emissions control system? Has anybody been able to use this approach to get a free gas cap after the 36 month warranty period?

 

I read somewhere that there's a TSB on it. I got a CEL twice. The threads are a little off and the cap sometimes gets tight enough that it starts to ratchet when it's not all the way down. Gotta give it a little extra push while turning to make sure it's completely closed. Next time I'm at the dealer I'll have them check it.

 

Yes, there is.
It's that they charge you to reset this until they can prove that it ISN'T a parts fault. The TSB involves replacing the filler neck as the threads and neck diameter have been known to be out just a bit. Since this is emissions related, NO CHARGE should have been levied unless it was indeed the fault of the owner NOT tightening the cap properly.
The CEL from a bad sealing gas cap will go away after several driving cycles OR you can pull the "BACK UP" fuse for a few seconds to reset the light immediately. It's not a bad idea to find out what the code is so you know if it is the cap. It could also be something else or something additional.

 

Try tightening the gas cap by grabbing it around the outer edge, as opposed to using the tab in the middle. I've found that this results in a tighter seal.

My '02 has had the "loose gas cap" issue for about the last 50k miles and tightening the cap in this manner takes care of it for me. If the CEL is indeed due to a loose gas cap, it should go away 3-6 driving cycles after you tighten it.

 

Day 3, CEL still on. When I filled gas this morning I made sure the cap went on tight. By cycles do you mean every start? If so, I have had 4-5 till the CEL came on. Did my filling gas interrupt this process? Where is the back up fuse located? Or, if this does not resolve in a few days, should I pull off the battery cable for a few mins? Thanks!

What a pain! I wish Honda put in a separate light labeled "Gas Cap" that would light up instead of a broad CEL and scaring people to go to the dealer and spend money!!!

 

Each time you remove the gas cap, you interupt the driving cycles. A driving cycle is where you start the car and drive it till it has gotten up to operating temp.
The BACK UP fuse is under the dash. Look at the legend printed on your kick panel to see which one it is.
No need to disconnect the battery as pulling the fuse is enough and doing the fuse won't mess up your radio.
However, before you just go and reset the ECU, find out what the code is. It might not be the gas cap.