Is the check engine light automatically set to come on around 40,000 miles?  I believe the local dealer is trying to dick me.  I usually work on my own cars but was in a hurry so I figured while I am at work I will let the dealer check it.  Calls me later and says I need o2 sensor, radiator, all fluids changed including tranny and transfer because they are black (not so cause I checked them 2 weeks ago) and all sorts of crap.  It all adds up to about 1000.00 bucks.  I said hold on and went and picked it up.  Turns out the rear o2 sensor was unplugged, which can't just wiggle free due to latch on plug.  Kinda hard for it to work that way and I needed a radiator cap.  Total bull**** that they treat people like that and I should have known better.

i think your getting B.S.ed  go in there and act like you know what your talking about and say, something to the effect of, "what are you doing, your trying to screw me over arnt you you little dick!"  then talk to a manager and explain the situation and have them pay for a whole boat load of repairs.  Hope it works (prob. not though) oh well! report back when you get the full story!!

ah! the old "check engine" scam!
well, at least you didn't pay the grand. i know for a FACT that the "check engine" light is the greatest American scam since the stock market! its original intent was to monitor emissions. it simply means that your vehicle isn't running in a "kalifornia" state of cleanliness. i put a piece of electrical tape over mine, and poof! the amazing disappearing scamola!  

My check engine light went on at 22k mile on my Cherokee. Took it to the local garage and they told me not to worry about it unless it should stay on for some time because one of the most common causes for it to go on is dirt in the fuel line. Filled up tank two days later and light went out after driving for awhile. I was also thinking the problem could be in the sensor itself as I get my vehicle serviced every 3,000 miles.

A female friend of mine in DFW called me yesterday afternoon and said her light went on and she took it to the dealer.  Her Cherokee has about 60k mi. on it and is running fine.  They tell her she needs all new seals (oil) and new CV boots, yadda yadda yadda...  for a grand total of about $2,000.

The thing is, she only has to add oil (about a quart) once a month, she has had NO oil stains on her driveway, and there's no noticeable smell of oil burning off the engine.  Tell me they aren't trying to bend her over...

I though the same thing.  Check Engine light went on, but there was nothing wrong with the Jeep, so I drove it.  About a week later, she started idleing weird.  You guess it.  It was the O2 sensor.  Expensive lil bugger, but easy to fix.  The problem was then having my friend reset the computer because the O2 sensor triggered the computer to run the engine leaner (or was it richer), hence the erradict idle.

I think the light can be turned off with one of those expensive scanners.  Find a jeep club or someone locally who has one and can help you out.

Or open up your dash and remove that bulb or like fatty, black electrical tape. [:D]

if you read the code you can see what needs fixing. it's generally emissions type stuff, sensors and the like. i think if you disconnet the battery for 10 minutes the computer clears itself. look it up in your manual to be safe.

lurker i sright. if you get into the chiltons type manuals they will tell you haw to extract and decipher the codes in the computer. once you check out what is supposedly broke, just disconnect the battery for like 2-5 min. and it will reset the computers memory. the downside to this is that ALL memory will be lost, and it will take probably 20-30 miles of driving to relearn the proper fuel curves and shift points, so it will be a little erratic for a while. not to mention that you will lose all radio presets also.
hth
elkydriver

Tried that after the 02 sensor was changed.  Even had the battery out of the Jeep over night.  Didn't work.  Luckily my friend does side jobs and has a gizmo that reads the codes and can reset them.