My car's check engine light was a three week puzzle that turned out to be a $12 hose

The code said it was an evap leak, so I started checking the gas cap and charcoal canister. I spent hours over two weekends with a smoke machine I borrowed from a friend, trying to find the leak. I finally found it yesterday, a tiny cracked vacuum hose behind the engine that I couldn't see without a mirror. The part was cheap, but I wasted probably 15 hours of my own time diagnosing it. Has anyone else had a simple fix hide from them for that long?

4 comments

4 Comments

jackson.faith2mo ago

Tell me about it, my truck had a weird idle for a month. Did you ever get a moment where you were SURE you found the problem, only to have the light come back on after clearing the code? That false hope is the worst part, makes you question every little noise. I bet you were ready to pull your hair out by the end of those three weeks.

kimr742mo ago

My old Civic's check engine light came back on three times in one week.

lewis.finley26d ago

Felt that. My hatchback had me chasing ghosts for two weeks straight.

paige3312mo ago

Check the small lines first, they always get you.