Traverse City Record-Eagle

Kathy Gibbons: Northern Living

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    Kathy Gibbons
April 25, 2010

Kathy Gibbons: Directional pull?

By KATHY GIBBONS Local Columnist

It started last fall, about when I took a job in Kalamazoo and began traveling back north most weekends.

I'd just merged onto U.S. 131/destination Traverse City on a Friday night when the CHECK ENGINE light went on. I kept driving, but dialed the dealer back home.

The technician said if it wasn't flashing, it wasn't a problem. Most likely, he said, it was gas-cap related. He suggested topping off the tank and making sure the cap was twisted tight.

I did. The light went off. All was well.

Until I had to go to Grand Rapids from Kalamazoo the following week. The second I merged north, the light came on. Later, heading back, it went off.

The following weekend, on my way to Traverse City again, I had no sooner pointed the car north when — bam — the light came on. Two days later, about half an hour into the drive south, it went off.

I was becoming increasingly convinced that the appearance of the CHECK ENGINE light was directly related to driving in a northerly direction. I shared that hypothesis with my significant other, who assured me that could not possibly be the case. As the pattern continued, though, I'd muse about it periodically. He'd roll his eyes and change the subject.

Then came my son's birthday. It was a weeknight, I was in Kalamazoo and he was just a few hours away in Indiana, so I decided to go have dinner with him. The engine light was off for the entire drive down.

Getting back on the freeway to head north later, the light went on immediately. I called home to report it — rest my case. He made fun of me. It was a short conversation.

About 20 minutes later, though, he called back, sounding contrite. He said he'd looked on the Internet and that actually, I might be on to something. He said he'd found a remedy, and asked me if I wanted to give it a try. Of course I did.

First he told me to turn on the wipers to the highest, fastest setting. I did. Then he told me to open all of the windows, all the way. I did. Then he told me to turn the radio up as loud as it would go. I started to, then realized I was being had. He was still laughing as I hung up on him.

Let him laugh. I'm convinced there's a connection. Meanwhile, I've been Googling ways to get home to Traverse City without driving north. All I can tell so far is that it will take a very long time and might entail use of a boat for part of the trip.

If the CHECK ENGINE light doesn't come on, though, I'll have proved my theory.

On the other hand, it might be easier to just buy a new gas cap.

Kathy Gibbons can be reached at gibbonskath@yahoo.com. For more of Kathy's columns, log on to record-eagle.com/kathygibbons.

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