Check engine light comes on and off. Ford dealer Diagnosis code is P0016. They determined rough idle at start up. Cylinder 2 showed low contribution at idle, Cylinder 1 and 3 showed 5 percent low on relative compression. PID values indicated worn and damaged timing components, due to lower compression in 2 cylinders and timing components wear. Purchase new in 2014, changed oil and fluids regularly, serviced regularly, do not drive it hard, and now, after 78,000 miles, the recommendation is a new engine at a quoted price of $8,500 with this 2014 Ford Explore Sportage having a quoted trade in value of only $14,500. Great car until now. Engine is failing with low mileage and the depreciated value is incredibility low.

Pulled into a parking garage in the busiest place in Houston (Galleria Mall, Hotel, Office building) on a rainy Saturday evening. Top of ramp, endless cars in front of us, three cars behind us, and Check Engine Light comes on. Holy crap! What's going to happen? Fire? Engine die? Owner's manual not very helpful. OK not helpful at all.

[Side note. With all the computerized stuff in the car, why can't the actual DTC codes and their meanings be available to display on the big screen?]

So not wanting to risk being stranded on the side if I-10 late Saturday with speeding drunks while we wait for AAA, we took care of business and drove straight home where I have a JetHax OBD2 reader with bluetooth and a scanner app on my i:Phone. I find P144A and P1450. Research online and see Evap Purge Valve is frequent and common failure, as are Canister Purge Solenoid Valve and Canister Vent Solenoid Valve. In addition a couple other components are possible add-ons to the most common. I also see there was a recall in 2018 of the Evap Purge Valve but only below certain mileage which we're way over. Prior experience with Ford recalls suggests -0- wiggle room on mileage cutoffs.

It's Sunday, and we have a funeral on Tuesday, and no one fixes anything the day you call. Make an appointment. It used to be that only British cars made it necessary to have an extra car for when your Jaguar, MG, Aston Martin, Lotus, or Rover were out of service. Now it seems one car is simply not enough no matter what it is, and if two of you work in widely separate locations, then two cars are not enough.