[elhigh]

Well, in fact earlier today the IMA light went out. I didn't do anything. My wife has been studiously examining the owner's manual and pointed out that not turning the gas fill cap several clicks will cause it to throw a CEL, which we all know about by now...and an IMA light! And that those lights may stay on for a few days before going out on their own.

So it's entirely possible that the IMA light was associated with an unsecured gas cap, and my fill-up since then has given it a chance to cancel the light.

This is where my love of older, analog technology bumps up against my distrust of sophisticated electronic controls. Yes, the controls are great...but for a great many of us -at least it is for me - exactly what the controls are doing can leave us bewildered and frustrated. Why did it do that? Will it do it again? Is it a problem I need to do something about? Et cetera.

My truck has a carb. If something goes wrong, I can follow a simple trail of physical clues, and my diagnosis is informed by a good working knowledge of physics and mechanical devices. But the Civic is being directed by a logic tree whose structure is unknown to me, a logic tree designed by a programmer whose priorities may have been different from mine. So while I really like the car so far, I am a little concerned that no matter how long I may own it, I may have difficulty ever entirely trusting it.