Really – What the hell now? (1 Viewer)

[phodetheus]

We are just 5 minutes down the road from our last stop and one of those pretty little yellow lights appear on the dashboard, you know the type, the ones that warn you something very expensive is about to happen. This was the one that looks like a engine so thought I had better pull over and find out what it means. Out comes the manual and flicking to the relevant page tells me it is a “emissions warning” light and tells me I should visit a dealer immediately to have it checked.

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[movan]

... £558 ....!!!!!! I think I would have to see whether there was a way round my being responsible for that!!! or have I misread.

 

[Barclaybasher]

The Engine Management light (shaped like an engine) comes and goes on my car - needs to be checked but I haven't got round to it yet, not noticed any difference to performance, oil, temp and water OK.

A friend has a modern Merc, his light's been on for years, brother-in-law taped over his......................

Not saying you should not have yours checked as soon as you can - just passing on my own experience ...........

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[Barclaybasher]

... £558 ....!!!!!! I think I would have to see whether there was a way round my being responsible for that!!! or have I misread.

Joy...........are you on the right thread ?

 

[abforfun]

the same thing happened to me going up to Wildax in elland they got a guy down from a local garage with his laptop said it was some valve to do with the emmision they told me to give it a good thrashing going home to clear the soot out. No problem no charge

 

[movan]

I think so... Have I done something daft again?

Eventually he wandered off and returned with the nice lady from reception to break the news to me. Its was some kind of valve to do with the emissions system or what ever and they have it in stock and can do it straight away however it will take a few hours. Oh and its £558. No problem I say and dig out my Super duper silver warranty and give it to the nice lady.

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[DavidG58]

A friend has a modern Merc, his light's been on for years, brother-in-law taped over his......................

...........

This is either an urban myth or a dodgy MOT garage, I am pretty sure any light on dash is now a fail

 

[callumwa]

I had the "Check Engine " warning come up on the dash of my Civic along with the glow plug light flashing. Handbook says could be an emission issue. The car was driving fine and I was about 300 mile from home and my local Honda dealer. I called them and they said if it is driving ok, just bring it in as soon as I can.

Anyhow I did another 450 miles and called in at the dealers on my way home next day. Would you believe it when I restarted the engine the warning had gone. They offered to put it on the diagnostic machine, (£59), so I said well let's wait and see as the dealers is only a couple of miles from home. The light never came back on again for 6 months.

Then it came on for a day and went out again. A few months later just before the next service it came on again, so this time they checked it on the machine. Engine Coolant sensor apparently was the diagnosis, it seems the pins can corrode over time. £158 to replace. But the coolant level is fine and the engine is not overheating. After they checked it, the light went off again...

Would you believe it... and it has not come back on since.... Grrrh, don't ya just love "technology"...

 

[callumwa]

This is either an urban myth or a dodgy MOT garage, I am pretty sure any light on dash is now a fail

I asked my Honda garage before they did the service (and the MOT) if the light is an MOT fail. They told me the "Check Engine light" as I posted above, is not a fail as it is not a "safety" related warning such as ABS, Brakes etc etc......

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[DBK]

This came on on my MH and it turned out to be a bad connection. The cause could be anything and as far as I know you can more or less ignore it, in the sense it isn't an emergency. Depending on model it might be the DPF and I think you might also be lucky and it could go out after a long run, especially if you give the engine some welly. Worst case the engine goes into limp home mode.

 

[Fireman Sam]

Why would ABS be a fail? The brakes work just as well without ABS.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

You are on the right thread..........

Engine management light or other warning light on is now an MOT failure isn't it? Edit - just seen other posts

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[Scattycat]

We had a similar problem with the management light coming on and a distinct lack of power whilst heading north through France to pick up the ferry for a visit back to see the family.
I pulled into the nearest Citroen Dealer.
I explained the problem, they then plugged in their computer and, as the other chappy, diagnosed a problem with the emission valve and said it would be 500€ to replace, but they didn't have one in stock also it would take 2 days to get the part.
I asked if it would be ok to drive as it was, the mechanic confirmed it would do no harm but have a lack of power. explaining that I had a boat to catch I said I'd leave it.
I got back in the van and it was running perfectly.
It appears that the erg valve gets coked up and plugging it into the computer the mechanic can clear the fault.
I have since on advice from a tame mechanic added a product called Forte to a tank of diesel. This is a product garages use to dissolve carbon deposits that build up in diesel engines. I had to buy it via the internet.
I was told that the problem occurs because, as motorhomers, we drive our vans too sedately and the best way to reduce the chance of it re- occurring is to every so often drive it like you stole it, i.e. give it lots of revs for a few 100 yards or so to burn off the carbon.
We've driven nearly 7000 km since without any problems.
I have also as a backup bought a gismo for about 17€, that plugs into the engine diagnostic point on the van and will turn off the code that causes the light to come on and the van to go into limp mode.
I'm not saying that what cured my problem is always going to be the case and it will be no help to the original poster, but it may make some folks think twice before lashing out loads of cash on a problem that might be able to be resolved more economically.

 

[simbadog]

At least 50% of those warnings are false & often go away on their own

 

[TerryL]

Just bought one of those ODB2 thingies that you plug in and it tells you what's wrong.

Now I'm just waiting for the little light to come on (and sods law says it now never will!)

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[rangi]

Last winter
I came around a bend , Big Big puddle on road, I was doing 60 kph, the puddle went right over the M/H. the dash lit up like a xmas tree, I just kept going, within a couple of k it was back to normal, Panic over!

 

[tonyidle]

The usual 'valve' that gives trouble is the EGR valve. It recirculates a small amount of exhaust gas back into the engine intake and is designed to reduce NOx emissions. It has no effect on anything measured by the MoT man but does reduce performance and increase fuel consumption (by a very small amount in each case). It also, over a period of time, clog up the intake side of the engine. It can normally be blanked-off in such a way that the ECU is unaware of the mod.