Engine Light
Bethaneeny
Posts: 10,094 Forum Member
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Hey guys,
I KNOW I won't be able to get an answer as to what is actually wrong, by asking on here, but I'm just after a little bit of reassurance?
I've just driven home, and my engine light came on, from then to home it felt very strange and a bit "light" to drive, if that makes sense? I'm going to ask my dad to drive it round the block tomorrow in the daytime to see if he can put into terms how it feels to drive, and from then I can get a mechanic on it.
This is totally new to me, is this something that could be caused by needing more oil or coolant? Or is it more likely to be something more serious? It's a 53 plate car, but it's only got 26700 miles on it. Last MOT and service were in October, and nothing was flagged up to me then.
Like I say, I'm just asking for a bit of reassurance, I'm a bit of a worrier. Of course in the morning I'll be getting it looked at, and other than getting my dads opinion on it, it won't be driven until it's fixed.
I KNOW I won't be able to get an answer as to what is actually wrong, by asking on here, but I'm just after a little bit of reassurance?
I've just driven home, and my engine light came on, from then to home it felt very strange and a bit "light" to drive, if that makes sense? I'm going to ask my dad to drive it round the block tomorrow in the daytime to see if he can put into terms how it feels to drive, and from then I can get a mechanic on it.
This is totally new to me, is this something that could be caused by needing more oil or coolant? Or is it more likely to be something more serious? It's a 53 plate car, but it's only got 26700 miles on it. Last MOT and service were in October, and nothing was flagged up to me then.
Like I say, I'm just asking for a bit of reassurance, I'm a bit of a worrier. Of course in the morning I'll be getting it looked at, and other than getting my dads opinion on it, it won't be driven until it's fixed.
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Comments
Is it petrol or diesel?
Off hand, I can't think of anything engine-related that might affect the handling of a car in a way that wouldn't be immediately obvious.
Is it possible that feeling was the result of paranoia after seeing the engine warning light on?
As for the light itself, it could be almost anything.
All you can really do is check all the service items (oil level, coolant level, belts, filters etc) to ensure there's nothing obvious amiss and then it'll need somebody to plug a fault-code reader into it to find out what's causing the warning light.
Some cars will allow you to find out what the fault-code is for yourself (you normally bridge a couple of wires in some multi-plug somewhere and then turn on the ignition while pulling on one of the control stalks and it'll flash the warning light a heap of times which will tell you the fault-code) so you can investigate further but unless you're comfortable with that level of tinkering it's probably best to just let the mechanic figure it all out.
Be sure to check all the service items before calling a mechanic though.
Half the times I've seen the check-engine light come on in a car it's just been because the oil level was a bit low or the coolant level was a bit low.
I don't know, it was on a 30 road when it happened and then I was only 5 minutes from home, so I didn't need to try going faster. It's petrol.
So the light can come on just for oil/coolant levels? I didn't know if that would be something it could flag up or not, which I suppose is really my question! I know nothing about cars, I had to google how to open the bonnet - it's too dark now to even attempt, even if I did know what I was looking for, that's why I'm going to get my dad on it tomorrow. I'm a 21 year old, female driver with very little car knowledge!
Thanks for replying, both of you!
By light do you mean "bouncy". I've had this a few times and I've never discovered what it is, despite having the car serviced regularly, and on one occasion asking a mechanic to find a fault that would cause it (although I think he thought I was checking him out for rogue traders). I have wondered whether it's down to tyre pressure because since I've had nitrogen in the tyres it hasn't happened anywhere near as much.
I suspect you mean the engine warning light.
If this light is on there is a chance if the car runs ok that the light may go out again without issue, however, you should ask a mechanic or anyone with a code reader to check the codes recorded in the computer.
It may be as simple as clearing the codes (take note of the code number and the reference to the code) and using the car as normal with the possibility the light may come back on, if this happens then the fault is more likely to need repairing.
It could be as simple as a voltage change that a sensor detected or the start of a failure of a particular part.
The engine warning light will not come on if your oil or water is low.
What make of car do you have?
I'm assuming you have enough time to do this before you need to use the car again. It's doubtful whether, if you can't get the car looked at today, you'd be able to do it before Tuesday.
Had the AA out first thing, to check it was okay to drive to my local garage. It's the O2 sensor that's causing the issue, either that the sensor itself is broken, or that it has sensed something wrong. He said it was safe to drive to the garage, he drove it round the block and couldn't work out what I meant about it feeling strange. Driving it to the garage it felt fine too, so that may have just been psychological.
We checked the oil and coolant before phoning the AA, they were both fine. It's a 53 plate 1.3 Yaris.
Thank you all for replying, put my mind a bit at ease last night! Feel like I've lost a limb now though - my parents have offered me lifts to and from work, which is good
I suspected it may have been an O2 sensor playing up...chances are that clearing the fault code is all it needs though no doubt the garage will fit a new one...they aren't cheap
Usually when the car is driving fine you get a fault code which reads O2 sensor heater circuit bank 1, low voltage. If you have issues with misfires or an mot failure on emissions the fault will read as a failure or inoperative, plus the light will come back on after being cleared.
By not cheap, what sort of money are we talking? Like, £200, or more like £500?
http://www.autotap.com/techlibrary/understanding_oxygen_sensors.asp
Strangely, although we have complained for many years that modern cars are no longer fixable by us mortals, maybe the rise in cheap diagnostic devices, youtube videos and just Google could reverse the trend?
Here's my car details. I think if I get a warning I'd certainly give it a go and further searches.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?pws=0&gl=uk&q=honda+jazz+oxygen+sensor&gws_rd=ssl
Depends where the part is sourced...my supplier has quoted me £70 for an aftermarket part, but from experience, a genuine Toyota one (Denso brand) are usually upwards of £150 plus.
Only guesswork without the exact reg number of your car.
The Lambda sensor failed on my Ka a couple of years ago and the car felt lumpy and slow to accelerate.
bib
I bought one for about £25 a coupla years ago and it's been the best £25 I've (possibly ever) spent on car maintenance.
First time I used it, it saved me more than it cost.
As well as my main daily drive, I have a couple of older 'projects' that I tinker about with from time to time, so it's been a boon to me..... as well as several friends who have been grateful to have their problems diagnosed.
Sadly I lost all my tools in an acrimonious split-up with my ex when I foolishly didn't take all my stuff straight away.
However, I do have replacement budget tools that I've bought as and when.
A Poundshop Socket Set is never a pleasure to use though :-)
30 seconds with the phone turns the light off, local garages want £25 for the same thing.
Great
Was it expensive?
£148 (can't remember the pennies), including labour and VAT
Not too bad for a Toyota electrical fault
I have a Toyota and had the airbag warning light come on. I mentioned this when the car went into a local garage for a service, it turned out to be a dry joint that needed soldering.
Don't take a Toyota to a main dealer unless it is under warranty, their prices are through the roof. I have never had had a fault on any car that local garages couldn't fix.
I'm finding it hard to believe that the tyres will lose pressure so much more slowly without 21% of the gas molecules being O2 that the whole palaver is worthwhile!