orange light on dials - engine management light?

[Potswalker]

twice now for a very short period of time(couple of seconds) an orange light comes on at the bottom and in the middle of my dials(GSi) and I dont know what it is. I've been told its the engine management light and its letting me know there is some sort of problem. Mechanic friend said to take it to a dealer to hook it up to a computer to find out the problem. does anybody know what this light means???and if it needs to go to a dealer?! :|

[novaboy1981]

hmmm, funny u should mention this as ive just started getting it on mine!
yeah, it is the ecu light and it will need 2 b connected 2 a computer 2 find out whats wrong.
when does ur light come on?
mine does it occasionally when im cruising at about 90

[Potswalker]

it's only happened twice that i've noticed and it goes straight off as soon as i see it but it happens a couple of minutes after starting my journey and between 30 and 40. could it be a serious problem. as good as my mechanic friend is, he does like to make things sound more serious than they are. do you think it should be looked at well quick?

[novaboy1981]

i suspect it should b looked at pretty quick....wouldnt mind getting mine looked at but im suffering from major negative finances at the mo!
i rebuilt my top end a couple of months ago and the light has come on on occasions since then but gone immediately out.
unfortunately i dont know all that much about the management side of things but im sure these guys can help us out!

[Potswalker]

youd hope so! over a year ago the engine was nearly completely rebuilt because the big end went so i'm really hoping its not a big problem. mate its all about having no money at the minute...to make things worse i've completely forgotten to send off my loan form for this year so that going to be well late. :x

[Ste_Nova]

just flash the codes out

http://www.topbuzz1.carenthusiasts.co.uk/info/fault_codes/fault_codes.htm

[Potswalker]

what do you mean? I no that once it connects up to the computer it should give a fault code. can i find that out myself?

[Alex]

read ste's link

[novaboy1981]

that topbuzz website appears 2 b v useful!
only trouble is it says that the ecu light has 2 b on 4 around 30 secs for the fault 2 b recorded so it looks like there may only b an intermittent fault that is not worth worrying about!

and sadly ive graduated this yr so there will b no student loan help 4 me this time round! :roll:

[Potswalker]

I have an SRi and i found the plug in the engine bay going into a blanking plug and joined a and b with a paper clip(twice) but no diagnostic kicked in. no sequences of flashes happened at all even with the engine running

[novaboy1981]

ah, failure!! lol
ive just done it and got sequences of 3 12s followed by 3 13s....seems like there is 'no change in voltage/open circuit' in the oxygen sensor.
anyone know exactly what that means, how serious is it and how it can b mended?!

[Alex]

Think it means your lambda sensor is not functioning correctly as the voltage is not changing.

[Potswalker]

where was your plug and what model do you have? maybe it's cos I have two immobilisors that cut the power to the electronics? who knows...not me! :oops:

[Ste_Nova]

check the wire to the lamba thats in the exhaust manifold

[novaboy1981]

ahha!
that was the result i was hoping 4 then! i got a new (used) manifold when i did the rebuild and was warned the lambda sensor may not be quite right.
ill just stick the old 1 back in!

ive got an sri too mate....the plug was attached 2 the bulkhead pretty much as shown on the topbuzz pic. i doubt the immob would b causing the trouble, esp if the engine was running.
dont hit me, but just check u were using the right 2 pins!! with the clip at the bottom, its the top left hand pair. just checking! :D

[Potswalker]

no thats exactly where this thing is and those are the two pins with the clip at the bottom they are the two top left ones(only two other pins in it!)its a well good link just cant get it to do the diagnostic.
quite annoying but think i'l have to just take it in and see what they say.
:cry:

[novaboy1981]

hmmm, how rude! :roll:
hope u manage 2 sort the problem soon....let me know what turns up!

andy

[Potswalker]

cheers buddy. off to the garage now. fingers crossed they'll connect it up and give me the code for free cos my mechanic friend used to work there but we'll see. :wink: