Engine management light is on

[EdN]

While driving from Northampton upto Aberdeen today, the little engine light on the dash board came on.
The engine carried on running faultlessly for approx 200mls after the light came on,.
Is this something that I should be concerned about or will it get me home aprox 500mls after my break?

Ed

2000 406 110hdi executive estate

[GingerMagic]

Hi Ed, I don't think there is anything to worry about unless engine goes into limp mode, which makes the car - well - limp.
Mine comes on once every couple of weeks and stays on for a day or so, but I know I have a dodgy electrovalve ( light comes on when going round long sweeping left hand bends, don't know why )
It also happened on a drive to Bath, around 80miles, but went off again on the way home.
I should think it will go off on its own, but maybe get it diagnosed when you get home just to be sure.

[grasmere59]

Mine did the same last year and although the car was running fine i called the AA and said i was worried about my journey home as the car was a bit sluggish (white lie),an AA chap arrived and read the code and reset it (maf sensor),i ran the car for loads of miles afterwards with no probs although i did change the maf for peace of mind 3 months later.If you have breakdown cover i would call them out and if nothing else get the light reset and the code read as it will cost you to have it done at the dealers.

[crackpotterpig]

if its not gone into limp mode (noticeable power loss) I wouldn't be too concerned.After more driving it may well go out again,the engine management light is illuminated when a sensor is outside of measured parameters that are measured by the ecu.The tolerences on some parts of the system are very tight and if a sensor produces produces a "spike" this will register as a fault.
Cars are too complicated now, what happened to good old points and a condenser!!

[Doggy]

what happened to good old points and a condenser!!

The condenser lost capacity over time allowing the inductive discharge to melt the good old points, or weld them toghther.
The world turned and more reliable alternatives arrived, so we lost out love affair with long walks home in the rain.......

The intermittent EML is a good example of a modern, adaptive control system trying very hard to keep you mobile, while giving you the chance to investigate when convenient. Ignoring its 'advice' is a good way of turning the clock back.....

[Busman]

Well said Doggy.
You really need to get the fault codes read. This might give you an early clue to a problem that could stop you getting home one day.

[EdN]

Thanks guys for your quick response.
I think I will see later if the light has corrected itself,
but will get it plugged in to see what the problem is
before making the long journey home next week.

[crackpotterpig]

I am not saying that non engine management systems aren't good and understand technology has moved on vastly,just my point is that some parts of a particular system are over complicated to make allowances for tighter emission laws and more economical vehicles.
I started work on cars in 1991 at the tender age of 16 and during my time through college I remember faults being so much easier to diagnose.Most jobs that needed to be carried out were not main dealer only (unlike now).
Parts and components are generally sealed and you cannot perform much maintenance on them.
I might buy myself a push bike ........joke lol
what about another solution.......take the bulb out? put your head in the sand and carry on?

[Busman]

Take the bulb, or led out will make it fail the mot. As we said, you never know your luck, the fault codes might reveal the answer.

[crackpotterpig]

eml light on or bulb removed is def not a mot failure

[EdN]

Well, I have tried all the local garages and some even further afield all to no avail.
They all apear to be very busy and the earliest I could get it looked at is the
middle of next week!
I guess if you were thinking of opening a new business, then you couldnt go far wrong
with a garage in Inverurie!!
So back to plan B, carry on driving until it stops then call out the AA to get me home.

[grasmere59]

Do what i did and call the AA and say the light has just come on and the car doesn't feel right,they came out to mine and reset and read the codes.

[crackpotterpig]

mine is a 1999 and I have a £20 eobd2 reader that reads the basic fault codes and clears them but I think newer ones you need Peugeot planet for? might be worth investing if yours will accept the cheaper code reader? look on ebay if interested

[Busman]

Have you read the new mot regulations? We have had a few fail for disconnected eml lights now. It changed this year sometime.

[Busman]

20th March 2013 was when the advisory period expired.
It's a problem we get all the time. It's so difficult to keep up with all the changes. Things that haven't worked for years must now work.