Engine diagnostic light...my car loves me!

[Whiterose]

My cars really do love me... not.

Driving my car tonight and the engine diagnostic light has come on the dash. It started off coming on n going off, then eventually stayed on permenantly. I did notice that when it came on the engine sounded different, like a rattly type noise? Anyway, on the way home the light stayed on from the moment i turned the key. It still sounded rattly which got louder when i accelerated, along with some nice smoking going on everytime i accelerated too.

Ive driven it as far as i dare before calling the greenflag to pick me up, worried its next move was blow up! only had it a week too. mind you, thats better than my last car driving me 80 miles from when i purchased it before the engine blew up! It never even got me home

Hopefully got my brother coming out tommorow with a diagnostic thing so wish me luck!

[poddack]

what is it?

[jasper5]

Doesn't sound too healthy, but I wish you good luck with it and hope it isn't too serious.

[BruceT]

Split intercooler hose?

[Whiterose]

Took it for a drive round the block this morning to show the OH what it is doing. I still think it sounds like it has a rattle and the diagnostic light is still on but it doesnt seem to blowing much if any smoke out now. I even gave it a bit of wellie down the local industrial state and it 'seems' fine?? The OH says there is something not quite right but there doesnt seem to be anything seriously wrong, or anything that he can put his finger on with it and he thinks it sounds like a normal diesel. Ive been driving it though so i would have thought id know if it sounded different.

Just waiting on my brother now to see if he can get hold of this diagnostic thing and then see what it says.

[Welly]

When your check engine light comes on then, depending on what caused it, the fuelling is interupted from it's normal 'map' and the engine will sound a bit nasty and may smoke a bit.

Thing is, you need to know what's occuring by reading the fault codes.

Some common problems are:

Throttle position sensor (most common)
EGR solenoid mechanism
Turbo solenoid mechanism
MAF sensor (and it's wiring loom)
Crank Position Sensor
Camshaft Position Sensor
Radiator cooling fan over-current.

Should be enough to start you off, I wonder whether this is why it came up for sale? to be fair the 406 is usually not too bad with faults and is should hopefully be simple to fix.

[Whiterose]

RESULT!

no need for the diagnostic thing now. OH just went n had a look under the bonnet n had a mess. Turns out the fault is one of the wires on the connector that goes onto the fuel pump had come off the connector. He has now soldered the wire back on and VOILA! The light has gone off and everything sounds and runs fine! Glad that it turned out to be a small problem rather than a major one!

Thankyou for all your posts!

[teamster1975]

Nice one! Glad it was an easy fix!