Guys,

Got home from work today everything OK... went out half hour later and the engine malfunction light came on

Turned the car off, waited a minute and turned it back on and its still on... so nursed the car the 500 m home and put it in the garage. Any one with any idea what could be wrong

Manual doesnt say much, but use the car modirately. Any helpful advice would be appreciated. I'll book it in the local stealers tomorrow.

Ian

 

If you are going to take it to the dealers tomorrow for investigation, please do not be tempted to take a fuse out and therefore reset the ECU, it is not usually a fix and the dealer needs to know what the code is that is stored in it.

Does it make any difference to the running of the car, have you filled up with petrol today, is the oil level up to the mark, check these things before you call them as it may assist in the diagnosis.

 

Haven't checked the oil for a week or so, but was on max last time i looked at it?

Filled with fuel a few days OK, so cant think it'll be that either.

Wouldn't even consider taking out a fuse... not that technically minded i'm afraid. Dont need to hide anything anyway... dont think i've done anything wrong??

 

I had the engine check light come on about 6 months ago. Car was running okish on my creep back to my house but coughing every so often, turned out to be a throttle body sender (I think thats what the Honda people said) and it cost I think

 

Mine keeps coming on with the bloody airpump fault, its a 2002/3 model as well and the cold weather seems to cause problems... Would be interested to know if this is what it turns out to be...

 

I was talking to Davey_2 about mine doing this in the last couple of weeks.
Mine came on after a drive home from work, it was still driving fine, nothing wrong at all. I had to disconnect the battery a few days later (ICE related .. NO not cold ice!) and it went away then 1 week later up it pops again, helped jump start my wifes mini and off it goes again.. Then 2 days ago pop there it is again?

As i said nothing i can find/tell is wrong with the car at all ?? oddness

 

most common reason is petrol filler cap not on properly.

Reset it by disconnecting the battery for a few mins, then reconnecting - go for a 10 min drive come back see if it is on again, if not dont worry, if so go to dealer who can plug in and diagnose

 

But surely everyone on here has been driving their cars long enough to put the cap on properly in the first place, thats why I said not to do anything like that but get it diagnosed first - you may be hiding a more serious problem that could manifest itself as an even more expensive repair when the vehicle is out of warranty.
A repair that the owner would have to pay for.
Who do you blame then, the dealer?, Honda? or the owner.

 

As Davey says, if the CEL keeps coming on then give Honda the car to find ouy what it is, doesn't take long and some dealers don't even charge for the facility.

They will tell you what is wrong and put your mind at rest. And advise what needs doing, stoipping you from doing further damage.

If you found something wrong yourself and corrected it then try resetting ECU but if the light comes on again then don't risk it.

To reset ECU disconnect battery or fuse under drivers side dash. (Fuse is better as will not mess with radio and alarm settings)

 

Couple of weeks ago I had the light on and it was traced to air pump. This is located almost under near side of front chassis member. Susceptable to going through puddles !