Technical Weird - Engine Control Fault light

[the frog]

Driving back from my folk's static caravan (50 mile journey) I encountered the red Engine control light + message inc 'contact garage'. Looking it up in the manual it said fine to keep driving (but don't thrash it) in as many words and expect reduced performance.

This stayed on all of Sunday and most of today however the light has now gone out and I don't get the message again. Performance has also been restored.

Was this something being brought through the fuel system from the tank causing a problem with the injectors/fuel pressure? I had just decelerated then done a left hand turn in both instances when they fault occured and when it went off.

 

[Oletimer]

I think this is not an uncommon problem. To put your mind at ease (I hope) I had an intermittent ' Engine Control Fault' on a trip to Munich, it was there just after we filled up in Wolves and it was still there 2 weeks later coming back thru Italy / Switzerland - it went as quietly as it came and I've only seen it a dozen times since , all I normally do is: get up to about 40 or 50, make sure noone is behind, switch off ignition, wait a few seconds (downhill is best) then switch back on and hit the starter, it normally goes away.
I've got a 02 1.6 ELX
George

 

[midayt47]

i have the same problem, when i go between 3500 - 4000 rpm the engine fault light turns on. and it turns off when it's under 3500 rpm.
when the engine light turns on, it doesn't accelerate. he goes only to 90km/h not above.:bang: (srry for my english)

greetzz from Belgium

 

[joipalli]

Get the code from the ECU...

 

[multieddie]

My Engine Control Fault light was caused by a sticking EGR valve. If it sticks shut, the light comes on and there's very little difference in performance. If it sticks open, you suddenly get the performance of an asthmatic bulldog pulling an anvil uphill. Search EGR on the form and you'll find a whole host of how to's etc.

 

[klytus]

its the map sensor on the intake manifold if its a jtd
ours did the same thing, i tried to clean the sensor out but its duff
held in by a 10mm bolt and will cost u upto £50 depending where u get it from
they are the same on vectra td's later ones think saab tid's are the same
there a common part on most late common rail td's
they sense the pressure in the manifold and if faulty like mine will tell the car theres too much boost and flag the warning light up at about 2700 - 3000 rpm
if u let off it will go out, if u keep ur foot on the floor on the motorway the light will stay on for a day or 2 then go out
if this happens im fairly sure its the map sensor if u call it that, i call it the overboost sensor
peace

 

[the frog]

Everything has returned to normal and I've tried giving it a blast up to 4k and the light hasn't come on!

On start up the light goes out, everything seems fine.

My friend has a code reader, might let him loose on it and see if there are any stored codes.

 

[the frog]

The light of doom is back!!!!!

After 7 years of ownership I'm starting to give in and thinking of something less complicated to own!

 

[the frog]

The light went out as I took a bend onto a sliproad of a motorway. 24 hours later it comes back.

I'm wondering if it's a dodgy sensor or a bad connection on a sensor.

other suggestions above - it could be the EGR is closed permanently - I've had a sticking EGR before but it was stuck open which was a pain, might be worth a look.

Replacing the MAF sensor looks expensive (on e-bay) up to 2002 builds they seem more reasonable but the 03> build sensors are double the price.

 

[sicone]

here is what happened to me.i have changed my rpm sensor but i did not erase the fault code .after few months the light came on ,car was fine ,so i go to garage get the code erased and problem gone.

 

[the frog]

here is what happened to me.i have changed my rpm sensor but i did not erase the fault code .after few months the light came on ,car was fine ,so i go to garage get the code erased and problem gone.

rpm sensor = crank position sensor? If so I replaced this about this time last year. Didn't think about stored codes.

 

[sicone]

it seems that if you get a fault code ,you have to erase it otherwise it comes one year later for no reason,.after i have changed my rpm sensor the light was gone and i thought everything is ok ,next year i go on vacation and lightcame on ,i did not know what seems to be the problem because the car was ok and when i went to the garage i was asked if i have changed something recently ,i said yes, i have changed myself the rpm sensor .the garage man said the fault code remains in the ecu until is deleted and you never know when pops out.sorry about the language:idea: