2003 - Intermittent Engine Managment Light - indigo_prime
I had my car serviced 2 weeks ago at a Vauxhall dealer. Since that time the engine management light (orange car symbol with a spanner through it on the dials) has come on intermittently over and over again. The manual says its to do with the engine immobiliser if it is intermittent in this way, but I want to get it checked out for sure.

I called VX today and they said that 'during the service, nothing is touched on the ECU, electrics or immobiliser and that to have it diagnosed will cost 65 quid, the minimum for 1 hours labour.

While the car was in for service, I had the recalls done for the engine wiring harness and the ABS system too. They also wanted to charge me 65 quid to look at an oil leak in the same place they repaired a leak under warranty (bad filter / seal fitting). The 12 month warranty on the repair ran out 3 days before the leak started again. Even though it was exactly the same spot and it was only 3 days outside the original repair warranty, they still wanted to charge me for it until I rang VX customer service and questioned it.

This VX dealer is the same one that wanted to charge me for a cambelt replacement under the '40,000 mile rule', until I produced a note from VX Customer Service to say that it was a 60,000 replacement, revised from 100,000 for diesels.

I've driven Vauxhalls or Opel (long time in Germany) for the last 12 years and this is the worst experience I have ever had from any dealer. What else can I do to get the ECU checked without having to resort to Vauxhall???

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 22/01/2008 at 21:08

2003 - Intermittent Engine Managment Light - Dynamic Dave
The manual says its to do with the engine immobiliser if it is intermittent in this way


Only if it flashes without the engine running. If it lights briefly with the engine running, according to the manual "it is of no significance if it doesn't keep on re-occuring"

You mention diesel. Is this the Z17DTH? If so, then yes, 60,000 miles or 10 years for the cambelt change interval. If it's the Z17DT/L then it's 100,000 miles or 10 years.

2003 - Intermittent Engine Managment Light - Screwloose

So they did the engine loom recall without touching anything on the electrics - that was a good trick!

You need a better garage; almost all can now get codes read, so try a local well-recommended one.