Good Morning All
I had been pumping the tyres for going on holiday, with a 12V electric compressor, and I had to have the ignition turned on to power the cigarette lighter socket. I switched off and disconnected the compressor but later when I went to start the car the "spanner light" came on with the ignition turned on. The engine started, the light went out and the engine appeared to be okay. I went out for a drive and it runs fine, not in limp home, no smoking just driving the same as usual.
However switching off the engine then turning the ignition back on causes the EML light to come on again until the engine is started. What is this likely to mean? Do I carry on and see what happens, do I get the fault code read or is there something else for me to try?
I would welcome any advice bearing in mind I'm off on holiday in a few days.
Thanks.
Brian
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The car/spanner light remaining on until the engine is started means that there is a stored fault code in the ECU's memory. As it goes out when the engine is started, it means that there are no current faults to report.
The stored fault code will self erase (providing nothing re-occurs) after a number of key turns or on a time based interval. I was told it was something like 25 to 30 key turns, but mine stayed on (until the engine was started) for approx 30 days when I had an immobiliser related fault earlier this year on my 2.2 Vectra.
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Brian
As Dave says; there is an engine or transmission code stored - possibly "low battery voltage" from using the compressor?
If the engine management light isn't on as well; on a CDTi, it can also mean that the water trap on the fuel filter is full. [Not nice to access...]
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Thanks for your replies lads.
I had a few trips out this afternoon and now have 8 engine starts since I first noticed the problem. It's no worse with the "spanner" light on at turn on of the ignition, it goes out fractionally after the engine starts and no engine management light when running. The car runs fine and doesn't seem any different to before. I'll keep a count of starts and the date and see if one of your options Dave works out to be correct.
I wonder on hindsight if a "spike" generated by turning on the compressor could have upset an input to the EMU via a sensor. It would be nice to know what the stored fault was but I don't really want to cough up the money to get this read.
Thanks for your interest, I'll let you know the outcome.
Cheers.
Brian
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Good morning all
The "spanner" light did go out eventually as suggested but it was more than 30 engine starts and 10 days after the problem appeared. I have wondered since if each engine start needed the ignition key taking out and/or a certain time period between each restart?
Anyway the Vectra is running well again at the moment, having covered over 2000 miles in the lastweek or so at just above 50mpg average.
Thanks again for the advice.
Brian
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Brian,
I'm convinced that its after approx 30 days. My Vectra-C went in for a service on the last week of July. Since the service the spanner light has remained lit until the engine had been started - obviously the garage triggered a fault code and didn't erase it before I picked it up. When I turned the key yesterday the spanner light went out before the engine was started.
EDIT: Looking at the calendar, it was 5 weeks ago when it was serviced! A bit longer than 30 days.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 26/08/2008 at 12:33
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That's strange because I first noticed the spanner light on Sunday 10th August and I noticed no spanner light on 20th August. I related the problem to using the electric compressor but it may have been on perhaps the day before and I hadn't noticed it but I think I would have noticed it if had been on before this.
Brian
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