Engine managment light rip off.

[DPL7]

Right, here we go, if your engine light comes on (not flashing) then we all panic,!!!! well ive just bought a car and after a week the light came on. car was driving fine and i took it to a garage and they did a diagnostic (£35!!!!) code came up ..P0420. Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1). This is just the emissions, these settings are very tight within the cars computer (varies between makes) so if they set at 110-120 your light will come on at 109 or 121. Do not be fooled and dont worry. bought a OBD2 scanner (all cars from 2002 onwards) off internet £20 and reset the light (TOOK 15 SECONDS) and now its gone off. and when it comes to the M.O.T. i will just chuck a bottle of CATACLEAN down the tank drive 10 miles before you take it and it will sail through.Just thought i would share this and save some people a lot of money.

[mumkin]

Yep, a total rip off. Was charged £30 for a "test" 20 minutes after a major service by a garage in Catcliffe........couldn't tell me what the fault was and told me to let the fault develop for a bit so I looked on the internet and found it to be a fault with the mass airflow sensor, changed it, jobs a gudun. Yes, you can buy a basic reader for about £20, well worth the money. Some garages just use these readers to print money, bloody rip-off merchants.

[Dardandec]

Well done you you can clear your mil lamp all day long but it still doesn't alter the fact your catalytic converter is Robert Bard

[Guest]

I take the little engine management light bulb out. Problem solved.

[Dardandec]

I take the little engine management light bulb out. Problem solved.

 

wire it into your oil light works a treat with the ABS lamp when the test is due

[alchresearch]

Well done you you can clear your mil lamp all day long but it still doesn't alter the fact your catalytic converter is Robert Bard

 

Exactly. I've seen P0420 a few times and the car has needed a new CAT.

 

Same when the DPF is blocked, people think clearing the fault code and tearing down the motorway in 4th gear will cure it!

 

So before spending money on additives, make sure that the components are sound.

 

I've never understood why people ignore dashboard warning lights. The car is trying to tell you its poorly. Messing with the bulb or clearing the code isn't going to fix the problem.

[barleycorn]

wire it into your oil light works a treat with the ABS lamp when the test is due

 

That will only work if the MOT tester is an idiot as the lights should go out after set times in the proper sequence.

 

jb

[geared]

Different cars have different sequences tho, so the tester might not know which one's which.

 

They're not allowed to dis-assemble the clocks to check the wiring either.

If they're on the ball tho they might catch it, some just check none of the lights remain on as they drive it into the MOT bay.

[Obelix]

Exactly. I've seen P0420 a few times and the car has needed a new CAT.

 

Same when the DPF is blocked, people think clearing the fault code and tearing down the motorway in 4th gear will cure it!

 

To be fair, on a very few cars that have a regenerative DPF that doesnt have an additive tank this can work.