Disable engine management light Nissan Almera N16

eoinmn

Hi guys,

I'm hoping someone may know how disable the engine management light on a Nissan Almera N16 (2003). Reason being my girlfriend has driving test on Tuesday 1st of May. Car is running fine but Engine light came on couple of weeks ago. Brought it to a mechanic as I expected it to be a timing chain issue after reading the many posts on Boards. He hooked it up, ran diagnostics and advised it was the Air Mass filter that needed to be replaced. He said it could cost anything from couple of hundred for a reconditioned one or five or six hundred for a new one. He advised the only side effect of this would be decreased fuel economy or MPG. So as it's not a safety feature and I don't have the cash to get the job done at the minute I thought I'd live with it for a while but I'm pretty sure they will not allow you to do the test if the management light is on. I was hoping someone might know how to disable the Engine Management Light. I know this is basic stuff but could I maybe disconnect a bulb from behind the speedometers so the light will stay off for duration of test? Any advise greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Eoin...

unkel

Any cheap OBD2 fault code reader (€40 or so on eBay) can switch it off. The light would come back on though when the error re-occurs.

I wouldn't go taking out light bulbs behind the dash...

George Dalton

I'm not advocating it but you can take out the bulb on them. Half the N16 Almeras in the country seem to have the bulb taken out in my experience.

However the best way to make the light go out is to actually fix the car....

eoinmn

unkel wrote: »

Any cheap OBD2 fault code reader (€40 or so on eBay) can switch it off. The light would come back on though when the error re-occurs.

I wouldn't go taking out light bulbs behind the dash...

Thanks unkel, I had come across that suggestion on an older post, only problem being the warning light could come back on at any minute resulting in a failed test.

George Dalton wrote: »

I'm not advocating it but you can take out the bulb on them. Half the N16 Almeras in the country seem to have the bulb taken out in my experience.

However the best way to make the light go out is to actually fix the car....

George, I know what you mean, it’s not ideal but as it’s not a safety issue, and just temporarily, I think I might try remove the bulb as financial circumstances dictate the work won't be done for a while. At least GF will be able to sit test in the car she has been driving and practising in for the past year or so…

Nissan doctor

eoinmn wrote: »

George, I know what you mean, it’s not ideal but as it’s not a safety issue, and just temporarily, I think I might try remove the bulb as financial circumstances dictate the work won't be done for a while. At least GF will be able to sit test in the car she has been driving and practising in for the past year or so…

Just keep in mind, when considering the financial side of things, that the longer you drive with a faulty AFM the more damage you will be doing to the lambda sensors and catalytic converter. And if these need replacement, then your repair bill will likely be well over double the cost of an AFM.

irelandspurs

Would this not do you? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NISSAN-Mass-Air-Flow-meter-Sensor-MAF-0280218005-226807J600-PRIMERA-ALMERA-/250966698195?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a6ec7e8d3#ht_1476wt_1217

n900guy

I think it definitely is a safety issue. A failed MAF can cause misfires and unexpected power failures at speed (e.g., on a motorway). If you had sudden power loss doing 120kph and half the cylinders were misifiring suddenly when trying to overtake, that is a pretty serious safety problem, no?

mondeo

Pulling the bulb out seems like an option. Don't forget to put it back in again though

ofcork

Disconnecting the battery will turn it off.

Guy:Incognito

Does the engine light not have to come on and go off again on ignition for the NCT? Or does that only apply to things like airbag lights?

EDIT. Ah, its for a driving test, my bad.

Leonard Hofstadter

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Does the engine light not have to come on and go off again on ignition for the NCT? Or does that only apply to things like airbag lights?

EDIT. Ah, its for a driving test, my bad.

Yes, the car won't pass an NCT if the engine light does not come on when it should at start up. Needless to say, it won't pass the NCT if the light is on either:).

eoinmn

Nissan doctor wrote: »

Just keep in mind, when considering the financial side of things, that the longer you drive with a faulty AFM the more damage you will be doing to the lambda sensors and catalytic converter. And if these need replacement, then your repair bill will likely be well over double the cost of an AFM.

Nissan Doc I wasn't aware a faulty AFM had implications for other components in the car.

n900guy wrote: »

I think it definitely is a safety issue. A failed MAF can cause misfires and unexpected power failures at speed (e.g., on a motorway). If you had sudden power loss doing 120kph and half the cylinders were misifiring suddenly when trying to overtake, that is a pretty serious safety problem, no?

n900guy mechanic I had check the car didn't advise that this could happen. If this is the case I must look into getting job done sooner....thats a bit worrying....

eoinmn

ofcork, any idea how long light will stay off for if I disconnect battery, or is it just a case that it could come back on again at any point...

eoinmn

irelandspurs wrote: »

Would this not do you? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NISSAN-Mass-Air-Flow-meter-Sensor-MAF-0280218005-226807J600-PRIMERA-ALMERA-/250966698195?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a6ec7e8d3#ht_1476wt_1217

irelandspurs I think the mechanic I got to check it said a Bosch one would be couple of hundred euro, whereas an original Nissan part could be 5 to 6 hundred. He advised against using what he called a cheap part. I do have fairly limited knowledge of cars so not sure if he's right or not...

Indricotherium

eoinmn wrote: »

irelandspurs wrote: »

Would this not do you? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NISSAN-Mass-Air-Flow-meter-Sensor-MAF-0280218005-226807J600-PRIMERA-ALMERA-/250966698195?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a6ec7e8d3#ht_1476wt_1217

irelandspurs I think the mechanic I got to check it said a Bosch one would be couple of hundred euro, whereas an original Nissan part could be 5 to 6 hundred. He advised against using what he called a cheap part. I do have fairly limited knowledge of cars so not sure if he's right or not...

Most of the posters on this thread are suckers fr brand names and will advise you to get the dear one.

If it were me I'd buy the generic one. Even if you don't get another nine years out of it, say you get half that....your car is going to be nearing end of life around that time anyway.

Nissan doctor

eoinmn wrote: »

Nissan Doc I wasn't aware a faulty AFM had implications for other components in the car.

On older engine electronic systems(like the almera has) when the AFM fails, the ECU automatically switches to a rich fuelling map, i.e adds more fuel to the engine to keep it safe, (as too little fuel will cause engine damage) but while this prevents engine damage in the short term, excess fuelling will quickly damage the cat and lambda's.

Indricotherium wrote: »

Most of the posters on this thread are suckers fr brand names and will advise you to get the dear one.

If it were me I'd buy the generic one. Even if you don't get another nine years out of it, say you get half that....your car is going to be nearing end of life around that time anyway.

There is no such thing as a generic AFM, their fitment and flow measurement range is engine specific. There are, like most products, cheap brands and premium brands.

Leonard Hofstadter

A lot of parts are not made by the car company, but buy one of their (many) suppliers.

So a MAF will probably not be made by Nissan, but you'll pay a lot more to get the part from Nissan themselves.

I'm sure someone could find out who makes the MAF for an Almera. The best thing is to buy it directly from whoever makes it, not from Nissan. At least this way you're still getting the proper part, but not spending over the odds just so it is has a Nissan badge:)!

irelandspurs

Just an example http://www.micksgarage.ie/engine-parts/air-flow-meters/nissan/almera/almera-mk-ii/2000-onwards/1.5/14657/ and the QH one is €66.Think you could fit this yourself.

Nissan doctor

irelandspurs wrote: »

Just an example http://www.micksgarage.ie/engine-parts/air-flow-meters/nissan/almera/almera-mk-ii/2000-onwards/1.5/14657/ and the QH one is €66.Think you could fit this yourself.

There is sometimes an argument for branded manufacturers bumping up prices. But with Bosch ones all well over €200 and the QH one being only €66...that difference would actually turn me off the QH one rather then the opposite:eek:

eoinmn

irelandspurs wrote: »

Just an example http://www.micksgarage.ie/engine-parts/air-flow-meters/nissan/almera/almera-mk-ii/2000-onwards/1.5/14657/ and the QH one is €66.Think you could fit this yourself.

to be honest I wouldn't have a clue how to replace this myself, but thanks for the link.

Nissan doctor wrote: »

There is sometimes an argument for branded manufacturers bumping up prices. But with Bosch ones all well over €200 and the QH one being only €66...that difference would actually turn me off the QH one rather then the opposite:eek:

Nissan doctor I know what you mean, the difference in price would make me wonder is the QH one a far inferior item...

would anybody be able to give a rough idea of what price a local garage should be charging to fit the unit? Is there much labour involved...

Nissan doctor

eoinmn wrote: »

to be honest I wouldn't have a clue how to replace this myself, but thanks for the link.



Nissan doctor I know what you mean, the difference in price would make me wonder is the QH one a far inferior item...

would anybody be able to give a rough idea of what price a local garage should be charging to fit the unit? Is there much labour involved...

Fitting would take about 5 mins. Ideally, though, a decent garage should be running diagnostics after fitting to ensure that all readings are within spec and your not going to get the warning light back on after a while.

eoinmn

ok, that's good to know....thanks again for all the advice/tips...

AzureAuto

Also, not undermining your mechanic's work, but make sure it is the meter at fault by checking live signal values from the meter and not just pulling a trouble code from the ECU with the words "air mass meter" in it. For example a vacuum leak, blown engine management fuse, poor earth or blocked air filter could throw similar codes whilst the component itself is actually ok. If his scanner doesn't have a function for analysing live data (and the manufacturer specs or experience to compare the data to) or he doesn't know how to backprobe the meter's connector for voltage outputs, Id get a second opinion.
Just in case.