Engine light Corolla

stefanovich

So Engine light came on there a couple of weeks ago. Checked all the fluids and everything looked good apart from the oil which was low. Used to this as its an oil burner.

Topped it up with a little oil and after a short drive the light went off. Was a little surprised as I thought it would be the oil pressure light rather than the engine light that would be triggered.

Anyways, drove for a few days and the light came on again. Gave it a larger dose of oil (up to max on the dipstick) and again the light went off.

After about 2 weeks of driving the light has now come on again. Engine too hot for me to check right now.

Any ideas what it might be? No sign of oil under the car.

cletus

Get it scanned, see what codes show

stefanovich

cletus wrote: »

Get it scanned, see what codes show

Yep, plan to bring it into the garage Monday. Just thought someone might have an idea as to the potential cause.

JohnBoy26

More than likely it's one of the sensors on the exhaust if it's the check engine light that's on. Only way to know is to get it on a diagnostics machine.

Atlantic Dawn

Could be something you changed recently or just wear and tear like a leak in the exhaust or an oxygen sensor gone. Is it sounding rougher than before?

stefanovich

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Could be something you changed recently or just wear and tear like a leak in the exhaust or an oxygen sensor gone. Is it sounding rougher than before?

Nothing seems different. How would topping it up with oil cause the light to go off in both cases? Just coincidence?

Atlantic Dawn

stefanovich wrote: »

Nothing seems different. How would topping it up with oil cause the light to go off in both cases? Just coincidence?

The light would usually reset itself after time then reappear when fault repeats.

stefanovich

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

The light would usually reset itself after time then reappear when fault repeats.

Okay, seems I just need to get the code read! Why can't they just display the code on the dash!

joujoujou

stefanovich wrote: »

Okay, seems I just need to get the code read! [...]

I bet it'd show P0420.

stefanovich wrote: »

[...] Why can't they just display the code on the dash!

Because they want you to pay for it. Simple. :cool:

stefanovich

joujoujou wrote:

I bet it'd show P0420.

What's that??

Edit: Rather than ask a lazy question I googled it. Catalyst Efficiency. Oxygen sensors. Sounds feasible. What's annoying is that the engine light just went off when I went for a spin down to the shop just now.

biko

Even if light is off many types of codes will still be stored in the onboard computer.

joujoujou

stefanovich wrote: »

[...] the engine light just went off when I went for a spin down to the shop just now.

It's very likely the catalytic converter is not yet completely knackered, it's efficiency is just at the edge. Once you drive it hard, it'd be fine. Once you go alot of town driving (start/stop, slo-mo traffic), it would show the EML.

Additionally, note that particular error belongs to a group of non-critical errors, so it will be displayed only if it's recorded twice in a row by car's computer. If you had a code reader you'd see - when's no EML the reader would show it as "pending".

stefanovich

joujoujou wrote: »

It's very likely the catalytic converter is not yet completely knackered, it's efficiency is just at the edge. Once you drive it hard, it'd be fine. Once you go alot of town driving (start/stop, slo-mo traffic), it would show the EML.

Additionally, note that particular error belongs to a group of non-critical errors, so it will be displayed only if it's recorded twice in a row by car's computer. If you had a code reader you'd see - when's no EML the reader would show it as "pending".

Exactly what's happening. You reckon it's the catalytic converter then rather than sensors? It sounds expensive.

irishmover

Buy a cheap OBD2 Bluetooth reader. Get Torque app and read the code yourself.

(something like this but I live in Australia so might be better vendors in Ireland.)

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/SCAN-2-1-BLUETOOTH-OBD2-SCANNER-CENTRALINA-PER-DACIA-SANDERO-LOGAN-DUSTER-/231337190198

stefanovich

irishmover wrote: »

Buy a cheap OBD2 Bluetooth reader. Get Torque app and read the code yourself.

Sounds like a great idea.

joujoujou

stefanovich wrote: »

Exactly what's happening. You reckon it's the catalytic converter then rather than sensors? It sounds expensive.

As long as the car passes NCT on emissions - nothing to worry about.

====================

I've code reader same like that:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/161827447270

ParcelMotel/ParcelWizard/AdderssPal would help to avoid ripoff P&P.

Or this one -- http://www.ebay.ie/itm/161474752592 if you prefer direct shipping.

But first - read the code(s) to make sure what's wrong.

irishmover

I would personally buy one of the Bluetooth ones to use with Torque app. There's a lot more functionality on the app than just reading and clearing codes.

Looks like that can do some of the things aswell but for such a small screen and having a cable going to it for the same price I'd still definitely recommend a Bluetooth one.

biko

Note that the Torque posters above are only speaking about Android phones.
If you have another type of phone it won't work with their suggestions.

irishmover

biko wrote: »

Note that the Torque posters above are only speaking about Android phones.
If you have another type of phone it won't work with their suggestions.

That's right sorry. There's a number of iOS apps aswell but haven't used them as I dont use apple. I believe you need a wireless obd reader for iOS?

stefanovich

biko wrote: »

Note that the Torque posters above are only speaking about Android phones.
If you have another type of phone it won't work with their suggestions.

Luckily I have an android phone. Just ordered one there from Dublin, let's see how it goes. Thanks a lot everyone.

stefanovich

So, received the device today. No fault codes active pending or historic. I'll need to wait for her to light up again.

stefanovich

stefanovich wrote:

So, received the device today. No fault codes active pending or historic. I'll need to wait for her to light up again.

Torque wasn't working for me. Said no error code even though light was on. After some googling I tried carista and this is what I got:

P0134 - O2 Sensor Circuit No Activity Detected Bank 1 Sensor

cletus

http://www.obd-codes.com/p0134

Here you go. Looks most likely to be an o2 sensor, but maybe check forcblows in the exhaust as well?