Driving with check emissions light on?

mad muffin

So the check engine symbol came on. It’s an 09 Seat Altea 1.4 tsi petrol.

A quick google brings this up…

Seat Altea Check Engine Emissions warning Light Dash Symbol Meaning Diagnostic World
Seat Altea engine emissions warning light - the check engine symbol indicates a fault within the emissions system of your Seat Altea. Generally the fault will be illuminated because of a faulty sensor such as an O2 or MAF (Mass Air Flow meter). You can diagnose the fault by using the iCarsoft i908 kit. It will give you a fault description, and a unique code which you can use to replace the faulty part. Once the part has been replaced you can erase the trouble codes with the i908 kit and reset the engine warning light & turn it off for good.

Just wondering is it okay to drive? Obviously won’t be able to get it looked at until Monday if not tue.

Thanks.

FluffPiece

The engine light is on for a reason. Something went wrong and caused it to come on. By continuing to drive, you could turn a potentially small problem into a very large problem.

Without knowing the codes it's akin to asking how long is a piece of string.

Mundo7976

Yeah itll be grand, its a warning that somethings amiss, mines been on for 2 years now!
Get it to your mechanic when you can and get them to run diagnostics as it can be one of a hundred things.
If it starts flashing or goes red thats when you need to stop driving it

FluffPiece

You might get a local mechanic in the area who opens on a Saturday. Or you may know someone with a basic reader. It may be something simple.

is_that_so

Get it checked. May be nothing much may be a bigger issue. I had that once in a car, brought it to garage as quickly as I could. They reset the software but it came back again after a few miles. Eventually after annoying them to test it properly it turned out to be a sensor error of some kind and a faulty cable.

Seth Brundle

mad muffin wrote: »

Just wondering is it okay to drive? Obviously won’t be able to get it looked at until Monday if not tue.

As we can't tell what the issue is, we must assume that whilst the car is drivable, doing so could potentially be doing damage.
It may be an ignition coil or an O2 sesonr or something major: you won't know until you get it diagnosed.
Some garages are open tomorrow - could be worthwhile ringing a few others (it doesn't need to be a Seat garage).

mad muffin

According to the description of the symbol it’s the emissions warning light. There is a pic attached in my op.

Problem is we have a first communion to go to tomorrow and my wife is working Sunday to Wednesday.

mad muffin

I changed the title of The thread to check emissions light. Sorry.

This tells me it should be okay but of course it needs to be diagnosed.

https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/is-it-safe-to-drive-with-the-emissions-light-on

FluffPiece

Send a text to your mates asking if any of them have a code scanner. Even the basic ones may tell you what code it is and then you will have a clearer idea.

mad muffin

FluffPiece wrote: »

Send a text to your mates asking if any of them have a code scanner. Even the basic ones may tell you what code it is and then you will have a clearer idea.

The kid who’s first communion we are going to tomorrow. His dad is into cars and owns a few. He might have one. Maybe he’ll be kind enough to have a quick look if he does have one. Although it is his sons communion…

FluffPiece

He may also want an excuse to muck about a car for a bit

The wife on the other hand might not be too pleased.

mad muffin

FluffPiece wrote: »

He may also want an excuse to muck about a car for a bit

The wife on the other hand might not be too pleased.

Any excuse for him is right

Toyotafanboi

They refer to it as the emissions control light in the manual, but it is traditionally the check engine light and really, it still is, just "emissions control warning" sounds more conscientious and more ominous all at the one time.

If it sounds like it's starting and running ok then I'd have no bother driving it on for a few days until you can get it into a garage.

It could be a myriad of issues on one of those 1.4 tsi engines, so I'd be keen to get it checked. It may not be serious however.

biko

Mundo7976 wrote: »

Yeah itll be grand, its a warning that somethings amiss, mines been on for 2 years now!

mgbgt1978

She drove that Golf for at least 3 seasons with the 'check engine light' on....






....and then it did finally break down.:)

The_Honeybadger

I had that light on my passat pretty much always when I had it. It’s normally nothing to worry about unless it starts flashing. Get it checked though obviously

mad muffin

So I was able to take it to my mechanic on sat morning. It’s a faulty oxygen sensor or wiring.

McCrack

Phew

ofcork

I had it on my last avensis too P0420 code.