HELP Emission control warning light on

AdrianC

The "emission" light is an engine management fault light. It should come on briefly when you first start the car. If it comes on and stays on, then the engine management is telling you there's a fault being seen "live", or a serious one has been logged. If it stays on for a bit longer when you first start the car, then it's telling you that there's been a fault logged in the past.

Those faults might relate to emissions, they might not. The engine management will tell you what category the fault falls into, by reading the fault codes it stores. Some of them are specific, some of them are more generic. A generic OBD (On Board Diagnostic) code reader will tell you what the codes are IF they fall into the basic common set of legal-requirement codes, but there are other, manufacturer-specific ones, and a more sophisticated reader will tell you a stack of other information that'll help diagnose the fault.

Clearing codes out may well persuade the engine management that there's no problem - but if the underlying fault reoccurs, rather than being a one-off hiccup, then you'll be no further forward.

So, yes, a cheap eBay code reader may help you diagnose the problem, but it won't do it all for you. It might do no more than persuade you that you need to spend a lot of money on something that isn't actually the problem.

And that's why this is one of those "If you're asking the question, you probably need help with the answer" questions.

clarryd

Thank you everyone for your answers.

Called the AA out and he gave me some codes as he did a diagnostics on the car, but codes he gave me the garage don't seem to recognized. The garage said they will have to do there own tests as the AA man cleared it off. Mechanic said he needs to test it when car wont work again.

So thank you all very much at least I knew what he was talking about rather than being ignorant.

windup

So what did they do to get it going, and what was the diagnosis

londonTiger

windup wrote: »

could be many things, buy a code reader to diagnose further - it should point to the sensor being triggered.

Check leads/plugs/water ingress in the meantime if you're sure the battery is ok

Completely pointless I wouldnn't even bother unless you have a code reader to give you some indication where problem might be.

I had emissions workshop message on my dash. Got a code reader and said lambda problem - took car to garage to get lambda looked at and it tested fine. Read and read on car fan forum and someone suggested clean the intake manifold. Cleaned the intake manifold and remove the crud spat out by the EGR and the emissions workshop light went.

Long story short, it was nothing to do with "emissions" per se. It was an air intake issue.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

londonTiger wrote: »

Long story short, it was nothing to do with "emissions" per se. It was an air intake issue.

Air intake has everything to do with emissions, if Air is being drawn IN it makes more bang more bang means more fuel and more emissions out!, If it escapes the intake, then it cause a rich running engine which causes a higher emissions.


Emissions is an indication of a problem.


Knowing the pug 1.4 and 1.6 PETROL engines Anti pollution fault, is either a crankshaft position sensor or a lambda sensor or a MAF sensor or ignition coil/Spark plug defective (P0302).
choose form the list below OP and try and find the trouble codes you were given by the AA



a Diesel engine usual throws a low eolys fluid for antipollution fault, or EGR issues.

crank shaft position sensor code P0016-Bank 1


P0324 - Knock Sensor (KS) Module Performance
P0325 - PCM Knock Sensor Circuit
P0326 - Knock Sensor Circuit Excessive Spark Retard
P0327 - Knock Sensor Circuit Low Voltage
P0328 - Knock Sensor 1 Circuit High Input (Bank 1 or Single Sensor)
P0329 - Knock Sensor 1 Circuit Intermittent (Bank 1 or Single Sensor)
P0330 - Knock Sensor (KS) Circuit Bank 2
P0331 - Knock Sensor 2 Circuit Range/Performance (Bank 2)
P0332 - Knock Sensor 2 Circuit Low Input (Bank 2)
P0333 - Knock Sensor 2 Circuit High Input (Bank 2)
P0334 - Knock Sensor 2 Circuit Intermittent (Bank 2)
P0335 - CKP Sensor A Circuit Performance
P0336 - Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor A Performance
P0337 - Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Circuit Low Duty Cycle
P0338 - Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Circuit High Duty Cycle














P0101 - Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor Performance


P0102 - Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor Circuit Low Frequency


P0103 - Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor Circuit High Frequency


P0104 - Mass Air Flow Circuit Intermittent




P0420 - Catalyst System Low Efficiency
P0421 - Warm Up Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1)
P0422 - Catalyst System Low Efficiency Bank 1
P0423 - Heated Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1)
P0424 - Heated Catalyst Temperature Below Threshold (Bank 1
P0430 - Catalyst System Low Efficiency Bank 2
P0431 - Warm Up Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 2)
P0432 - Catalyst System Low Efficiency Bank 2
P0433 - Heated Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 2)
P0434 - Heated Catalyst Temperature Below Threshold (Bank 2)


P0130 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Closed Loop (CL) Performance Bank 1 Sensor 1
P0131 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Low Voltage Bank 1 Sensor 1
P0132 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit High Voltage Bank 1 Sensor 1
P0133 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Slow Response Bank 1 Sensor 1
P0134 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Insufficient Activity Bank 1 Sensor 1
P0135 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Heater Performance Bank 1 Sensor 1
P0136 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Bank 1 Sensor 2
P0137 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Low Voltage Bank 1 Sensor 2
P0138 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit High Voltage Bank 1 Sensor 2
P0139 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Slow Response Bank 1 Sensor 2
P0140 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Insufficient Activity Bank 1 Sensor 2
P0141 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Heater Performance Bank 1 Sensor 2
P0142 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Bank 1 Sensor 3
P0143 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Low Voltage Bank 1 Sensor 3
P0144 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit High Voltage Bank 1 Sensor 3
P0145 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Bank 1 Sensor 2 Slow Response
P0146 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Insufficient Activity Bank 1 Sensor 3
P0147 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Heater Performance Bank 1 Sensor 3
P0150 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Closed Loop (CL) Performance Bank 2 Sensor 1
P0151 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Low Voltage Bank 2 Sensor 1
P0152 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit High Voltage Bank 2 Sensor 1
P0153 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Slow Response Bank 2 Sensor 1
P0154 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Insufficient Activity Bank 2 Sensor 1
P0155 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Heater Performance Bank 2 Sensor 1
P0156 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Bank 2 Sensor 2
P0157 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Low Voltage Bank 2 Sensor 2
P0158 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit High Voltage Bank 2 Sensor 2
P0159 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Slow Response Bank 2 Sensor 2
P0160 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Insufficient Activity Bank 2 Sensor 2
P0161 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Heater Performance Bank 2 Sensor 2
P0162 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Bank 2 Sensor 3
P0163 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Bank 2 Sensor 3 Low Voltage
P0164 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Bank 2 Sensor 3 High Voltage
P0165 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Bank 2 Sensor 3 Slow Response
P0166 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Bank 2 Sensor 3 No Activity Detected
P0167 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Heater Circuit Bank 2 Sensor 3




P1130 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Low Variance Bank 1 Sensor 1
P1131 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Low Variance Bank 1 Sensor 2
P1132 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Circuit Low Variance Bank 2 Sensor 1
P1133 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Insufficient Switching Bank 1 Sensor 1
P1134 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Transition Time Ratio Bank 1 Sensor 1
P1135 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Lean Mean Bank 1 Sensor 1
P1136 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Rich Mean Bank 1 Sensor 1
P1137 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Bank 1 Sensor 2 Lean System or Low Voltage
P1138 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Bank 1 Sensor 2 Rich or High Voltage
P1139 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Insuff. Switching Bank 1 Sensor 2
P1140 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Transition Time Ratio Bank 1 Sensor 2
P1141 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Heater Control Circuit Bank 1 Sensor 2
P1143 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Bank 1 Sensor 3 Lean System or Low Voltage
P1144 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Bank 1 Sensor 3 Rich or High Voltage
P1145 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Cross Counts Bank 1 Sensor 3
P1153 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Insufficient Switching Bank 2 Sensor 1
P1154 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Transition Time Ratio Bank 2 Sensor 1
P1155 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Lean Mean Bank 2 Sensor 1
P1156 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Rich Mean Bank 2 Sensor 1
P1157 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Bank 2 Sensor 2 Lean System or Low Voltage
P1158 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Bank 2 Sensor 2 Rich or High Voltage
P1159 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Cross Counts Bank 2 Sensor 2
P1161 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Heater Control Circuit Bank 2 Sensor 2
P1163 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Bank 2 Sensor 3 Lean System or Low Voltage
P1164 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Bank 2 Sensor 3 Rich or High Voltage
P1165 - Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Cross Counts Bank 2 Sensor 3

windup

londonTiger wrote: »

Completely pointless. blah blah

Isn't the internet wonderful.

obd is completely pointless is it, what do you thing the AA do, what do you think the garages do, what do you think the main dealer does, they read the codes which give an indication where to start looking, without them, it's gonna take a long time, lots of experimentation, lots of chin scratching, and lots of cost.

£12 also gives you the tool to reset the light

londonTiger

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

Air intake has everything to do with emissions, if Air is being drawn IN it makes more bang more bang means more fuel and more emissions out!, If it escapes the intake, then it cause a rich running engine which causes a higher emissions.

Ok you are right. But that means the fault could be absolutely anywhere.

londonTiger

windup wrote: »

Isn't the internet wonderful.

obd is completely pointless is it, what do you thing the AA do, what do you think the garages do, what do you think the main dealer does, they read the codes which give an indication where to start looking, without them, it's gonna take a long time, lots of experimentation, and lots of cost.

Sorry to hurt your feelings. I didn't mean it.

I said it's pointless checking here and there BEFORE scanning to get a rough indication of what it might be. Because the fault could be anything.

windup

my feelings are fine, I don't give a damn, I'm more bemused why people seem to enjoy hitting that quote button to belittle other ideas without adding much themselves.

I've got one, saved me a lot of money, which is what this website is supposed to be about. Just to put it on the machine at a main dealer is going to be £50+

BeenThroughItAll

londonTiger wrote: »

Completely pointless I wouldnn't even bother unless you have a code reader to give you some indication where problem might be.

And that's why you'd be sat by the side of the road waiting for the AA whilst someone who won't just blindly rely on a code reader has a good chance of driving away and waving at you as they pass.

More and more like DM every post it seems.