HELP - What does this light mean?

nst68 · 23 Dec 2009 at 09:23

My wife was driving to work this morning and saw this light appear on the dash (bottom right), turns out it had come on as soon as she started the engine!

Any ideas what it means?
Car is a Nissan Micra.

I've checked the oil (the oil light isn't on anyway) and coolant and they look ok.
Had a guy round to fit new tyres yesterday and I drove it last night and the light wasn't on.

It's freezing here this morning, don't know if that would have any effect on it.

Cheers.

Django x2 · 23 Dec 2009 at 09:24

Engine management light. Can mean anything really, sensor gone, etc.

Off to a stealer you go

vanandjuanunited · 23 Dec 2009 at 09:25

engine fault?

antijoke · 23 Dec 2009 at 09:26

Do you not have an owners manual?

As said above it's an Engine Management Light (EML). Off to a garage.

lordrobs · 23 Dec 2009 at 09:38

That will need the fault codes to be read unfortunately so if you haven't got the means to do it yourself then it will be a dealer or independant specialist job.

It is annoying because the last time that happened in my car it was a £20 temperature sensor. But if I wasn't able to read the codes myself it would have been a £20 temperature sensor plus £50 ish? to get Skoda to read the fault code for me.

nst68 · 23 Dec 2009 at 09:49

Thanks for the replies, looks like it's dealer time

No manual unfortunately, but get the feeling that all it would say is take it to the dealer.

iaind · 23 Dec 2009 at 09:52

Doesnt have to be a main dealer - any decent independent with a code reader should be able to get the fault code

nst68 · 23 Dec 2009 at 09:53

I just went out to try it again.

Started the car and the light stayed on for about 5 seconds and then went off!

Good or bad?

antijoke · 23 Dec 2009 at 09:54

Get it checked anyway.

dl763 · 23 Dec 2009 at 09:54

Mine goes out after a few seconds on punto

lordrobs · 23 Dec 2009 at 09:57

nst68 said:
I just went out to try it again.

Started the car and the light stayed on for about 5 seconds and then went off!

Good or bad?

That is exactly what it should do.

Dr Who · 23 Dec 2009 at 10:08

Can be that the fuel/air mix is out of the lambda's range, from a cold start, can be a sensor, can be a knackered cat. If it goes out, not really a problem, if it stays on, get it analysed at a dealer.

Luke · 23 Dec 2009 at 10:57

Was the engine even on in that photo? Those lights will always come on when the ignition is turned on but will normally go out a few seconds after the engine is started.

If it remains on during driving then there is a problem that needs investigating.

Cuchulain · 23 Dec 2009 at 11:08

emailiscrap said:
Was the engine even on in that photo?

Do you not think he might have mentioned all of the other warning lights?

Ricochet J · 23 Dec 2009 at 11:09

Engine management problem - give the car a blast on the motorway or NSL A road and it might go.

Luke · 23 Dec 2009 at 11:10

Cuchulain said:
Do you not think he might have mentioned all of the other warning lights?

Good point!

mjer1984 · 23 Dec 2009 at 11:18

If you car is running smoothly and not miss firing, you may just be low on oil I would check that first before spending £50 at a garage.

OllyM · 23 Dec 2009 at 11:42

mjer1984 said:
If you car is running smoothly and not miss firing, you may just be low on oil I would check that first before spending £50 at a garage.

Why would the engine management light come on if you were low on oil?

Gaygle · 23 Dec 2009 at 11:53

I bet it's just an emissions light, triggered by a sensor. I reckon it'll just clear and deluminate.

Jono · 23 Dec 2009 at 11:56

I had such a light on my Leon once, turned out to be a faulty sensor somewhere in ze exhaust sensor and cost me all of a trip to a dealer to get it replaced.