Warning / Enginemangement Light come on

[JoeF]

I have just been to mothers for dinner, left at 6 and car was fine just drove home now, stopped off at tesco for some milk etc car was fine. Got back in, turned engine on started fine, drove off and noticed the engine management light had come on and i then checked what it was in my book and it said "glowplugs" ? what are these or what do they do and are they expensive? it says in the book to seek technical assistance immediatley?

 

[Torquemonster]

I have just been to mothers for dinner, left at 6 and car was fine just drove home now, stopped off at tesco for some milk etc car was fine. Got back in, turned engine on started fine, drove off and noticed the engine management light had come on and i then checked what it was in my book and it said "glowplugs" ? what are these or what do they do and are they expensive? it says in the book to seek technical assistance immediatley?

Glowplugs are the diesel eqivalent of a petrol engines spark plugs.I've never had to replace them,but as far as i know they aren't expensive.They help ignite your fuel on start up.
If you've got the same handbook as me it says 'if a fault occurs in the diesel engine management system,it will be indicated by a flashing warning lamp.In this case,have the engine checked immediately'.
Not sure about the 'immediately' bit.Sounds like Seat just covering themselves.I'd book it in asap though.Just in case.

 

[JoeF]

how much am i looking at to just get it checked on a diagnostic thing (vag com). Live in the Bolton area. Are they easy to change? had a look on ebay at glowplugs and they seem fairly inexpensive, just need to find out the actual fault, ive done a search on here and others have problems such as car not moving, no throttle reponse or break light failure. Mine however does not seem to have any of those issues

 

[Torquemonster]

how much am i looking at to just get it checked on a diagnostic thing (vag com). Live in the Bolton area. Are they easy to change? had a look on ebay at glowplugs and they seem fairly inexpensive, just need to find out the actual fault, ive done a search on here and others have problems such as car not moving, no throttle reponse or break light failure. Mine however does not seem to have any of those issues

Sorry Joe,can't help you.Plenty others on here can though.Anybody out there?.....

 

[JoeF]

no one?

 

[RUM4MO]

This is maybe a "way off" suggestion, but check the operation of your brake light switch - just back up to another car or wall and while its dark make sure your brake lights are getting switched on - these switches cause lots of strange problems and there seem to be a "lot of it about" right now! After this has been checked and if it was not the problem, I'd go for a fault code reading - it must be cheaper than just buying bits, if you had a duff heater plug your car would probably be lumpy at start up and while it was still cold.

 

[JoeF]

ill give it a go mate and see what happens, its not lumpy or anything on start up, its fine. Hae not felt anythin different or heard anything different

 

[Leigh15]

Good call on the brake lights - fantastic little bug that on these cars!

 

[Ric 2001]

ill give it a go mate and see what happens, its not lumpy or anything on start up, its fine. Hae not felt anythin different or heard anything different

Noticed you don't live to far away from me... If you want I can hook it upto Vag.com for you and see what the 'REAL' problem is.... unless you have already done that.. that is.

 

[muddyboots]

The fact that the glowplug light is flashing doesn't mean it's a fault with the glowplugs - it's the engine management's way of telling you there's an engine fault.
The glowplug light only refers to glowplugs when it stays on (which you'll rarely see on PD engines unless it's really cold on startup).

Definitely check your brakelight switch is working, it's a very common cause of this.
If it's not working, you'll either have no brakelights, which is very dangerous...or they'll be stuck on.

 

[RUM4MO]

Good call on the brake lights - fantastic little bug that on these cars!

I think you've used exactly the correct term there, ie "bug", there seems to be a lot of this around just now!

 

[RUM4MO]

ill give it a go mate and see what happens, its not lumpy or anything on start up, its fine. Hae not felt anythin different or heard anything different

Well, problem solved? Or are you any further forward on this one?

 

[JoeF]

Noticed you don't live to far away from me... If you want I can hook it upto Vag.com for you and see what the 'REAL' problem is.... unless you have already done that.. that is.

pm'd

The fact that the glowplug light is flashing doesn't mean it's a fault with the glowplugs - it's the engine management's way of telling you there's an engine fault.
The glowplug light only refers to glowplugs when it stays on (which you'll rarely see on PD engines unless it's really cold on startup).

Definitely check your brakelight switch is working, it's a very common cause of this.
If it's not working, you'll either have no brakelights, which is very dangerous...or they'll be stuck on.

The brakelights seem fine, they are not stuck on and they do work so does that rule that out?

 

[JoeF]

Well, problem solved? Or are you any further forward on this one?

still not solved nope, brakes are fine from what i can see, got quotes today to stick it on diagnostic machine. Im looking at £35-£40 for it to go on then pay for what ever needs doing or buying. :s

 

[RUM4MO]

Well at least you have tried one of the possible reasons (nothing ventured etc), getting it scanned is now the only way forward as that should stop you wasting money changing things blindly. BTW, how many times have you started the car since this first happened - if the "fault" was transient or a "ghost" fault, it might have disappeared but the light will stay on until you have carried out about 6 or so engine starts - either way getting it scanned will let you see what caused this light to come on (hopefully).

 

[muddyboots]

When the brake liht switch went on my Passat, it happened intermittently at first before becoming a permanent fault....

 

[JoeF]

right ive just been to the shop and the light was still on, i literally came in the house and went back out and drove down the street and the light has now gone off..... whats all that about lol? is that now problem solved and no point wasting £35 to get it on the diagnostics if there is gonna be no fault there ?

 

[Ric 2001]

Fault will still be stored in the ECU's memory. May CAT 16??? code is still it it's memory although there is no engine light on.

 

[RUM4MO]

right ive just been to the shop and the light was still on, i literally came in the house and went back out and drove down the street and the light has now gone off..... whats all that about lol? is that now problem solved and no point wasting £35 to get it on the diagnostics if there is gonna be no fault there ?

See my previous reply for that being! Either get it scanned or buy a cheap version of VAG-COM to find out why it came on - then clear that event, until the next time. Normally I am not inclined to advise the buying of the shareware version of VAG-COM - but if you are only quickly wanting to read and clear any faults - then maybe that's the way to go.

 

[JoeF]

i can get it down for £25 from someone my gf knows but this is expensive aint it? but ric2001 said he can do it which is kind of him, im just working when hes aailable