Engine light not showing at ignition

Crgwal

A2OC Donor
Scotland
Hello,

So this has been puzzling me for a few days now. When I turn my ignition on all the lights on my dashboard go on, except for the engine light.

I had been working on my MASS sensor and pulled the sensor cable out when someone said that will pit your engine light on. He was surprised it didn't. That's when it got me thinking.

Is it possible my engine light is bust or something else?

I have seen online that the light does turn on at ignition normally?

Thanks for any info on this.
 
Hello,

So this has been puzzling me for a few days now. When I turn my ignition on all the lights on my dashboard go on, except for the engine light.

I had been working on my MASS sensor and pulled the sensor cable out when someone said that will pit your engine light on. He was surprised it didn't. That's when it got me thinking.

Is it possible my engine light is bust or something else?

I have seen online that the light does turn on at ignition normally?

Thanks for any info on this.
It's a FSI, has the EML ever illuminated at startup in your ownership? It is not uncommon for dishonest sellers to disable the EML with a FSI to hide faults to aide sale rather than incur costly repairs before sale. Next step is a VCDS scan, but pound to a penny even being several hundred miles away I can diagnose fault P1031!!

Welcome by the way.

Andy
 
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Same here on my tdi75 although she has darn bunch of stuff to be sorted out which shows up on vcds lite but no eml???
 
Some TDIs have the EML, some do not.

Discussion here.

My 54 Reg tdi has it and 52 doesn't light up but I can see the eml light print on the dial. Perhaps feature is not active or disabled?
Also one said the glow plug light flashes instead if there is an issue but it doesn't in my case. I do have it throwing fault codes though.
 
It's all TDIs that use the glow plug light to indicate a problem Steve, it flashed when the brake switch went kaput on the 54 plate that the daughter in law has now.
 
It's a FSI, has the EML ever illuminated at startup in your ownership? It is not uncommon for dishonest sellers to disable the EML with a FSI to hide faults to aide sale rather than incur costly repairs before sale. Next step is a VCDS scan, but pound to a penny even being several hundred miles away I can diagnose fault P1031!!

Welcome by the way.

Andy

Hi and thanks.

I did not know there was an EML light? i tried to find some info on it but i can't seem to get anything.

Note: I am a petrol 1.6

EPC does however? After that all goes off.

I unplugged the mass sensor which showed up on the OBD and disappeared after reconnecting.

I do have two error codes though, both I have been reading about on other forum posts. (See picks)

I'm more interested in the engine light for now though.

As always thanks
 

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I think the code description on your generic reader equates to P1031, as @Andrew suggested. Such a popular code, it's got it's own thread, have a read (Google A2OC P1031). Don't be too downhearted, lots of help here from fellow FSI'ers.
Pay less attention to the non FSI running "doom sayers" though ?
Once fixed, your FSI will be a GTI!
Or, once the flaps are fixed the ProBoost map is an option, but, it will not be an FSI anymore, just an FI.
Either way, it'll go like a dingbat ?
Mac.
 
I was just a week or two away from getting the ProBoost ordered up. Should I fix these issues first?

Do we think someone has disconnected the engine management light?

Craig

Edit: Thanks i will have a look!
 
Hi and thanks.

I did not know there was an EML light? i tried to find some info on it but i can't seem to get anything.

Note: I am a petrol 1.6

EPC does however? After that all goes off.

I unplugged the mass sensor which showed up on the OBD and disappeared after reconnecting.

I do have two error codes though, both I have been reading about on other forum posts. (See picks)

I'm more interested in the engine light for now though.

As always thanks
Good Afternoon,

Lots of points you raise in order.

The lights you should see at startup with a FSI is detailed here.

Yes, I know you have a FSI, it is on your forum registration details, but always good when you start a new thread to restate to save others looking it up. (Everyone note!).

EPC Illuminating briefly on dash at startup is normal as per link above.

Lots to say but must go now, back later.

Andy
 
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Now the absent EML about which you are concerned.

Yes I do think it is highly likely some dishonest person has disabled the EML. Common methods for doing this are 1. Tape over the EML led. 2. Stuff wadding in the light tunnel. 3. Brutally rip out the LED.

To repair you will have to remove the instrument cluster, not difficult. In the case of 1. & 2. you can simply remove, whereas 3. needs a new led and soldering skills. However it can argued that this is not a DIY job because if I am correct you will have to remove the dial needles and probably lose calibration. The only guaranteed solution is to have Tom(Timmus) repair and recalibrate. You can post it to him, if he is available, but you will be without the car for at least a week. Alternatively do nothing and engage him when he is 'on tour' in Scotland or drive to Lancaster by arrangement! I suppose there might be other third parties auto electrician services local to you but I do not know if I would trust them.

More later.

Andy
 
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Off the phone to the the previous owner there. Lovely guy and he had the car for many year, as well as spending many £££ on it. (Full service history which i will look through in detail now)

He was very confused about the EML light not showing, and asked me to message him my outcome - as he has been using the same garage for about a decade now!

Thanks @Andrew I will do just that and remove the instrument cluster and see how it goes. I had messaged (Timmus) last week for something else but I never heared back from him.

As for the error code (P0340 cam shaft positioning) the previous owner said he was aware of that issue and that those errors can pop up when you have bad gear changes or missfires and such. The code can be cleared but it will likely just come back he said as he had it fixed before already... Anyway thats another story for another time.

For (P1031) thanks for the infos on that.

Craig
 
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Now the important bit, the fault codes.

I think it will be worthwhile to have a VCDS scan and post the results here, have a look at the Free Scan Register in the Diagnostics subforum, there is a member not too far away. You will be amazed at the faults it will find and need fixing!

First the P1031 fault. (Yes Mac it is, top left of the picture).

I do not know how much you know about this fault, there is hours of reading about this fault here on the forum, Mac's suggestion above is a good place to start. In case you are unfamiliar a very brief summary.

As you are might be aware for reasons of efficiency in modern engines part of the exhaust gas is recycled back through the intake manifold. Over time this dirty gas coats the manifold with carbon which leads to seizure of the flap mechanism within the FSI lower intake manifold. The usual scenario is the arm of the vacuum actuator that is trying to move the flaps breaks.

First step is to simply check the arm of the vacuum actuator moves, details in the P1031 thread. You may be very lucky and find the N316 valve which is instrumental in moving it has failed and this the cause of your P1031 code, easy to fix and not much cost £45ish. Much more likely is it will move, indicating a healthy N316 and I am afraid this means the manifold will have to be stripped and cleaned, usually requiring a new vacuum actuator.

The cost of a professional repair will not be cheap which is why so many FSIs EMLs have been nobbled to hide the fault to pass the MOT and then sold on, but it seems you tinker and a DIY repair would normally be just over £100, quite straightforward by all accounts just takes time, take the pressure off yourself and choose a time when you do not need the car for at least two days.

If you intend to keep the car long term then while the manifold is off an opportunity for long term maintenance items, injector clean, death pipe replacement and new thermostat housing plus thermostat and coolant temperature, but this adds more time and cost say £250.

You ask about P1031 and ProBoost. I would advocate the repair first since ProBoost assumes the flaps are fully open and if they are seized shut or part open then how this would effect performance with ProBoost I do not think anyone knows.

In the meantime I do not think running the car with P1031 is damaging your engine, you are just losing peak performance and mpg.

Sorry to ramble on so long, just trying to help.

Andy
 
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Now the important bit, the fault codes.

I think it will be worthwhile to have a VCDS scan and post the results here, have a look at the Free Scan Register in the Diagnostics subforum, there is a member not too far away. You will be amazed at the faults it will find and need fixing!

First the P1030 fault. (Yes Mac it is, top left of the picture).

I do not know how much you know about this fault, there is hours of reading about this fault here on the forum, Mac's suggestion above is a good place to start. In case you are unfamiliar a very brief summary.

As you are might be aware for reasons of efficiency in modern engines part of the exhaust gas is recycled back through the intake manifold. Over time this dirty gas coats the manifold with carbon which leads to seizure of the flap mechanism within the FSI lower intake manifold. The usual scenario is the arm of the vacuum actuator that is trying to move the flaps breaks.

First step is to simply check the arm of the vacuum actuator moves, details in the P1031 thread. You may be very lucky and find the N316 valve which is instrumental in moving it has failed and this the cause of your P1031 code, easy to fix and not much cost £45ish. Much more likely is it will move, indicating a healthy N316 and I am afraid this means the manifold will have to be stripped and cleaned, usually requiring a new vacuum actuator.

The cost of a professional repair will not be cheap which is why so many FSIs EMLs have been nobbled to hide the fault to pass the MOT and then sold on, but it seems you tinker and a DIY repair would normally be just over £100, quite straightforward by all accounts just takes time, take the pressure off yourself and choose a time when you do not need the car for at least two days.

If you intend to keep the car long term then while the manifold is off an opportunity for long term maintenance items, injector clean, death pipe replacement and new thermostat housing plus thermostat and coolant temperature, but this adds more time and cost say £250.

You ask about P1031 and ProBoost. I would advocate the repair first since ProBoost assumes the flaps are fully open and if they are seized shut or part open then how this would effect performance with ProBoost I do not think anyone knows.

In the meantime I do not think running the car with P1030 is damaging your engine, you are just losing peak performance and mpg.

Sorry to ramble on so long, just trying to help.

Andy
I enjoy a good (virtual) ramble ?

@Crgwal
If you don't already know, the species FSIus feeds on an exclusive diet of 98/98 octane fuel. Shell V Power being a special favourite! Anything less will do your motor no good at all.
Welcome to a very exclusive club?
Mac.
 
I will do just that and remove the instrument cluster and see how it goes. I had messaged (Timmus) last week for something else but I never heared back from him.
Hi Craig,

Apologies for the delay... I've just replied to your private message.

The issue that you have with the EML is very common with the FSI. I work on A2 instrument clusters regularly, and see this issue all the time. I fixed this issue twice yesterday.

As Andrew says, you can post your existing instrument cluster to me for repair, but this will leave the car immobilised whilst the work is done. Alternatively, the DIS upgrade that we discussed privately will effectively also resolve this issue at no additional cost.

Kind regards,

Tom
 
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Thank you @Andrew for taking the time to rample, please dont ever stop that was great and very helpful! I now have quite a large list of things to work on and my wallet is perhaps not deep enough to do all these things straight away as I'm back being a student again. I for sure cant wait to get stuck in though and to learn my way around this car.

Got your message @timmus again some more great information and the resources available to me seem to just keep on growing! Good to know about the DIS upgade being a fix on the instument cluster as well. No worries on the delay.

I have been running on Tescos 99 octane for a few weeks now, and my brother was just telling me about V Power yesterday he also seems to be a fan :rolleyes:

This is all rather new to me, infact this is the first car I have owned. I am lucky enough to have access to a garage like space in the city, with tools and car jacks etc. This will be a project I look to keep going for a few years. First thing tomorrow, is a full service that me and the brother shall be working on. Brother is in the midst of moving an M3's engine from one car to his 2003 BMW 3- series Touring!

I may not have rampled on quite as much here, but I have taken note of all things said, top level cummunity!

Yes @PlasticMac welcomed I am FSI ? :cool::cool:

Many thanks,

Craig
 
VCDS-Lite Version: Release 1.2
Monday, 19 October 2020, 13:00:38.


Chassis Type: 8Z - Audi A2
Scan: 01,02,03,08,15,16,17,18,37,45,46,56,57,75,76,77

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 01: Engine Labels: Redir Fail!
Controller: 036 906 013 F
Component: MED7.5.11 5130
Coding: 00051
Shop #: WSC 02138
VCID: 1257394B4D77
WAUZZZ8Z54N002174 AUZ7Z0C2409972
8 Faults Found:
17748 - Camshaft Position Sensor (G40) / Engine Speed Sensor (G28): Incor. Correlation
P1340 - 35-00 - -
17912 - Shareware Version. To Decode all DTCs
P1504 - 35-10 - Please Register/Activate - Intermittent
17439 - Shareware Version. To Decode all DTCs
P1031 - 35-10 - Please Register/Activate - Intermittent
16684 - Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected
P0300 - 35-00 - -
16685 - Shareware Version. To Decode all DTCs
P0301 - 35-00 - Please Register/Activate
16686 - Shareware Version. To Decode all DTCs
P0302 - 35-10 - Please Register/Activate - Intermittent
16486 - Mass Air Flow Sensor (G70): Signal too Low
P0102 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent
16687 - Shareware Version. To Decode all DTCs
P0303 - 35-00 - Please Register/Activate
Readiness: 0000 0000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 45: Inter. Monitor Labels: 8E0-951-177.LBL
Controller: 8Z0 951 177
Component: Innenraumueberw. D04
Coding: 00001
Shop #: WSC 00000
VCID: 55DD0257BC19
No fault code found.
 
The EML should be on. That P0301 thread is your homework for today I think.
The EML might be dissconnected, or blanked with tape. I'd worry about that once you've cleared the errors.
If you go the ProBoost route, the flaps need fixing so they can reach the rest position. The vacum actuator etc is not, I think used by ProBoost. @A2Steve will confirm this.
So ProBoost is a bit less work, but not for the FSI purist, well not yet ...
Mac.
 
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