My diagnostics light came on today. Is this serious?

[Chocozai]

Merry Christmas all!
My diagnostics light came on today. Is this serious, or should I wait till I'm back in Cardiff to pop into the local SEAT Dealer?

 

[benuk]

Do you notice anything else about the car? Does it drive ok?

If so you will prob be ok waiting, the diagnostics light could mean many many things and you will need somebody to read the codes with VAGCOM.

 

[Chocozai]

Drives fine. I could only assume if it was serious, I'd get some kind of other alert. I assume any VW/Audi/Skoda/SEAT dealer could have a look for me? If it's serious I'd fix it there and then, if not, I'd wait till I get back to Cardiff.

 

[benuk]

Yeah, any garage with VAGCOM should be able to read the codes for you.

 

[RUM4MO]

Yeah, any garage with VAGCOM should be able to read the codes for you.

Please note that you should remain "mum" about things like VAG-COM or its newer name VCDS to any VW, Seat, Audi, Skoda dealers as VAG-COM is a "reversed engineered" scan tool that works like their VAS 1551 or whatever its called nowadays. The word VAG-COM, in my experience, can make them very angry. For your own use maybe consider buying the cheap Gendan VAG scan tool - its under £40 delivered and will give you a code which you can translate using any good on-line VAG code listing. So immediately you will know exactly what the VAG garage will also read as the source of the logged fault. This tool pays for itself probably after just one use. One thing to remember, is, if a fault has been logged and the reason for this fault has sorted itself out, then the fault light will go off about six engine starts after the fault last appeared.

 

[Chocozai]

How easy are these devices to use, and where can I find such databases?
The garage wants £27 for scanning it. Hmm...

 

[RUM4MO]

They are very easy to use and come with instructions, just use Google to find "VAG ENGINE FAULT CODES" - you might be luckier than me and get access to the complete listing on the CD that comes with the scan tool - but I'd think that a Google search would provide a more complete listing. Some of the diagnostic sites have listings on them - ie the sites of companies that sell diagnostic tools - I can't find the actual source that I used.

 

[ToledoNorthEat]

As long as it drives ok im sure it can wait... if not try to find somewhere that will give you a free assessment, took mine to an ATS garage for a warning light, they told me what had to be done without charge..

 

[CJRamze]

Take it to Thompson and Thompson in caldicot.
Much better than white dove.

 

[Chocozai]

Very helpful, guys, thanks!

Take it to Thompson and Thompson in caldicot.
Much better than white dove.

How so?

 

[CJRamze]

Brilliant customer service,
Good mechanics who do it for the love of the trade (I know the mechanics)
I've seen some of the work they've done on cars, and its shoddy to say the least.
They replaced an engine in a leon a couple of months back its now at T&T's having almost everything replaced as they've ruined this leon fr derv.

 

[Chocozai]

I like the sound of that. I'll be going to them next time, thanks! I had some rather unpleasant experiences there myself in the short time I've been using them.

 

[CJRamze]

To be fair I've been using T&T now for around 4 or 5 years. Not one complaint.
And as 3 of the mechanics are VW Car Enthusiasts you can't really go wrong!

 

[Chocozai]

I've received the machine. Where do I plug it in?

 

[benuk]

The connection in the car is behind the compartment to the bottom right of the steering wheel. The compartment pulls out.

 

[Chocozai]

Thanks guys. I have the following errors - which are serious?

Main Relay Circuit Electrical Malfunction (this one is, I would imagine)

Catalyst System, Bank1 Efficiency Below threshold (might fail MOT)

O2 Sensor Circuit - Malfunction (Bank 1 Sensor 1) (No idea)

 

[benuk]

Can you clear the codes and see if they return? That would separate any one off glitch from actual problems.

Otherwise may just be some sensors need replaced.. if the codes return take it to the garage (at least you know what the codes are and see if what the tell you needs fixed matches up!)

 

[Chocozai]

Well, I guess I could do that. You mean to say that the lights will come back on again if the problem persists, even if I cleared them the first time around? And what benefit is it to me if the dealers' readers say the same thing as mine? It should be obvious, that's what I bought the fault reader for! You reckon they'd charge me for diagnostics if I know the codes already then?

 

[benuk]

Yes they will come back if its a persistent problem.

What I mean is that you know what errors are being returned now, and if you take it to a dealer to get fixed they can't fob you off with anything cos you already know what the errors were

I doubt they would charge to read the codes if you already know them. They may run their own diagnostics on it before fixing anything however..

 

[Chocozai]

Sounds like a plan.