Help required. Emissions warning light!

[Timthebrief]

Hi all, can any of the spanner monkeys out there help as to why the engine emissions light on the dash (the orange one with the outline of the engine: no 13 in the manual diagram) might be permanently lit.

It should go out after ignition or flash if the emissions are wrong (too high?) Now it's staying on but the Leon is otherwise performing normally. This seems to have happened after driving through a bit of flood water in torrential rain on Friday afternoon. Coincidence or cause?

Is this just a fuse change job, VAG-Com or a wallet bashing visit to the stealers? Any help gratefully received.

 

[RobM]

I had the same light appear once, and I found out after a bit of searching that that specific light is a general 'you have a problem' light, it's not telling you about one specific thing.

Get your car checked with VAG-COM if you can, or get it to the dealers.

 

[Timthebrief]

Thanks for that Rob. I've searched other threads and people are saying it's a general warning light but all sorts of different problems, some very minor some very serious/ expensive.

Does anyone know if the coincidence of some flood water driving, and being sprayed by idiots ploughing through the other way, causes specific problems without causing the car to noticably stop cough or splutter? thanks.

 

[RobM]

If you sucked up water you could have big problems, but you would probably know about this almost instantly. The only other thing is water could have shorted a sensor or other electrical item.

Without meaning to sound like a broken record, a scan with VAG-COM will highlight any sensors that have problems and will give specific fault codes to the problem you have.

A slightly more risky way of dealing with this, is to disconnect the negative lead of your battery for 30 mins. This re-sets the ECU and clears any fault codes that have been logged. If there is a problem the light will come back on... if it was just a one-off momentary problem it wont. But if the problem is serious you risk doing more damage by driving the car assuming all is ok.

Best to get it looked at

 

[Timthebrief]

Yikes, just read the "big puddle thread" from somone else who got a bit wet on Friday and it gets scarier by the minute.

However as it ran fine on my 25 mile run this morning I'm starting to think/hope that it's water in the electrics rather than ingestion into the engine.

Hopefully should be ok to get back up there to my local garage for a check up?.

 

[RobM]

Should be, but take it easy just in case. As I said, water sucked into the engine tends to have pretty immediate problems.

 

[howiet]

engine management light

could be the same problem that i have, rang the dealers and the first question they asked was if my brake lights were working, mine were ok but when they checked the car out they told me i neede anew pedal switch i think thats a common fault or so iv'e read on the forum hope this is some help

 

[Timthebrief]

Thanks for the responses and advice on this. Took the LC to a local independent garage yesterday afternoon. 5 mins on VAG-Com showed the alleged fault as "coolant running hot". Only by 2 degrees C and not noticeable on gauge. Cleared the fault code and Bob seems to be my Uncle.

All running fine this morning so my worst fears of yesterday don't seem to have been realised.

Garage told me to return any time if it lights up again. No charge and no hassle. What a refreshing change (DC Autos, Station Rd, Overton)

 

[RobM]

Result Sounds like a good garage too, one to keep friendly with!