Warning Lights on dashboard?

[TerryC]

I saw an advert a couple of months ago by a British mechanic here in Spain that said all warning lights on the dashboard must work properly for your car to pass its ITV. Is this correct?

The company advertised that they could rectify this cheeply, presumably with some relays in the wiring system. The ABS on my Ford Focus stopped working two years ago so two warning lights are permanently on with a potential cost to fix it correctly of over €1,000.

Any ideas appreciated.

[El Cid]

I have never seen them check for warning lights.

Sid

[malagaman2005]

Yes you're correct Terry, they can, and will fail the vehicle if a warning light is showing as happened to somebody I know recently. The examiner certainly checked that all my lights extinguished on start up a couple of weeks ago although that could have been because he himself was being 'examined' but having said that he didn't even check the rear/brake lights during the test so it really depends what mood they're in on the day.

[Devils Advocate]

I would assume that they don't check that warning lights illuminate Sid but if there is a brake fault light showing then I'd guess an eyebrow or two could be raised, it would at an MOT station here.

Terry, when you say there are 2 lights on is the other one the engine management light?

1000E seems a bit steep to fix, rather very steep if problem has not yet been identified

The fault on the braking system has triggered a fault on the ecu, hence the other light I'd say...........pound to a penny its a filthy,grubby trigger sensor on the wheel or at worst a broken sensor, easy to clean or replace.

I take it you know the ABS is not working, you can't hear it chatter when you do a hard brake to a stop on a dusty/wet road.

I'd hope it's a 100 euro job tops for a new sensor and a man with an obd2 fault reader to switch the diagnostic light off.

Good luck with it and don't be thinking of chucking 1000e just yet.

[olive]

Where to start!

First the warning light is just that to tell you that the system is faulty. You need to get it fixed! It should be an ITV failure. Brakes are a fairly important item in an emergency.

It maybe a sensor or maybe your Braking system ECU. I have a lot of personal experience with this as one car we have owned for a long time has had the problem twice in its life. Fortunately I am a member of a truly excellent car forum and other members have had exactly the same problem on the same year and model. I suggest you join a similar forum for your car even if you pay a garage to do the job.

As to fixing, garages have and do quote anything up to £1200 to fix the problem. In my case one of the two companies I know of in the UK do ECU repairs ( it is usually a thin wire or thin part of the cct board that goes) guaranteed two years for about £150 including round trip signed for postage. One is ECU testing Nottingham and the other is BBA Reman (they have a Spanish office but failed to respond).

Fitting doesn't involve any loss of brake fluid but on my car was very very fiddly (you can only feel what you are doing not see)

Finally the other warning light. What is it for ? If it is EML (engine management light) again it will be on for a reason. A Ford code reader plugged into it will tell the mechanic what the code is and then from that they can start replacing components if it is a dealer. A proper mechanic will check electrical connectors are seated and clean, then tackle the job in a less expensive way. On older cars there are ways of flashing out the codes yourself but again if you join a decent forum they will help you. That light too needs checking.

If you are desperate to get the car ITV'd you could remove the bulb! but I wouldn't suggest that of course. Years ago I bought a car that had been through a Network q 150 point check blah blah. One owner from new (Vauxhall) and that had the EML bulb removed to hide a knock sensor fault.

[country boy]

My ABS warning light has been on for the last ten years...I've been waiting for the bulb to blow Seriously, as the mechanic at the garage said, drive along a gravelly track and anchor up, if one wheel locks then you have a problem, I haven't ! Obviously the bulb will have to be removed before our next test, it's a Range Rover, probably have to take half the dashboard to bits to get at it

[Beachcomber]

Luckily the only warning lights on the dashboard of my 26 year old 4x4 are an ignition light and an oil pressure warning light!

[country boy]

Yeah Smarty but you've got to do it every 6 months....think of the tyre wear

[Devils Advocate]

Beachy and his inlaws on their way to Leyroy Merlin

http://www.crazyabouttv.com/Images/beve ... illies.jpg

[Beachcomber]

I used to love watching the Beverly Hillbillies especially when Ellie May was sunbathing in her bikini next to the ceement pond!

[Devils Advocate]

We've got a Spanish family like that on our track........I often invite Inmaculada May for a dip in our PH balanced pool

[Mowser]

Remove the offending bulbs for the MOT then shop around.

[Mowser]

Beachy and his inlaws on their way to Leyroy Merlin

http://www.crazyabouttv.com/Images/beve ... illies.jpg

I've spluttered coffee all over the keyboard. Thanks.

[scotty]

Remove the offending bulbs for the MOT then shop around.

The same company that does the spanish itv test also does the Irish one. They check the lights at pre ignition point ie before turning over the engine. If the abs or other lights dont illuminate and extinguish then its a fail. As mentioned above its not a problem that I would ignore on my car.

[Mowser]

My car here has gone through 3 MOT tests and not once have the lights on the dash been checked.
I drive into the station and the test begins. I haven't been asked to switch of and start again. Indeed there is a notice outside saying you should start the engine up a minute or so before the test to expunge all gases. Perhaps you could try a different testing station.

[Campo Steve]

I've taken cars through several ITV tests and on each occasion the tester has got into the car during the emissions test to set the revs at whatever level is required. I would imagine at that point he can easily see if any dashboars warning lights are on.

[gus-lopez]

I've never had a tester do anything other than note the speedo reading. They are more concerned that what's on the ficha tecnica is correct than anything else. Last year I never got a smoke test , yet a reading appeared on the pass sheet ! Even doing transfers they only ever look inside to see that the seats comply with the amount on the original reg. document. They check with a tape measure that the wheelbase is what's shown on the original document yet never check wipers & washers.

[julian]

"Last year I never got a smoke test "

since the smoking ban they are not allowed to do the smoke test !

[country boy]

One thing you take as a certainty with an annual ITV test is that every year is different and even quite entertaining trying to guess what they will be looking for this time. My last test (Sept 2010) he spent ages trying to find the chassis number actually on the chassis. At one stage there were four mechanics in it and under it and that was in the car park after the main testing was over

[Beachcomber]

A couple of years ago my ancient 4x4 failed because the tester said the tracking was out. The problem was that the spokes on the steering wheel were not lined up properly because when some work had been done on the steering a few years previously the steering wheel wasn't put back on straight.

I borrowed a spanner from a lorry driver, went round the corner, took the steering wheel off and put it back on a few notches further round, managed to get a retest there and then, went back through and got a pass.