Check Engine - Light Switch/horn

[milano340]

Hi All,

I have encountered a very weird situation just after coming back from a Service station . I had got the cars undercarriage washed (Lancer) and now there is an issue with the Electricals..... The Headlights are constantly on even with the switch being off!!, When the switch is turned on - The Check Engine light is lit up...! This has led me to remove the fuse of the headlights and now the problem has moved across...When the Light switch is turned off...The Horn stays ON!! and when the Light switch is turned to the "park lights" position the Horn goes off.... Now I have removed the Horn Fuse as well !!

Hoping someone can shed some light on this Check Engine LIGHT issue!! hmmm

Thanks

[harshansenadhir]

Hi All,

I have encountered a very weird situation just after coming back from a Service station . I had got the cars undercarriage washed (Lancer) and now there is an issue with the Electricals..... The Headlights are constantly on even with the switch being off!!, When the switch is turned on - The Check Engine light is lit up...! This has led me to remove the fuse of the headlights and now the problem has moved across...When the Light switch is turned off...The Horn stays ON!! and when the Light switch is turned to the "park lights" position the Horn goes off.... Now I have removed the Horn Fuse as well !!

Hoping someone can shed some light on this Check Engine LIGHT issue!! hmmm

Thanks

rather than removing fuses its better if you can remove positive battery terminal until you get some help from a qualified electrician or water vapour in one of wire connectors under or inside engine bay dries themselves off. This is the result if you wash the engine bay or under carriage of most modern vehicles. I learnt the same in hard way and luckily it got sorted you automatically when it got dried off.

If you're conversant with wiring loom of your vehicle then inspect to see what are the wire connectors (multi-point main connectors inside the engine bay)

prone to get affected by water vapour. Get your self either a hair drier or a compressor and dry off or blow off water inside these connectors. If you're not sure how to do this, it's best if you can get help of an electrician.

[milano340]

rather than removing fuses its better if you can remove positive battery terminal until you get some help from a qualified electrician or water vapour in one of wire connectors under or inside engine bay dries themselves off. This is the result if you wash the engine bay or under carriage of most modern vehicles. I learnt the same in hard way and luckily it got sorted you automatically when it got dried off.

If you're conversant with wiring loom of your vehicle then inspect to see what are the wire connectors (multi-point main connectors inside the engine bay)

prone to get affected by water vapour. Get your self either a hair drier or a compressor and dry off or blow off water inside these connectors. If you're not sure how to do this, it's best if you can get help of an electrician.

Thanks for the advise, I Have disconnected the battery...Will be taking it across to run an OBD and see what they say tomorrow ... Am suspecting the main fuse box - FRONT ECU located in the engine bay... which i know controls the headlights and horn and dome light etc....

Hopefully it should dry up if there are any water droplets by tomorrow....Till then my baby aint going anywhere!!

Thanks again !

[harshansenadhir]

Thanks for the advise, I Have disconnected the battery...Will be taking it across to run an OBD and see what they say tomorrow ... Am suspecting the main fuse box - FRONT ECU located in the engine bay... which i know controls the headlights and horn and dome light etc....

Hopefully it should dry up if there are any water droplets by tomorrow....Till then my baby aint going anywhere!!

Thanks again !

great, and never do the same mistake again, engine bays of modern cars are meant to keep away from water and people yet failing to realize that, at least those so called professionals in service stations.

[milano340]

great, and never do the same mistake again, engine bays of modern cars are meant to keep away from water and people yet failing to realize that, at least those so called professionals in service stations.

Well...I strictly made sure an Engine Wash was not done...Especially with the Lancer being a GDI ....

.but I am assuming the pressure wash from underneath is what caused this issue......Now thats a bit tricky to avoid with the dust and SL road conditions!!

[harshansenadhir]

Well...I strictly made sure an Engine Wash was not done...Especially with the Lancer being a GDI ....

.but I am assuming the pressure wash from underneath is what caused this issue......Now thats a bit tricky to avoid with the dust and SL road conditions!!

i don't do that even on my 406 coz about 4 years back i faced the same issue you've just faced and nearly survived from an ecu replacement. Nothing has gone wrong due to the fact that i'm not washing the under carriage instead it lengthen the life of rubber bushes and all coz they don't get soaked in kerosene, chemicals and some oils meant to use inside machinery plus they don't get exposed to high pressure which again might be harmfull.

Hope you'll get sort out the issue soon and keep us updated.

Edited August 1, 2010 by harshansenadhir

[milano340]

i don't do that even on my 406 coz about 4 years back i faced the same issue you've just faced and nearly survived from an ecu replacement. Nothing has gone wrong due to the fact that i'm not washing the under carriage instead it lengthen the life of rubber bushes and all coz they don't get soaked in kerosene, chemicals and some oils meant to use inside machinery plus they don't get exposed to high pressure which again might be harmfull.

Hope you'll get sort out the issue soon and keep us updated.

Allrighty then ...Here is the Update...Reconnected the battery in the evening after a good 4 hours of the car parked in the sun with the hood open and having all the fuses and FRONT ECU reset!!! ...Started the car and everything worked fine ....Ran an OBD diag today and no errors reported !! !! All good under the HOOD!! !!

Fingers Crossed !! So yea...Near miss and lesson learnt about no undercarriage washing for the FRONT area of the car apart from the NO Engine Wash !!

[harshansenadhir]

Allrighty then ...Here is the Update...Reconnected the battery in the evening after a good 4 hours of the car parked in the sun with the hood open and having all the fuses and FRONT ECU reset!!! ...Started the car and everything worked fine ....Ran an OBD diag today and no errors reported !! !! All good under the HOOD!! !!

Fingers Crossed !! So yea...Near miss and lesson learnt about no undercarriage washing for the FRONT area of the car apart from the NO Engine Wash !!

Glad to hear that it sorted out itself after drying all water vapour.