Engine management light flashes, any ideas?

[L4V15]

Hi there. This evening I was driving and the engine management light started flashing, at low engine speeds more so. I first noticed that it sounded like it was running really rough, then noticed the light flashing. It then went away for a good 5-10 minutes and then briefly did it again for another minute or so. Then went again for 10minutes. Havent been in the car again since but I have a 200mile drive to do tomorrow so wondering whether it will be ok? Does anybody have any sort of diagnoses for this? Cat converters? They seem to look and sound fine. Just had a full service last week aswell. Sounds really rough only when the light starts flashing, almost like a subaru boxer engine or something. Think it losses power aswell but was totally fine and sounding fine after the light went away.

 

Anyway im rambling. Somebody please help.

 

Cheers

 

Steve

[Vik54]

Haven't a scooby but wouldn't be driving it until I had a diagnosis - maybe find another car for tomorrow's journey

[Ian]

Have a look at the procedure on here & read the code

 

Were the spark plugs changed on the service?

[Neilp]

You can't tell if cats look fine, it's the internals that do the work.

 

Read the fault code using the "pedal dance"

 

Guides are on here. Film it with the phone and post it up here and somebody can help

[tprice]

probably got an intermittant misfire

[L4V15]

Pedal dance? Ok il have a look. Yes the spark plugs were changed. But I've driven it since and it's been fine. Misfire you reckon?

[Southernspeed]

CEL on = fault thrown, CEL flashing = stop driving! Bad fault. Check it out before driving any more.

[rtbiscuit]

if its going lumpy and sounds like a boxewr engine it sounds like 1 or more cyclinders isn't working, either a missfire, could be a spark issue, or it could be a fuelling issue; maybe a blocked injector.

 

but it needs the code pulling.

 

also as said above, light on means need checking but not critical. flashing means you should pull over as soon as possible to avoid engine damage.

 

personally i wouldn't be taking that car anywhere other than to the garage.

[Zugara]

Oil level ok

Do the ECU reset as already mentioned

[rtbiscuit]

Oil level ok

Do the ECU reset as already mentioned

 

don't reset it, get the code first

[ds2000]

Oil level ok

Do the ECU reset as already mentioned

 

don't reset it, get the code first

 

+1 - Don't go for a long drive in the car, you could end up with a monster bill!

[L4V15]

Hmm. I had no option. Has been totally fine since though. Do.you think.it could have been a temporarily blocked injector maybe then? Havent had any warning lights and sounds normal now. Also it was very wet when it happened? Don't suppose that could effect anything? Thanks for the responses

[rtbiscuit]

Hmm. I had no option. Has been totally fine since though. Do.you think.it could have been a temporarily blocked injector maybe then? Havent had any warning lights and sounds normal now. Also it was very wet when it happened? Don't suppose that could effect anything? Thanks for the responses

 

without knowing your car, wahts fitted etc, any mods, its like a blind man trying to score a hole in one form 500 yards after being spun round 50 times first.