Malfunction light

[AugustWest]

Is there a way I can get a fault code for whatever is going wrong?

There's no real noticeable problems while the car is running, apart from a quiet squealing when the engine is warming up. Could this be related?

Also, is the car driveable while this light is on? I need it every day really but I don't want to cause any more damage.

 

[frank]

augustwest

i think the light is engine only faults, and you have to short 2 wires on the consult plug and count the flashes of the light, what year is yours ?

 

[ollyc98]

Sounds like you need to tighten your alternator belt as it's slipping causing the battery to run flat and the squealing noise

 

[AugustWest]

augustwest

i think the light is engine only faults, and you have to short 2 wires on the consult plug and count the flashes of the light, what year is yours ?

It is 2000 X reg. How would I go about shorting the wires? Sorry, I'm not very technically minded when it comes to cars.

Sounds like you need to tighten your alternator belt as it's slipping causing the battery to run flat and the squealing noise

When the battery was put on charge it was almost full and the alternator belt seemed fairly tight, so I don't know if that means anything. Is there any sort of guideline to know how tight it should actually be?

 

[ollyc98]

I believe it should flex 90 degree's on the tight side but I could be wrong, I just tighten them bit by bit til the problem goes away or they snap, someone else will no exactly how tight

 

[frank]

ah, yours should be the later eobd type, you might need a code reader for that
the one on the right is the later type
http://www.micra.org.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=11419&stc=1&d=1231521628

 

[NeX]

augustwest

i think the light is engine only faults, and you have to short 2 wires on the consult plug and count the flashes of the light, what year is yours ?

agreed, it won't pick up faults like a dodgy battery wire or a headlight out, but when you disconnect the battery it resets the ECU along with any faults it might have

 

[AugustWest]

ah, yours should be the later eobd type, you might need a code reader for that
the one on the right is the later type
http://www.micra.org.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=11419&stc=1&d=1231521628

Yeah, mine's the one on the right.

Could a loose alternator belt be causing the light to come on?
If that doesn't solve it, is my best bet going to a garage and getting a fault code?

Also, if the squealing when the engine is cold isn't the alternator belt, is there anything else that it could be? The squealing stops when the engine has been running for a couple of minutes or so.

Thanks for the help so far.

 

[frank]

augustwest

yeh, most garages have code readers, the belt squeal is no big deal really, but 1 full turn of the adjuster should cure it

 

[AugustWest]

augustwest

yeh, most garages have code readers, the belt squeal is no big deal really, but 1 full turn of the adjuster should cure it

So I'm guessing it's unlikely that the squeal is causing the light to come on?

Anyway thanks for the help, I'll post back if I find out more.

 

[frank]

So I'm guessing it's unlikely that the squeal is causing the light to come on?

Anyway thanks for the help, I'll post back if I find out more.

yeh, my money is on the 2nd lambda

 

[AugustWest]

Just wondering, can a faulty lambda sensor cause increased fuel usage? Because I'm pretty sure I'm getting a very poor amount of MPG for what I should be getting on a 1.0 Micra, although I haven't actually measured it accurately. Just guessing from how fast the fuel gauge is going down.