Yesterday I rashly volunteered to try to sort out my daughter's Micra M reg. 1.0 16v, (K11 I think?) which is misfiring when warmed up, but OK when cold (1st 2 or 3 miles.) Bought the Haynes manuals, and also looked on the web for tips. Clearly the thing to do is to check the self diagnostics first. I've found the diagnostic connector, and stuffed a wire into the correct holes. BUT where are the led's and the "instrument panel engine check light"? The instrument panel on this car does not seem to have such a thing. Where exactly is the ECU (is it the same thing as the "ECCS control unit" mentioned in the Haynes manual?) and what does it look like? I assume I have found it by taking the bottom covers off the centre consule - a rectangular thing with connectors on the front. But no sign of led's. Why don't Haynes manuals do a section on "This is what xxxxx looks like and this is where you will find it", for people like me who only took possession of the car last night, and haven't owned it for years, or stripped and rebuilt the car 15 times? Can I assume that all cars have the self-diagnostic features, or could it be that certain models did not, so I am wasting my time looking for non-existent led's and instrument panel engine check lights? Any help most appreciated.
Self diagnostics
- Thread starter mindy
- Start date
dont panic fella
the ecu is the eccs it is located in the centre console under the dash the led is facing the bulkhead you need to remove the two 10mm nuts and slide it into the passanger foot well and the led is then visable
cars with obd2 have the eml engine management light or check light known to you guys
your 95 m reg wont have it.
check in the fuse box by drivers knee you should see a square shape connector that is early obd scan wear.
where are you based mindy i may be able to scan if you are close
the ecu is the eccs it is located in the centre console under the dash the led is facing the bulkhead you need to remove the two 10mm nuts and slide it into the passanger foot well and the led is then visable
cars with obd2 have the eml engine management light or check light known to you guys
your 95 m reg wont have it.
check in the fuse box by drivers knee you should see a square shape connector that is early obd scan wear.
where are you based mindy i may be able to scan if you are close
Alienfish360
Awesome Dawson
Does it idle poorly?
Seem to be missing power?
Kangarooing?
Randomly stalling or cutting out while stopping?
Seem to be missing power?
Kangarooing?
Randomly stalling or cutting out while stopping?
Thanks Matt1897. When you say 2 10mm nuts, do you mean the 2 hex headed screws fixing the feet of the tin bracket to the floor of the car? That's the nearest this one has. I live in Worcester, so any help would be very much appreciated, please.
Thanks also Mr Alienfish360. When it is cold, it runs Ok. After 2 to 3 miles, in traffic it kangaroos and misfires when under load. However, this morning, I took it to work and it went all the way (about 6 miles) with only a minor misfire. The difference was that it was in a rural area, and I was able to keep it at a steady speed without having to change down. It cruised up a very long and steep hill with only a minor misfire. In town, where there is plenty of gearchanging, pulling away under load etc, it kangaroos and misfires dreadfully. Only when it warms up, though.
I'm going to put a new throttle body and distributor on it, whether it needs them or not. They are about £90-odd each on the internet, and I figure that as the car has done 67k miles (allegedly), if they are not dodgy now, they soon will be. However, even if that cures it, I still want to know how to read the self-diagniostics.
Thanks for all your help guys.
I've just been looking on the internet, and there seem to be a lot of portable code readers on the market, either PC-based or hand-held. Are any of these to be recommended, and do any of them work on this M-reg K11? In the long term, it looks a lot easier than pulling the ECU out every time you want to run a test. Thanks guys
Latest news, guys. I've just got down with a torch and a mirror, and I'm sure there aren't any leds on the back of the ECU facing to the front of the car. Could it be that some cars didn't have the facility? It does have a socket at the bottom of the fuseboard, though. Thanks again.
Thanks also Mr Alienfish360. When it is cold, it runs Ok. After 2 to 3 miles, in traffic it kangaroos and misfires when under load. However, this morning, I took it to work and it went all the way (about 6 miles) with only a minor misfire. The difference was that it was in a rural area, and I was able to keep it at a steady speed without having to change down. It cruised up a very long and steep hill with only a minor misfire. In town, where there is plenty of gearchanging, pulling away under load etc, it kangaroos and misfires dreadfully. Only when it warms up, though.
I'm going to put a new throttle body and distributor on it, whether it needs them or not. They are about £90-odd each on the internet, and I figure that as the car has done 67k miles (allegedly), if they are not dodgy now, they soon will be. However, even if that cures it, I still want to know how to read the self-diagniostics.
Thanks for all your help guys.
I've just been looking on the internet, and there seem to be a lot of portable code readers on the market, either PC-based or hand-held. Are any of these to be recommended, and do any of them work on this M-reg K11? In the long term, it looks a lot easier than pulling the ECU out every time you want to run a test. Thanks guys
Latest news, guys. I've just got down with a torch and a mirror, and I'm sure there aren't any leds on the back of the ECU facing to the front of the car. Could it be that some cars didn't have the facility? It does have a socket at the bottom of the fuseboard, though. Thanks again.
solarice
Ex. Club Member
The ecu led is on the side of the ecu behind the drivers center console kick panel...no need to remove the ecu...you might be able to pull the panel out slightly to look behind it, either that or its two bolts and the panel will come off...which ever way you do it, you'll see a flashing red light once in diag mode, its that light you want to count.
btw the led is inside the ecu, theres a cluster of holes (maybe 5 or 7 cant remeber exactly) in the caseing its this area that lights up.
I think the fault sounds similar to the throttle body fault, though things like the fuel or ignition system could also be the cause.
btw the led is inside the ecu, theres a cluster of holes (maybe 5 or 7 cant remeber exactly) in the caseing its this area that lights up.
I think the fault sounds similar to the throttle body fault, though things like the fuel or ignition system could also be the cause.
Alienfish360
Awesome Dawson
Read this, try this before buying anything
http://www.micra.com.au/technical-articles/cg13de-throttle-body-resoldering-guide.php
http://www.micra.com.au/technical-articles/cg13de-throttle-body-resoldering-guide.php
Thanks Mr Alienfish360. Very interesting, and if it were mine I would do that. However, as it is my daughter's car, she wants a new one on, as it is £90 -odd rather than the £380 or whatever dealer price. She lives a couple of hundred miles away, so I agree with her - it's worth paying that for long-term reliability. I appreciate your help, though. What I really want to know, is if there is a diagnostic tool for this car. My understanding is that the M-reg pre-dated OBD2, and all the diagnostic tools I can find seem to be for that protocol. Are there any for this car? Thanks again and best regards
Alienfish360
Awesome Dawson
I have never seen a K11 show a fault code before, even when my throttle body was really bad.
Went home last night - flew home as if nothing was wrong. Came into work this morning - pretty good but very slight misfire. Checked the codes - first 21, then 12. I reset it and checked the code - 55. Went to the post office this morning, kangarooing all over the place - thought I wasn't going to make it back at one point. Immediately checked the code when I got back- 55! So I have my doubts as to the usefulness of the self-diagnosis at all. I'm going to implement plan A - new throttle body and new distributor, whether it needs them or not. I've also ordered a new set of HT leads. It's already got a new set of plugs. I'm also going to change the fuel filter. Could it be the lamda sensor? What symptoms does a faulty lambda sensor show? Thanks and best regards
Alienfish360
Awesome Dawson
Not sure, but I have my own opinions of the lambda sensors on micras that fail emissions with janspeed manifolds, as Bosch recommend it to be changed either 30k or 60k miles depending on whether it's unheated or 1st generation heated, I doubt the older k11 will have the newer type of lambda.
frank
Club Member
http://www.micra.org.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=13102&stc=1&d=1245762492
12 is the maf, and 21 ignition signal malfunction
Attachments
Latest news. New throttle body and distributor arrived. Fitted the throttle body today. Checked the ECU - 55 code. Took it for a test drive. Initial observation is that the misfire and kangarooing have gone, but it is now hunting at idle, which it wasn't doing before. The code is still 55. I haven't fitted the distributor yet. Any help, please? Cheers folks
frank
Club Member
thats very common, it usually clears itself within a couple of runs
and you often have to set the tickover (described in the haynes)Thanks for that. presumably I have to wait for the hunting to stop before I try to set the tickover. Cheers
.......and......which is the idle speed adjusting screw? Haynes says it is "situated next to the throttle potentiometer on the throttle housing". All I can see there is a black plastic plug with a screwdriver slot and a hex socket. Is that it? Cheers.
.......and......which is the idle speed adjusting screw? Haynes says it is "situated next to the throttle potentiometer on the throttle housing". All I can see there is a black plastic plug with a screwdriver slot and a hex socket. Is that it? Cheers.
frank
Club Member
i would rag it around the block, let it cool down, topup the rad (so that the waxstat is bled), then do the t/p/s disconnected, hex screw setting thingy, described in haynes first
Warmed it up again, left the throttle thermostat connected, and screwed in the black hex socket thing. Hunting has gone away, and idle speed down to sensible level. In fact, the black hex socket thing was well out, and I had to turn it several turns. It is now screwed up as far as it will go, but seems to run smoothly at a sensible rpm and no hunting. So thanks for your help! Distributor next. At least I'll end up with a good spare distributor, as there is apparently nothing wrong with the one I'm taking off. Cheers
frank
Club Member
i usually measure how much slot is showing on the dizzy (adjustment) bolts, then set the new one to the same, and the offset drive slot will line up ok if you replicate the position carefully (without having to remove the dizzycap)
