Bought a disco - "Check Engine" has just lit up

Oh ****.
As soon as I get it home, the rear door jams shut. Fixed that.


Now, the dash board has come up with "CHECK ENGINE".

Haven't got a hand book yet, or manual, and there is quite a large chunk of engine there to check piece by piece.

Any one give me a clue what's going on? Why has it come up? What does it want me to check.

1996 TDi 300 ES

Yours desperately,
Ted

just lift the bonnet, make sure its there, shut the bonnet, job done

sreiously, it needs to go on a computer, most reputable garages have them these days

Holy **.
Already?

If the light had come up 2 hours ago, I could have knocked a load off the price.

How bad is it?
Can we still drive it tomorrow, or has it got to got in straight away - and how much is it likely to cost?

And any ideas what is is likely to be on a 300Tdi? Are we talking timing, injection or what?

I'm used to doing all my own work, so this computer and ECU stuff is gonna hurt.

Ted

yup, funny that cos me n slob are just discussing electronics. if the light is orange then you can drive it to your dealer, if its red just park it up and ring a tow truck. if you are in the aa/rac, give em a ring and tell them " a warning light has come on" don't give em any more detail than that, and insist on one of their own vans, not a contract garage as contract garages don't have the plug in laptop (i know cos i used to work for em). he will come out, plug in and tell you the fault

Hope you can read this through the tears.

Thanks
Sob-sob

HOLD ON, there could be light at the end of the tunnel...

No pun intended, not that it was a funny one. I'm good at not funny jokes. (In other works I can talk a right load of...)

Have I just cra**ed myself for nothing???

The check engine light is orange, but only comes up when I turn the ignition on initially, ie when all the other do like SRS, ABS, it then goes out.

This is normal then isn't it? Please please, it is isn't it?

Cheers again - sorry for wasting your time if I have. Maybe I've given you a laugh at my stupidness.

Honestly, the old series girl never had any lights - but then it was like sitting in a marsh / wind tunnel / noisy place as you drove along - and it's all bust up now- poor old girl.
Ted

Congratulations on not being accused of being "a woman driver"!!!!!

you can lead a horse to water but you can't make the bastard drink it

in other words, yes its normal