Engine light - does disconnecting battery clear it?
 

Hi.

Got the check engine light today, pretty sure why - had my power box running
and gave it the accelerator a good prodding to pass someone, but the engine
was only just starting to warm up... The light came on pretty much right
after that. - Happened once before, basically telling me too much fuel was
dumped into the cylinders... which is what the power box does.

If I get a check engine with a flashing glowplug light I can clear it by
disabling the box and restarting the car, this light I can't clear in that
way... So I was wondering if I should leave the battery unplugged while I'm
sitting in class tomorrow. (In a bad area of Toronto... would be good if
nothing electrical worked... never know - VW locks/unlocks mechanically with
the key right? - or do electrical acctuators come into play?).

The majority of the faults will not clear that way. If they do then only
about 5 minutes is all that's needed.

"Rob Guenther" > wrote in message
. ..
> Hi.
>
> Got the check engine light today, pretty sure why - had my power box
> running and gave it the accelerator a good prodding to pass someone, but
> the engine was only just starting to warm up... The light came on pretty
> much right after that. - Happened once before, basically telling me too
> much fuel was dumped into the cylinders... which is what the power box
> does.
>
> If I get a check engine with a flashing glowplug light I can clear it by
> disabling the box and restarting the car, this light I can't clear in that
> way... So I was wondering if I should leave the battery unplugged while
> I'm sitting in class tomorrow. (In a bad area of Toronto... would be good
> if nothing electrical worked... never know - VW locks/unlocks mechanically
> with the key right? - or do electrical acctuators come into play?).
>

Thanks... visited the dealer (had to pick up a wiper motor and nice, new,
clear side indicators to replace my ugly circa-1999 era ones that yellowed
terribly)... They told me the same thing, said if it doesn't go out on its
own or if I unplug the battery, they will clear it next oil change.
"Woodchuck" > wrote in message
.. .
> The majority of the faults will not clear that way. If they do then only
> about 5 minutes is all that's needed.
>
> "Rob Guenther" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> Hi.
>>
>> Got the check engine light today, pretty sure why - had my power box
>> running and gave it the accelerator a good prodding to pass someone, but
>> the engine was only just starting to warm up... The light came on pretty
>> much right after that. - Happened once before, basically telling me too
>> much fuel was dumped into the cylinders... which is what the power box
>> does.
>>
>> If I get a check engine with a flashing glowplug light I can clear it by
>> disabling the box and restarting the car, this light I can't clear in
>> that way... So I was wondering if I should leave the battery unplugged
>> while I'm sitting in class tomorrow. (In a bad area of Toronto... would
>> be good if nothing electrical worked... never know - VW locks/unlocks
>> mechanically with the key right? - or do electrical acctuators come into
>> play?).
>>
>
>

When your car is in the shop, run back to the tech and see if he will turn
it off for $10 or $20? He get's beer money and you get it done cheaply!

"Rob Guenther" > wrote in message
. ..
> Thanks... visited the dealer (had to pick up a wiper motor and nice, new,
> clear side indicators to replace my ugly circa-1999 era ones that yellowed
> terribly)... They told me the same thing, said if it doesn't go out on its
> own or if I unplug the battery, they will clear it next oil change.
> "Woodchuck" > wrote in message
> .. .
>> The majority of the faults will not clear that way. If they do then only
>> about 5 minutes is all that's needed.
>>
>> "Rob Guenther" > wrote in message
>> . ..
>>> Hi.
>>>
>>> Got the check engine light today, pretty sure why - had my power box
>>> running and gave it the accelerator a good prodding to pass someone, but
>>> the engine was only just starting to warm up... The light came on pretty
>>> much right after that. - Happened once before, basically telling me too
>>> much fuel was dumped into the cylinders... which is what the power box
>>> does.
>>>
>>> If I get a check engine with a flashing glowplug light I can clear it by
>>> disabling the box and restarting the car, this light I can't clear in
>>> that way... So I was wondering if I should leave the battery unplugged
>>> while I'm sitting in class tomorrow. (In a bad area of Toronto... would
>>> be good if nothing electrical worked... never know - VW locks/unlocks
>>> mechanically with the key right? - or do electrical acctuators come into
>>> play?).
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

Yep... they told me 42.50 to do it now (1/2 an hour of labour - for a 30
second job) but my car wasn't booked in or anything... They said they'd just
take care of it at my next oil change.

Do you know if someone with a generic OBD-II computer can just clear it?
"Woodchuck" > wrote in message
...
> When your car is in the shop, run back to the tech and see if he will turn
> it off for $10 or $20? He get's beer money and you get it done cheaply!
>
> "Rob Guenther" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> Thanks... visited the dealer (had to pick up a wiper motor and nice, new,
>> clear side indicators to replace my ugly circa-1999 era ones that
>> yellowed terribly)... They told me the same thing, said if it doesn't go
>> out on its own or if I unplug the battery, they will clear it next oil
>> change.
>> "Woodchuck" > wrote in message
>> .. .
>>> The majority of the faults will not clear that way. If they do then only
>>> about 5 minutes is all that's needed.
>>>
>>> "Rob Guenther" > wrote in message
>>> . ..
>>>> Hi.
>>>>
>>>> Got the check engine light today, pretty sure why - had my power box
>>>> running and gave it the accelerator a good prodding to pass someone,
>>>> but the engine was only just starting to warm up... The light came on
>>>> pretty much right after that. - Happened once before, basically telling
>>>> me too much fuel was dumped into the cylinders... which is what the
>>>> power box does.
>>>>
>>>> If I get a check engine with a flashing glowplug light I can clear it
>>>> by disabling the box and restarting the car, this light I can't clear
>>>> in that way... So I was wondering if I should leave the battery
>>>> unplugged while I'm sitting in class tomorrow. (In a bad area of
>>>> Toronto... would be good if nothing electrical worked... never know -
>>>> VW locks/unlocks mechanically with the key right? - or do electrical
>>>> acctuators come into play?).
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

Yes they should be able to clear it.

"Rob Guenther" > wrote in message
...
> Yep... they told me 42.50 to do it now (1/2 an hour of labour - for a 30
> second job) but my car wasn't booked in or anything... They said they'd
> just take care of it at my next oil change.
>
> Do you know if someone with a generic OBD-II computer can just clear it?
> "Woodchuck" > wrote in message
> ...
>> When your car is in the shop, run back to the tech and see if he will
>> turn it off for $10 or $20? He get's beer money and you get it done
>> cheaply!
>>
>> "Rob Guenther" > wrote in message
>> . ..
>>> Thanks... visited the dealer (had to pick up a wiper motor and nice,
>>> new, clear side indicators to replace my ugly circa-1999 era ones that
>>> yellowed terribly)... They told me the same thing, said if it doesn't go
>>> out on its own or if I unplug the battery, they will clear it next oil
>>> change.
>>> "Woodchuck" > wrote in message
>>> .. .
>>>> The majority of the faults will not clear that way. If they do then
>>>> only about 5 minutes is all that's needed.
>>>>
>>>> "Rob Guenther" > wrote in message
>>>> . ..
>>>>> Hi.
>>>>>
>>>>> Got the check engine light today, pretty sure why - had my power box
>>>>> running and gave it the accelerator a good prodding to pass someone,
>>>>> but the engine was only just starting to warm up... The light came on
>>>>> pretty much right after that. - Happened once before, basically
>>>>> telling me too much fuel was dumped into the cylinders... which is
>>>>> what the power box does.
>>>>>
>>>>> If I get a check engine with a flashing glowplug light I can clear it
>>>>> by disabling the box and restarting the car, this light I can't clear
>>>>> in that way... So I was wondering if I should leave the battery
>>>>> unplugged while I'm sitting in class tomorrow. (In a bad area of
>>>>> Toronto... would be good if nothing electrical worked... never know -
>>>>> VW locks/unlocks mechanically with the key right? - or do electrical
>>>>> acctuators come into play?).
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

Geez man. Clear side indicators? You're not going rice-boy now are you? ;)
I think those or originally clear, correct me if I am wrong. Small indicator
on the side of the fender, not the blinkers.

More below.


Rob Guenther > wrote:
>Thanks... visited the dealer (had to pick up a wiper motor and nice, new,
>clear side indicators to replace my ugly circa-1999 era ones that yellowed
>terribly)... They told me the same thing, said if it doesn't go out on its
>own or if I unplug the battery, they will clear it next oil change.
>"Woodchuck" > wrote in message
. ..
>> The majority of the faults will not clear that way. If they do then only
>> about 5 minutes is all that's needed.

well said Woodchuck. Besides. doing it that way can mask the way it drives
since it resets the computer.

>> "Rob Guenther" > wrote in message
>> . ..
>>> Hi.
>>>
>>> Got the check engine light today, pretty sure why - had my power box
>>> running and gave it the accelerator a good prodding to pass someone, but
>>> the engine was only just starting to warm up... The light came on pretty
>>> much right after that. - Happened once before, basically telling me too
>>> much fuel was dumped into the cylinders... which is what the power box
>>> does.

Is that what your first time issue code reading was or are you just guessing?

>>> If I get a check engine with a flashing glowplug light I can clear it by
>>> disabling the box and restarting the car, this light I can't clear in


I hope you drained the water before you did this. Filter and the box.
I don't know why it wouldn't clear up by itself once the you drain it.

>>> that way... So I was wondering if I should leave the battery unplugged
>>> while I'm sitting in class tomorrow. (In a bad area of Toronto... would
>>> be good if nothing electrical worked... never know - VW locks/unlocks
>>> mechanically with the key right? - or do electrical acctuators come into
>>> play?).

You would be okay. lock the doors with the key. The doors would remain locked.

So did you get the code read and light reset yet? Where you right about the
fuel being too much?


--
Jeeps and dubs and everything's nice...