Engine MALFUNCTION Light

[Eyes600]

Hi my AVEO 1.4 2008 has the engine malfunction light on again, this is a re-occurring thing and is becoming a pain. I don't know if it's safe to drive or not.

I had the computer re-set in August last year cos of the same problem. I have booked it in to a local garage to check the codes that come up and see if they are the same as before.

Why does this keep happening?? I have had sensors and switches replaced before and still it's happening. I'm dradding that it could be the main computer!

Will she be safe to drive??

[petrified.rabbit]

Blinking means stop. A solid light being on mostly means emissions issue, poor fuel mileage.

This could be totally unrelated to the last time, and it should really only take one sensor (two very infrequently) to fix a light being on. If the the works, and the engine runs, the ecu is most likely ok.

[Eyes600]

Thanks for the reply. Light stays on. Didn't come on whilst driving thou, I drove her that morning then when we went back out in the evening, started her up and the light stayed on. Taking her in tomorrow to get it checked but am worried about driving it.

[Eyes600]

After having computer reset the light has come on several times and stayed on for a few days, but today the light is FLASHING?????? What does this mean???

[Eyes600]

When you say stop petrified.rabbit, do you mean immediately do not drive any more?? If so what has gone wrong?

[ontarian_frog]

Flashing malfunction light means engine misfire. It's not a good idea to drive the car when it's misfiring.

[petrified.rabbit]

Most likely not good to drive while flashing. What happens after you shut it off and let it cool down? does it drive again with no flashing?

While it is flashing there is typically a power loss that makes the car impossible to drive anyhow. DO you feel any power loss?

most of the time flashing means plugs, wires and possibly a coil pack. What did they replace last time this problem occurred?

[2010AveoLT]

to put it bluntly, a FLASHING Check engine light means there is an ACTIVE Misfire happening, and you could be doing potential damage to the EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE (its EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE on the 1.6 LXV Engines at least) Catalytic Converter.

[Eyes600]

Most likely not good to drive while flashing. What happens after you shut it off and let it cool down? does it drive again with no flashing?

While it is flashing there is typically a power loss that makes the car impossible to drive anyhow. DO you feel any power loss?

most of the time flashing means plugs, wires and possibly a coil pack. What did they replace last time this problem occurred?

Hi petrified.rabbit, I have let the car cool down, had a look under the bonnet but I can't get the casing off that is covering the spark plugs as they as special shaped bolts. When I started it up it's still chuntering and the light is still flashing. There is extreme loss of power and the engine sounds like it's missing. When the car went to main dealer they said they changed sensors but when I had it done again at another garage they checked the car over and said that nothing had been replaced, and said that they probably only reset the computer!

[Eyes600]

to put it bluntly, a FLASHING Check engine light means there is an ACTIVE Misfire happening, and you could be doing potential damage to the EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE (its EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE on the 1.6 LXV Engines at least) Catalytic Converter.

My car is the 1.4LT model 58 plate. What do you suggest?