First Problem - Engine Warning Light

[skirmish]

Well we thought everything was going fine. Until this afternoon when I noticed the Engine Warning Light was on. Everything else seems fine though and the engine feels as though everything is okay. This is the point I wonder about the wisdom of having a 10 year old toy where I suppose things like this are going to happen now and then.

So, can anyone advise what I should do and what could possibly be causing this warning light to come on?
I suspect I'll be advised to get a Fault Code Reader?

Any help gratefully appreciated.
Dave

[AmeR]

I suspect I'll be advised to get a Fault Code Reader?

Got it in one... Kind of! You don't need to buy one necessarily as I'm sure a local member with a reader will read it for you.

It will need reading though and, if it's still running fine, could just be the post-cat O2 sensor

[Stephster]

Mine came on a couple of months after first acquiring my 10 year old toy. Luckily I was on my way to a meet and Toplesscouple had a reader with them. Turned out to be the pesly 02 sensor. I subsequently bought my own reader off ebay for £20 - well worth buying, as I do believe another member recently got charged £69 by Mr T for reading the light. Have a look though there should be someone on the OBDII list near you.

[skirmish]

I don't think there are any members in my area and what with the price of fuel these days it's probably just as cheap to buy one off ebay.

Where actually is the connector that I'd connect a reader to? I've looked under the engine cover and couldn't see anything obvious.

[skirmish]

Mine came on a couple of months after first acquiring my 10 year old toy. Luckily I was on my way to a meet and Toplesscouple had a reader with them. Turned out to be the pesly 02 sensor. I subsequently bought my own reader off ebay for £20 - well worth buying, as I do believe another member recently got charged £69 by Mr T for reading the light. Have a look though there should be someone on the OBDII list near you.

Ah. ODBII list. Didn't know there was such a thing but I'll certainly have a look now. Thanks for that.
Dave

[Anonymous]

Where exactly are you bud?

[skirmish]

Over in Huddersfield.

Just one thing. Is it still okay to use the car if as we suspect it's an o2 sensor.

[Stephster]

Yup. I have been driving with mine on for a good few months now. I have the replacement sensor ( £65 instead of £120 through a club member ), but have just not got round to swapping it out. Hence the reader, so I can keep an eye on the EML in case something new crops up.

[skirmish]

Blimey, is that how much they cost?

Where is the connection point for the reader to attach to?

[Stephster]

It's sort of on the underneath of the steering column......

Here is the link for thread of members with OBD readers :  l viewtopic.php?f=11&t=16017 l

Oh, and someone posted this week that Mr T had charged £280 for getting the sensor changed. Seems to be a very common fault, as my car has almost 140k on the clock, and had to have the post cat O2 sensor replaced at 44k and 81k.

[skirmish]

Thanks for that although I'd managed to find the OBD list.

Is the sensor likely to be one of those that I can see under the engine cover, there are two pointing outwards. I wouldn't dream of going to Toyota to get that done. Presumably once the reader has found the code I'll know which on it is? I suppose if I plan to keep the car then it makes sense to have my own reader, it's not as though they're expensive and I'm sure it could be useful for other cars that I have in the future too.

[mrzwei]

OBD11 became a legal requirement on all cars (supplied to the EU at least) from 1999 or maybe 2000 or 2001 (can't remember) so your code reader will be future proof for a bit. It was resisted by the 'big boys' for obvious reasons but my reader correctly identified a faulty cam position sensor on a Z3. (The dealer said it needed special equipment   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  ).

[Anonymous]

If you're in Huddersfield, I'm not a million miles away and I'll read your code for you.

[skirmish]

If you're in Huddersfield, I'm not a million miles away and I'll read your code for you.

That's very kind of you to offer. I am rather at the other side of Huddersfield (36 miles from you) so it would be a bit of a journey, plus the expense, probably 2 gallons of fuel. I'm probably better off buying my own reader and at least I'll then have it for future use as well.

Am I right in thinking that one of these would do the job?

 m http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/U480-OBD2-CAN ... 027wt_1140 m

[Anonymous]

That's the one I've got  s:) s:)

[Stephster]

And the one I have too, from the same seller  s:) s:) .

[skirmish]

Looks like he's going to get another order!

It's not been a good day. This and also the kitchen tap that I spent 7 hours (don't ask) replacing last week is leaking!

Are the o2 sensors common to other Toyotas or just MR2's. There seem to be a lot on ebay, are any of those suitable?

[Anonymous]

Sparkplugs.co.uk

£56 ish for a genuine one. Don't buy q cheap one, they're not brilliant.

[skirmish]

That's not too bad a price. I'll get a reader bought and see what it shows up.

[Anonymous]

Ive got some O2 sensors, £25 each incl pnp, any good?

[skirmish]

Well at this stage I'm still not sure about the problem. Hopefully the code reader will shine some light on it. I like the price though so will definitely bear the offer in mind.

[Steve Green]

I would snatch D!cks hand off at that price. Even if you dont need them, someone will be out to save a buck and you could sell them on.

I come from a breed that says 'get a problem sorted'. You might know what the problem is, but once the light is on, it masks any other faults that may be of greater importance.

[skirmish]

My U48 Reader arrived this morning and I've just now had chance to put it through it's paces.

The code it produced was P0125 and that seems to suggest - Insufficient Coolant Temperature for closed Loop Fuel Control

Now I've just checked through another thread and in that it suggested checking a fuse in the fuse box in the engine bay. I did that and it seemed to be okay.
I then noticed that the Coolant Level seemed rather on the high side. Indeed it was as I've removed just under half a pint of nice red coolant using a decent size syringe and a few sucking actions!

I haven't had the car long and this coolant level must have been like this for a while.

So, do you think this has anything to do with this particular problem and do you think I may have cured it? Obviously I'll only know for sure by doing a reset and seeing if it comes back on again.

I'd appreciate your thoughts though.
Dave

[dcod]

My coolant level is way above max. No problems.

Remember, if the engine is hot, the coolant will have expanded and be above max anyway.

[dcod]

Oh, I found this written in a Lexus forum:

"You do NOT have a coolant problem. The po125 is a original obd2 code and is very misleading but was never change. The code should read <PO125 Insufficient Temperature For Closed Loop Operation. Your problem is going to be in you O2 heaters (frt bank)."

and this



You need someone who knows to confirm this info though.

Good luck.
  s:D s:D