Orange engine shaped light on dash; Urgent Help.

[baskie]

Hi, just on way to shops and a orange engine shaped light has come on on the left hand side of the dash. I'm at thew shops now so can't research it. What is it and is it safe to drive 10 miles home. Car running normally.

 

[Tony]

hi Baskie
terrano or nav? Idrove my terrano 30 miles after it came on but this was caused by a water leak. The symbol means something wrong with the engine management system/immobiliser etc. the hand book asks you to take it to a nissan dealer so would think its OK to drive.
regards Tony :smile:

 

[baskie]

Oops, forgot to mention, it's the terrano. I wondered if it was a water thing as i cleaned it this morning.

i parked up for 20 mins and it's gone off now so will see what happens on the trip home.

cheers for thew reply.

 

[jims-terrano]

Not 100% but I think when the light is on it is in limp home mode.

Jim T

 

[baskie]

Thanks for the comments folks. Did a total trip of about 30 miles and it never came back on. When it was on the car ran as normal, so I reckon it might be like the issue above, caused by water, as today the car got it's annual clean (and polish!).

Will monitor it and see what occurs.

 

[Toolbox]

That is the engine malfunction light, and will come on when there is a problem with a component or wiring of the engine control system. Depending on the severity of the problem the car may go in to limp home mode but for some problems the car will drive as normal, for instance if there is a problem with the temperature sender being out of range i.e. open circuit the ecu will go to a preset reading for the engine tem and will drive normally when at running temperature.

There is a download on how to read the error codes that should be stored in the ecu memory even now the light is not on.

The light will also illuminate if there is water in the fuel filter but this normally makes an irregular flash when going up and down hill and will only stay on when there is a lot of water in the filter.

 

[baskie]

Thanks Toolbox, you might have solved the problem:

The light is coming on and going off at will now, but the car runs fine regardless. been happening for about 100miles now.

Took it into the garage, plugged in the computer, no code!

Will check the fuel filter tomorrow and report back.

It's also been suggested that it might be a wet air filter so will also check that.