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Author Topic: Emissions Control Light  (Read 3280 times)

Offline EricM

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Emissions Control Light
« on: 06 February 2017, 08:29 »
2013 Golf GTI PP, warranty expired in November :sad:

2 weeks ago the emission control light came on.

Took it to my local VW dealer (ordinarily I would've taken it to an independent garage as it's out of warranty but my VW dealer is next door to my work so it's very convenient) who diagnosed a bad exhaust lambda sensor and replaced it, cost me £239.

I've done 180 miles since and this morning the emission control light came back on.

Should I take it back to the VW dealer and ask them to try again?


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Offline fredgroves

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Re: Emissions Control Light
« Reply #1 on: 06 February 2017, 08:56 »
Definitely!

Aren't there more than one sensor for emissions in the exhaust? Seem to remember there are normally at least two and they may not have changed both...
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Offline EricM

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Re: Emissions Control Light
« Reply #2 on: 06 February 2017, 09:02 »
Yes, I've read that there are multiple sensors on the exhaust too.

They've definitely just replaced one as that's all that's on my receipt.
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Offline Gnasher

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Re: Emissions Control Light
« Reply #3 on: 06 February 2017, 10:51 »
Is it worth plugging it into a code reader to see (but not clear) the code and check if the same o2 sensor is showing a fault?
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Offline juggler

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Re: Emissions Control Light
« Reply #4 on: 06 February 2017, 11:33 »
Most cars have 2 sensors. 1 either side of the CAT I think. Get an OBD reader, then Google the code...
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Offline EricM

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Re: Emissions Control Light
« Reply #5 on: 06 February 2017, 12:45 »
The car needs a major service so I've just gone and booked it in to the VW dealer for that plus another attempt at fixing the emission control light.

Bracing myself for a big bill.

I might look into a code reader for the future as i've got 2 VWs in the family. Any recommendations on which one to go for?

To be honest I was a bit unimpressed by the dealerships diagnostics when I put the car in for the first time, they called me after an hour to say they were having trouble diagnosing what was wrong from the code reader and did they want me to continue!? Then after 2 hours they said they'd traced it to an exhaust lambda sensor.
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Offline Hertsman

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Re: Emissions Control Light
« Reply #6 on: 06 February 2017, 14:17 »
Previous Mini and VW Bora had emissions light and the dealer garages blamed the lamba sensor each time, as if by default, one even wanted to change the Cat Converter.

Both turned out to be back exhaust box replacements, diagnosed by a one man band independent whom took to for a second opinion and ended up getting the work.

Modern tech is great when it works, but when there is a ton of sensors and you are solely guided by plug in diagnostic tooling it makes the mechanic nothing more than a puppet.

« Last Edit: 06 February 2017, 14:19 by Hertsman »
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Offline fredgroves

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Re: Emissions Control Light
« Reply #7 on: 06 February 2017, 16:07 »
Probably not helped in VW's case by seemingly any warranty work needs the data uploading to the VW fault finding system and the part authorised by "smart" diagnosis software.

If the computer doesn't suggest the replacement part, VW won't pay for it.
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Offline I wanted a GTi

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Re: Emissions Control Light
« Reply #8 on: 06 February 2017, 17:27 »
Quote from: EricM on 06 February 2017, 12:45
The car needs a major service so I've just gone and booked it in to the VW dealer for that plus another attempt at fixing the emission control light.

Bracing myself for a big bill.

I might look into a code reader for the future as i've got 2 VWs in the family. Any recommendations on which one to go for?

To be honest I was a bit unimpressed by the dealerships diagnostics when I put the car in for the first time, they called me after an hour to say they were having trouble diagnosing what was wrong from the code reader and did they want me to continue!? Then after 2 hours they said they'd traced it to an exhaust lambda sensor.

Did they charge you for the extra 2 hours it took to trace the problem? Sounds a bit suspicious to me. Would the diagnostics show what the fault was straight away?
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Offline EricM

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Re: Emissions Control Light
« Reply #9 on: 06 February 2017, 19:53 »
No they didn't charge me for the 2 hours it took to trace the problem.

Yes, I thought the diagnostics would show what the fault is straight away too but apparently "it's not that simple sir"

You live and learn eh
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