Technical Brava 1.9td glow plug light flashing after plugs replaced

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Technical Brava 1.9td glow plug light flashing after plugs replaced

Gort

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Greetings. This is my first time on this forum so please be gentle with me.

I bought a second-hand Brava 1.9td last month. About 2 weeks after I got it the glow plug light on the dashboard started flashing for 60 secs after turning the ignition. According to the manual this indicates a problem with the glow plugs. I took the car in to the garage yesterday to have the glow plugs checked and it turned out 2 were knackered so they were all replaced to be on the safe side. I've used the car a few times today and it's started fine and the glow plug light hasn't flashed. I went WOOHOO!! at this and wish I hadn't because when I started the car tonight the light started flashing again. If I've had all 4 glow plugs replaced can anyone tell me what's causing the light to start flashing again? Is it anything I need to be worried about? Cheers.
 
Maybe the pre-heat wire is damaged? The flashing indicates there is a low or high resistance in the system. Were the new plugs checked before they were replaced?

My Marea has had this problem for a while and its not caused any real problems.
 
Thanks for replying Hellcat.

This is the first diesel car I've driven/owned so it's a new experience for me. The car's running like a dream apart from this little glitch and it's one helluva lovely car. The garage that fitted the new glow plugs are very reliable so I'm presuming the plugs are OK. The pre-heat wire you mention - is it a big thing to check/replace? Another concern of mine is that being new to owning a diesel car I accidently turned the ignition on straight away this evening without letting the glow plug light go out first and that's when it started flashing again. Is that just a coincidence or can doing that mess the starter system up? :bang:
 
Thats just a coincidence. I sometimes do that in my JTD but its rarely. Check you have the correct plugs, afew mm too long and they will hit the piston so make sure the plugs are correct. Make sure they have fitted the plugs correctly, i.e they are wired up. Also check what Helcat said.

Joske
 
The JTD only just needs its heater plugs - Give diesels a few more years and they won't need any pre-heat.

The pre-heat wire is just the wire the connects to the terminal of all the glow plugs. Just check it visually for any loose or frayed connections.
 
cheers for the help guys - I'll take your advice on board. The only problem with checking the glow plugs myself is that 3 of them are in a nightmare position in the Brava engine and the only way to access them is to take parts of the engine off. Every car I've owned has had it's own trademark unique annoying trait and I guess this is the Brava's.
 
He...he...these things are sent to try us. Cars are great.
 
I've just remembered what I forgot to mention earlier. Last week I noticed that when I turned the key for the glow plug light to come on a distinct noise came from the car which stopped when the glow plug light went off and I turned the engine on. I hadn't noticed it before and it's the sort of noise which if it had been there since I got the car I would have certainly noticed it. The noise is still there with the new plugs fitted. Could this be an indication of a possible problem? It's like a low electronic hum - a bit like what the fuel pump sounds like in a petrol car if you've run out of fuel but louder. Any ideas?
 
Hi, sounds like the buzzing could be the relay that controls the power to the heater plugs.
 
Gort said:
It's like a low electronic hum - a bit like what the fuel pump sounds like in a petrol car if you've run out of fuel but louder. Any ideas?

erm, the fuel pump :idea:

try removing the fuel pump fuse to see if it stops the noise, if it does you know thats the noise.
 
hi i've just bought a 98 yr model brava and having the same flashing light did you manage to get to the pre-heat wire and fix the problem. if so how easy is it
 
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