Technical EML & engine run on after turn off

[Irish4x4]

Hi All,

My first post. I've used these forums to help with my research for buying a Panda. I test drove one yesterday and I'm absolutely blown away. Best small car I've ever driven, so I've decided I want to buy one.

The car I drove yesterday had a couple of issues (driver's side electric window doesn't work, the rear brakes sounded like they need attention,) but my main concern is with the engine management light being on. This could range from a faulty engine management light all the way to catastrophic engine failure. Now the engine sounded great and ran very well on test drive. The only thing I noticed was that it 'ran on' for a couple of seconds after I turned the engine off. It did this the 4 times I tried it (all after various amounts of spirited test driving).

So, I'm wondering;
- Is this just normal?
- Are the EML and engine run on indicative of bad timing (that would be common in other cars, and could be a big issue. To my ears the engine sounded great and it performed well)?

Any info you all have would be very much appreciated.

Thanks a million!

 

[portland_bill]

EML light could be anything from a long list. Needs the codes read to determine how bad.
If the seller can't do this, walk away, there are plenty of Pandas out there. No need to buy a project.

Petrol or Diesel?

Running on should not be possible with a petrol, as turning it off should stop the pump and injectors. If a petrol runs on, you have to ask what is is burning? Leaking injectors, or oil? Whichever, its is expensive.

If a diesel is running on, it is probably burning its oil, probably through the turbo. More expense.

Were you looking fro transport, or a hobby?

 

[Goudrons]

If it's a petrol and it's dieseling (spluttering on a while after you swtich off the ignition) I'd have a stab at it running rich.
There's still unburnt fuel in the cylinders when you switch off and the hot engine is igniting it.

Perhaps the EML is on due to the upstream O2 being faulty, which would cause the ECU into a preset, get me home, overly rich mixture.

If it's been doing that for a while, carbon will have built up in cylinders causing all sorts of hot spots, best walk away.

 

[daveofkent]

Unless this car is really cheap and your handy with the spanners. I'd leave this example for someone else imo. There's plenty out there. The problems you describe may end up doubling the price of the car, without knowing more info about the run on. For the rear breaks in my experience they the friction material can fall apart and probably needs drum + shoes at least.

 

[daveofkent]

Edit:double post

 

[Sweetsixteen]

EML & engine run on after turn off

Need to determine whether petrol or diesel before proper analysis can be made, because the reasons for 'run on' are very different for each. Let us know, if you still intend to go for this car. I'm guessing it's diesel, but really no point commenting further until we're certain.
As you say, they are great little cars with plenty of personality so I'm not surprised you fell in love with this one.

 

[bluejohn125]

EML indicates detected faults stored, possibly due to external factors like faulty sensors, wiring, coils / injectors / spark plugs. There's something wrong with the fuelling probably. It shouldn't be too hard to sort out with the right diagnostics and experience or research. The main thing is it seems to ruin nicely otherwise, but bad fuelling can damage the Cat.

 

[Irish4x4]

Hi All,

Thanks a lot for this invaluable feedback.

First off, its a petrol. 1.2 litre 2007.

The dealer said he would be sending it to the workshop today and that he would let me know the outcome of their assessment. He did say "If they tell me it's something expensive like a Catalystic converter replacement then it won't be worth my while" or something to that effect. After reading the responses here, I've a feeling he knows its a fuel / cat problem. Just incase it matters, the 'small key' works more reliably than the big key, perhaps the run on is due to faulty ignition/management? It's very strange to me as the engine ran so well / sounded so good whilst driving, etc.

Price-wise he's looking for €2250. Please bear in mind if I was to buy a 4x4 in the UK for (£1,500) it would cost me about €3k by the time I had imported it to Ireland. So this seems like decent value.

Depending on what the dealer says to me I'll either look at spending a bit more and having him do some work on it, or I'll haggle him down a bit further.

Another issue is that he doesn't have a full history with the car. He did look at me like I had two heads when I enquired about paper work. I think he thinks this is a cheap car and that I should expect little / no history and to just buy it as is. But I'm particular about these things and I want as much paper work as possible. The dealer sold the car originally and the car was serviced with them until 2011. He knows it had a new clutch 7 months ago and has been off the road since.

Regards why I want the 4x4. Well, it ticks a lot of boxes for me, but I have no interest in buying a project / hobbie at this stage.

Thanks again for all your advice!

 

[AB100]

If you bought a 2007 4x4 from the UK for £1500, you'd be getting a round of applause and probably an Oscar nomination. That is, unless the car had been towing the starship Enterprise for two parsecs and had been a dogs' home.


The car you describe sounds like a 'walk away'.

 

[Irish4x4]

If you bought a 2007 4x4 from the UK for £1500, you'd be getting a round of applause and probably an Oscar nomination. That is, unless the car had been towing the starship Enterprise for two parsecs and had been a dogs' home.


The car you describe sounds like a 'walk away'.

Exactly. This represents a very cheap 4x4. I'm just trying to figure out what the cost / risk / benefit ratios are.