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Technical Red spark-plug light on dash

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Technical Red spark-plug light on dash

genehugger

genehugger

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Found an old thread by John Lawley (23-08-2005) on this same subject but it never seemed to get resolved.

My Panda, (don't know exactly what kind of Panda it is) is a 1000, manual transmission, originally registered end of 1993 (so it may be a 1994 model).
On the dash, there is a red indicator light with an image that looks like a spark plug. It goes on every once in a while, but seems to be quite random in terms of driving speed, engine temperature, and anything else that could give me a hint that it is being caused by something specific.

Anyone else encountered this and if so, is there a solution? Should I just go ahead and change the spark plugs?

Thanks in advance

Jason
 
Bougainvillea Rosso said:
That's the lambda sensor light. If it comes on a lot, i.e. a lot of the time when you are driving along then don't ignore it. Chances are you may need the sensor replacing.
Click to expand...

Jumping to the gun, but I know why. It's actually the fuel injection warning lamp. But is Most often lit due to the Lambda sensor in some way (y)
 
Thanks all,

We are having a truly obnoxiously windy day, really cannot do anything but stay indoors and hope that nothing big starts flying this way. But I will start checking on this lambda sensor as soon as the weather permits.

Anyway, just knowing that it is related to the lambda sensor allowed me to much more effectively search the old threads. And I have found it in Haynes and think I can diagnose this better, as soon as the wind dies down.

In fact, this is a good thing as all repairs related to fuel efficiency are on the top of my list of things to try to tackle with this car.

J
 
Flossyfly said:
Mine used to do this at higher speeds. I put a load of injector cleaner(redex fro fuel injection cars) Has never come on again. Give it a try :)
Click to expand...

Yeah thanks for that suggestion, I read your posts on this redex stuff on other threads. But then Google proved that this is a controversial subject. A lot of people say it is great, others that it does nothing, some say it can actually hurt.

My TODO list:

1) check the ground wire
2) check the condition of the spark plugs
3) locate the lambda sensor (according to Haynes, it can be in two different locations depending on the year of the car)

I suspect that the spark plugs are ancient and going to be very dirty as the fuel efficiency of this car seems to be getting worse. This, from what I read, should be connected to the state of the lambda sensor, which will then feed too much gas into the engine due to a bad readout on oxygen levels.

Need to read more before I decide to just outright replace it or try to clean it.

While I am here, I read that I will need to reset the ECU. How is that done? Is just disconnecting the negative battery terminal enough?
 
Ground wires hook to two bolts on the engine and seem perfectly well mounted.
Spark plugs proved to be a challenge. Started with the leftmost one but could not get the tool (dunno the name for it but the right tool to unscrew a spark plug) to turn, it just got wedged in there and then I had a real tough time getting it back off.
Then confirmed that I have the MM ECU (non-bosch) but when through the Haynes drill anyway to see what happens. Really a strange method with no immediate results, so for now will have to wait and see.

One thing I found was that the tubing that connects the engine to the box with the air filter was not connected. The tube is shot and will have to be replaced. While I managed to get it back on, it is cracked and brittle.

I assume that this has been like this a long time and would love to know what kind of horrible things could be happening to my motor as a result.
 
just a thought but if anyone has a problem with the injector warning light coming on and is coming to any shows that im at this summer ill gladly bring my fault code reader and tell you why free of charge us panda owners have to stick together you know:)
 
Slightly OT, but talking about injection warning lights, do ALL injection models have them and do they light up on strat up along with the battery and oil light? i dont know if i have one.. but that might be because I have never had any probelms.

sneak this in too, if anyone has some spare/donor interior trim, i'm after some. PM please
 
All I can say is if you never reset the ECU, DO IT!

For my panda, it is like night and day. I used to have a coughy start in 1st all the time, that is now gone. I also use to have a very shaky speedometer needle, which is now quite stable. Overall, the driving experience is much improved.

I followed the method in Haynes to the letter, you never really know if it is doing anything but now I do believe it did do something.

Not a single red spark plug light today either.

(Of course I also connected the tube between the engine and the air filter housing and do not know if that is contributing or not to the feeling of wellness.)
 
When you say the "tube" what is this.. Is it a foil looking one from the manifold to underside of the airbox at the front, or a small black one, from the airbox to left side of engine next to oil filler cap?

EDIT. Can you please post the steps for the ECU reset, MM type. Don't think i have this in a haynes as mine are for carb engines.
 
Last edited:
The tube that was previously not connected, and still needs to be replaced, is the foil one in front.

From Haynes 0793 FIAT PANDA 1981-1995 (up to M registration)
Page 13.38 #80-82

Unscrew the negative battery terminal.
Start engine and run until reaches normal operating temperature.
(I just left it idling in the driveway for 5-10 minutes)
Once the fan kicks in, pay attention, it will come on for the first time, then go
off and then come on again. As soon as it comes on the second time, kill the motor and disconnect the negative lead.
Count to 45 (1-alligator, 2-alligator...)
Reconnect negative terminal and immediately re-start the engine.
Run for two minutes.
Shut off.
Re-screw the negative terminal.

I never had a stall, but the book says if it does stall during the 2 minutes, you have to re-disconnect the negative, 45 seconds, then re-start and idle for 2 minutes.

I have the MM ECU and firmly believe this did the trick for it.
 
Actually, I think that is the Bosch method, but it also works for MM. The pictures in the Haynes were not clear as to who made it, but it was not the same ECU in the photos as I have in my car. Plus I have read on this forum very similar instructions for the Bosch.

Give it a try, it cannot hurt anything.
 
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