Standard MY02 WRX with S/S backbox.

Cruised through roadworks on the motorway at 50mph, then floored it up to 69mph+ in fourth gear. The CEL flashed about 5 times, then went off and have seen no more. No feeling of loss of power, strange noises, etc. The flashing looked like deliberate timed pulses rather than flickering on and off.

Will a code have been stored? Should I worry? Is the flashing a feature of the light, I thought it came on 'solid' and no other info was given.

Any advice gratefully received.

 

I always thought that a flashing CEL meant 'Stop Immediately'...

Having said that, my MY02 has done this a couple of times in similar circumstances with no bad effects.

Curiously enough, it only seems to occur when I'm using Optimax (recently ayway), and not conventional SUL

Incidentially, the dealer couldn't find a fault code for the incidents. So I ignored it....

 

My CEL has been doing this for over a year , and I just ignore it now

Sympoms are similar to yours, and I can also make it happen when cruising at 90+ om my private motorway

If its not stuck on there won't be an error code, so no point getting it checked IMHO. If it does it again and it sticks on then its worth getting it checked out by a dealer or specialist

 

Cheers, that makes me feel a bit more comfortable.

 

Flashing CEL=Knock hits you the door...
JIM

 

Jim

can you please explain

 

On new age cars flashing CEL means det and reduced advance from the ECU, may be it is somethink else as Cam position sensor, EGT sensor etc but this is my guess!
JIM

 

Jim a flashing CEL on the Newage cars doesnt always mean knock.
Speedking it will always store ALL codes even if they just flash on and off.

My money will be on a misfire on one of your cylinders,my MY01 did the same when pulling onto motorways sometimes and it was always a cylinder misfire.

I then changed all the plugs and never had it again.

 

Zippy

You beat me to it ...

The ECU stores "historic" codes as well at current codes if a CEL is solid.

Midlife.......

 

I had an argument with my dealer because my Euro car quotes 60000 mile plug change interval. He would not sign off the service book without changing the plugs at the 30000 mile service So the plugs have only been changed 4000 ago I meant to ask to keep the old ones but forgot Only occurred once in the 4000 miles though, and I haven't been able to replicate the fault.

Will they charge me for accessing the ECU code?

 

Speedking - don't think changing the plugs will necessarily sort your problem. My problem started after the plugs were changed I changed them again, and put a new coil pack on the 'misfiring' cylinder, but to no avail.

They may charge you to access the fault code, but there will only be anything there *if* the CEL stayed on. I've had flashing CELs but no stored fault codes

My guess is that my problem is EGT related (it's worse when the engine is under constant load) - it could be cam position, but I've not changed eitehr out since each costs around £300 IIRC and the car seems to be running fine without.

Any further advice / experience would be welcomed,

 

Nigel is your car an MY01 onwards.The reason i ask is ALL the CEL flashes will be stored on the Bugeye onwards cars whether they flash or stay on.

Speedking as for your service being done, there is no way on this earth that the plugs will have been changed if it was done by your local boys (you know who).
You are correct in that the bugeye does state 60,000 miles for the change and when my MY01 went in for its 30,000 mile service they never mentioned the plugs, i changed my own plugs after the service.

If your EGT was playing up it would light the CEL and stay lit,agreed it is one of the less serious codes if it just flashes but i would still want to know what it is.

They shouldnt charge you for the CEL codes to be read as i never paid once but then they knew what i was like (tight and mouthy).

It takes them 30 seconds to pull the code and its in their interest to do it as your likely to pay them to sort it.

Zippy

 

I've had the CEL flash also on my MY01. On 1 occasion it reported "faulty neutral switch" - which was replaced and on 2 other occasions it was a misfire on cylinder 3. Zippy is correct, the CEL does not necessarily need to stay on for a dealer to pull the code.

 

Personally, if you're running any kind of mods, I'd change the plugs at 30k anyway. With my 02WRX, ecutek'd etc, it got 7B's fitted at the 30k service (admittedly at powerstation, not a main dealer who only fit the 6Bs), which I fully supported.

Did have one flashing CEL a couple of thousand miles before the 30k service, no problems identified at the service. Have done 8k since with no sign of the light.

 

Zippy, Markyboy

I've had 2 occasions where the CEL flashed but nothing was stored

 

flahing ecu from the "manuel" is a warning that you could be damaging your cat's
this is either egt or misfire related
a fake misfire is easy to create on a bugeye by fitting a light weight flywheel
I would think there was some thing wrong with my car If I didn't get a crank sensor and misfire cel message lol