Dash light on intermittingly

noreaga0221 · Post by **noreaga0221** » May 31st, 2006, 8:44 am

Its a 1992 mx-3 v6.

The dash light on the top left part of the cluster. I really have no idea what its for. It really doesn't look like anything. I'm going to assume its the alternator light maybe? Ever since I had the car, it would go on first thing in the morning when it was still cold but only for a couple secs. Now, its starting to show up at idle but goes out when I start to rev the motor. Any help?

Also, where can I buy a new air filter online? The parts stores don't carry them. I put new plugs in and banged out my air filter and my gas milage went up to 30, from 26ish.

Post by **Custommx3** » May 31st, 2006, 9:19 am

rockauto.com probably does as well as partsamerica.com

as far as your issue.. if your getting a voltage light, you may wanna check your battery connections and/or have your alternator and battery checked out.

noreaga0221 · Post by **noreaga0221** » May 31st, 2006, 9:37 am

Well I don't know if its the alternator like hence my post. The car drives fine and Alt seems to function because when the old battery wouldnn't hold a charge, it still ran. So the battery is only a month or two old.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » May 31st, 2006, 4:46 pm

Barry is still right. You need to check, clean and maybe replace the battery cables. They wear out over time and it is about time based on the car's age. A poorly functioning alt will also give a light. The fact that it does it when cold and only when at idle only stregnthens the reason to check the cables first then the alt, then the battery.

noreaga0221 · Post by **noreaga0221** » May 31st, 2006, 4:53 pm

Well my question was; Is the light I'm refering to the alternator light?

Post by **Custommx3** » May 31st, 2006, 5:15 pm

take a picture so we know where your referring to...

Check your cables for corrosion....

noreaga0221 · Post by **noreaga0221** » May 31st, 2006, 5:28 pm

Its the leftmost and topmost light. I'll take a pic when I get home.

Grants · Post by **Grants** » May 31st, 2006, 5:51 pm

Sounds like the CEL.

The alternator light should have a picture of a battery and the word "charge" so he should be able to recognise that one ok. Its also on the right hand side.

illapino · Post by **illapino** » October 30th, 2006, 7:40 am

yes, top left light is the CEL (Check-Engine Light)

my question is: if the CEL comes on randomly, perhaps days between these times, for like 4 seconds each, does that mean the problem isn't serious? is the warning phony? why would it come on so barely unnoticed if its supposed to be a warning?????

are there times when the CEL comes on and stays on for like an hour? coz i've never seen that...

sorry, i have nothing to compare to. All I ever get with any of the cluster warning lights are 5-second come-on's, then they just go off for a day, and come back on the next day for 3 seconds again like a constipated employee.... i duno. my auto repair for dummies book doesn't cover this question for me ...

illapino · Post by **illapino** » November 2nd, 2006, 7:16 pm

tehbrookzorz · Post by **tehbrookzorz** » November 3rd, 2006, 12:17 pm

Have you tried pulling codes while in diagnostic mode?

Westside, Canada? For some reason I thought you were from Victoria. If that's true and you're saying 'Westside,' that suggests to me Squampton.

illapino · Post by **illapino** » November 3rd, 2006, 5:15 pm

squampton? i guess u mean esquimalt.. no, i don't live there.. neway
hey, could you answer my question? intermittent dashlight vs solid dashlight? i only ever see intermittent dashlights, more like random, whenever it feels like coming on, which i don't know how urgent of a warning that is. doesn't seem like it

tehbrookzorz · Post by **tehbrookzorz** » November 3rd, 2006, 7:03 pm

I can't really answer based on that one without some research. Anytime I've had the check engine light so far has been related to a faulty ignition module. The light would come on just as the car started to die, and then I'd turn the key off, so I'm not sure if it was a flash or solid.

At any rate, have you pulled codes? Your car is OBD1 like mine.

This might help, but the server is slow as hell.

http://ca.briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/c_t_br ... -3&.view=l