Sitting at 133K, car runs great. recently changed the plugs, coils, oil change, and cleaned the MAF. Still getting a sporadic CEL that goes on and off. If I coast a little while it often goes off but always comes back.

The dealer said they checked it and it shows nothing. They are changing the belts right now but not sure what to do with the CEL. Should I just forget about it or is it a concern?

 

The CEL could be anything from a loose gas cap to your car is on fire. It's usually emissions related, but not always.

We can't tell you more unless you can provide the code that the CEL is referring to. Autozone, Advance, Pep Boys, and other shops usually will read the codes for free for you.

Get that and come back with it.

 

The dealer should also be able to see stored codes as well, not just active ones. If you have a CEL, it is for a reason. They are not dummy lights anymore.

 

They are saying I likely have the coolant light and CEL mixed up, I believe they are both red. If that's the case then I apologize for the error. I think this may be the case since the car runs great, no rough idle, no loss of power, starts like a champ.

Trying to get ol' girl to 200K+. I think it was built on a day they got raises because honestly, I haven't had one problem with the car. Thanks for the help! Hopefully I can get to the bottom of it.

 

 

You didn't think to look in the manual?

 

might be the blinker fluid thats causing all the issues :P

 

Check Engine Light is Yellow.
Coolant Light is Red.

One is shaped like a radiator, while the other is shaped like an engine block.

If you can somehow mix those two up, you really should read the owners manual.

BC.

 

ive been getting the coolant light for a while now... only in 5th or 6th gear on the highway.... as soon as i see it go on, i drop it in neutral and it goes off..

im fully topped off on coolant, and if the sensor was bad, wouldnt it be on all the time?

ive talked to riwwp about this many times, im considering just pulling the sensors connector.

 

You probably did get them confused since the coolant light is red and the CEL is yellow. Anyhow the sensor built into the bottom of your plastic coolant bottle is going bad if you are getting random coolant lights, well unless your coolant level actually are low. The light will gradually come on more frequently until the sensor completely fails and the light stays on permanently.

A lot of people just ignore this problem and regularly check their coolant level. Some people even unplug the sensor wires by the bottle to make the light go off. I know I did this for a while but I did eventually replace the coolant tank.

If you want to replace it you can get one for roughly $130 online. Dealer will ask for 2 or 3 times that amount. It's a very simple swap you can do yourself in under an hour, search the DIY section. Though a fair bit of warning, normally it is a simple swap but some people have reported snapping off the plastic nipple on the main radiator when moving the reservoir which will force you to replace the radiator if this happens to you. It wasn't the case with me but it has been known to occur.

Read this thread https://www.rx8club.com/tech-garage-...-143334/page2/ and pay particular attention to post #27.

Edit: Found a good picture of the plastic nipple that can cause you the problem i mentioned https://www.rx8club.com.au/forum/vie...php?f=5&t=6640

 

Again, my error for not checking the book but I do appreciate the guidance. Thanks for the info GT. Probably will just live with it.

 

If you want to live/ignore the problem sensor make sure you regularly check your coolant level. You should also be flushing/replacing your coolant every year or two depending on climate in your area and your driving mileage. If you want to make the light go off there is a small gray hardness next to the coolant bottle, simply unplug that. You should be able to see it soon as you open the hood. No need to remove battery, Air filter or whatever. Probably not necessary now but it will degrade so keep it mind.