Emission Control System sensor light

[grajay]

In July this year the Emission Control System light came on.  I took the Yeti to mt local garage who diagnosed that it pertained to a particular sensor and then they reset the sensor saying that it was possible that the fault was a spurious one.  I drove home, and then when I went out in the evening after about 10 minutes driving the light came on again, so the next morning I dropped back to my local garage and they said that they'd order a new sensor.  This was at the end of July.

 

Last Friday 25th November I took my Yeti back to the original dealership for a major service and MOT.  I told them about the sensor issue and that my local garage had it on order for 4 months and were still awaiting delivery.  After a while the service advisor came to me and said that the light being illuminated would be an MOT failure.  I thought this was rather odd as I understood that the MOT checks emissions etc.  When I challenged what he said he stuck to his guns and said that they would reset the sensor and hope that the light stayed off during the test (which it did).  He subsequently advised me that they could most likely supply and fit a new sensor which would cost £217 plus the fitting charge  approx £50!!  He also said that these parts if not in stock locally (a 2 day wait) would likely take 7-10 days to arrive.

 

So now I'm in a dilemma.  I drove the car home, some 60+ miles and he light remained off for all that time, but the next day after a short drive the light came back on again.

 

Can someone please tell me whether or not the advice I was given regarding the likely failure of the MOT because of an Emission Control System light regardless of the fact that the emissions when tested are within the limits of the test was correct?

Also, has anyone else had this particular fault?

 

Thanks guys

[KenONeill]

57 minutes ago, grajay said:

In July this year the Emission Control System light came on. ...  After a while the service advisor came to me and said that the light being illuminated would be an MOT failure.

Which is completely specious. I've just read through Section 8.2.1 of the current MOT tester's manual, and there is no mention of the Emission Control System light. As such it can not be an MOT failure.

[grajay]

Thanks @KenONeill.  I must say that the reply to me was a bit of a shock.  Much appreciated.

[Crasher]

The engine Malfunction Indicator Light being on is an MOT failure.

 

8.2.1.2. Gaseous emissions

 

Engine malfunction indicator lamp (engine management light or ‘EML’)

Turn on the ignition and check that the engine malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) illuminates and then goes off. On some vehicles it will be necessary to start the engine before the MIL goes off.

You need to inspect MIL fitted to:

• petrol vehicles including hybrids with 4 or more wheels, not more than 8 passenger seats in addition to the driver’s seat and first used on or after 1 July 2003
• petrol vehicles including hybrids with 4 or more wheels, more than 8 passenger seats in addition to the driver’s seat and first used on or after 1 July 2008
• gas and bi-fuel vehicles including hybrids with 4 or more wheels, not more than 8 passenger seats in addition to the driver’s seat and first used on or after 1 July 2008

 

Defect	Category
(a) Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer’s specified limits	Major
(b) Emissions levels exceed default limits	Major
(c) Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer	Major
(d) Emissions test unable to be completed	Major
(e) Engine is idling clearly above its normal idle speed	Major
(f) Exhaust emits dense blue or clearly visible black smoke for a continuous period of 5 seconds at idle	Major
(g) Exhaust emits excessive dense blue or clearly visible black smoke during acceleration which would obscure the view of other road users	Major
(h) Engine MIL inoperative or indicating a malfunction	Major

[KenONeill]

@Crasher OK, now tell me where in 8.2.1.2(h) the text says "Emission Control System light". The EML is something different.

[Ootohere]

It is the Engine shaped symbol usually.  It is not the EPC light.  So what other light can the EML be?

[Crasher]

This sort of nasty attitude is why I went away from this forum until the other Skoda one shut down, you are playing at semantics over the wording. In the trade it is well understood what the light means and it's wording varies from one manufacturer to the other so the government's approach is trying to be universal. VW have two separate warnings that constitute an MOT failure one for petrol and one for Diesel

[J.R.]

18 hours ago, KenONeill said:

@Crasher OK, now tell me where in 8.2.1.2(h) the text says "Emission Control System light". The EML is something different.

It doesn't, nor does it mention "that funny little yellow light thingy" either!

[Crasher]

Or like the Audi SQ5 we have just serviced, customer states "the yellow oil light came on and then the red one", there was bugger all oil in there!

[grajay]

Just to dot the i's and cross the t's - this is the light that I am talking about.

according to the owner's handbook it is the Emission Control System light.

[Breezy_Pete]

Is this a 1.2 diesel?

If so, the only emission tested by MOT is particulates/smoke.

 

There are various other components of the tailpipe emissions which are controlled by design, and presence and good function of various parts like EGR systems. (But invisible literally and to the diesel MOT test)

 

The fault light you're seeing indicates a fault with such a system.

 

You may have heard of NOx emissions in the context of modern German diesels, that's one of the poisonous tailpipe gases that may be badly affected by such malfunctioning systems.

[Ootohere]

 

 

So a 2016 1.2 TSI DSG Yeti with an Engine Light on / Exhaust Emissions light. 

Which is not the most unusual of things.

 

Serviced with new spark plugs and maybe some E5 Super Unleaded can sort things if the plugs have not been changed and if it is not a sensor or some other actual fault.

 

@grajay

How many miles has the car done, and have the spark plugs been replaced at any point?

 

???

What did a Major Service consist of on your 6 year old car and how much did you pay for that? 

 

 

Someone is using you as a Goose to lay the golden egg IMO.

 

Edited 8 December, 2022 by toot

[Breezy_Pete]

Ah, a petrol, I see that now I'm on a computer and can see the OP's signature.

 

In which case there are a few more emission types tested at MOT. But still plenty of emissions-related equipment that can go faulty, as well as other engine faults that might put on that same light (which is the EML as far as MOT is concerned) without necessarily having major impact on the tailpipe emissions.

 

Needs scanning to identify why the light is currently on.

 

[cogggo]

Hi Grayjay,

This has just happened to my low mileage 2016 Yeti SEL 1.2 DSG.

Was there a satisfactory outcome to this for your car?

And if so, what was it please?

 

[Ootohere]

@cogggo ?

What happened, a warning light, a MOT failure, a sensor issue? 

[cogggo]

At the mo just a warning light as shown by Grayjay on this thread.

Car runs fine, in conversation with my long serving local garage the concensus seems to be that I filled up with supermarket petrol which in their opinion is causing lots of problems for drivers who fill up with  E10 petrol.

Advice is to put fuel cleaning fluid in the tank and refuel with non supermarket fuel and see if the light goes out.

[Urrell]

6 minutes ago, cogggo said:

in conversation with my long serving local garage the concensus seems to be that I filled up with supermarket petrol which in their opinion is causing lots of problems for drivers who fill up with  E10 petrol.

You are being taken for a ride there!

[Ootohere]

@cogggo Try E5 then, so Tesco Momentum 99 or Sainsburys Super Unleaded 97 ron minimum. 

Note they are on sale @ Filling stations near Supermarkets or Express Shops.

Greenergy might be supplying the fuel as they do for Esso and other filling stations .

 

There is nothing different from E10 in a Supermarket filling station than from BP, Shell or any others not near a Supermarket.

 

There is in different parts of the UK with differences of the E5. 

All in the UK is winter formulation until March or maybe even later further north.

 

Do not put in fuel cleaner.

 

?

How many miles has your car done?

Has it had new spark plugs fitted ever? 

Edited 14 February, 2023 by toot

[cogggo]

car has only done 14500 miles

new spark plugs fitted in the last couple of months

I have already used the fuel cleaner, it was Forte, apparently only used by the trade and cannot be bought in retail outlets.

I might stress that the garage has not looked at the car as they want to see if changing the petrol and the fuel cleaner make the light disappear.

Thank you for your info on the different petrol constituents.

[cogggo]

Just a follow up, apparently, the garage where I bought the car did NOT change the spark plugs on the service due to the low mileage of the car!

[Ootohere]

? Did they plug in and check for fault codes.    Low mileage at 6 years old does not mean the gap is correct on all 4 plugs.  Inspecting then would have been a plan, and since out change them.  Are they waiting for another year of low miles to pass?      Edit.  Missed your post that the plugs were now changed.  

Edited 14 February, 2023 by toot

[Ootohere]

Ps.  Someone was feeding you BS.  Forte injector / fuel cleaner / additives, snake oils, available from  Amazon, eBay or anyplace really.   Hopefully they sold it at a reasonable price to you. 

Edited 14 February, 2023 by toot

[cogggo]

Just a quick follow up. I took the car back to where I bought it and they diagnosed a faulty lambda sensor. A new one was fitted the next day and the system reset.

I have since driven around 300 miles and the light has remained off. Hope I am not tempting fate by posting this!

Job done under the garage warranty I had with the car when purchased.