Engine Management Fault

[Scorpion]

Bit of a general question here, not really Surf related. My dad bought a newer car yesterday. A 2003 Rover 25, yes I know it's not to most peoples tastes but he is 74 and his last car was a Rover which he drove trouble free for 6 years, so you get my drift.

It's only got 26.000 miles from new with a full service history and numerous bills so it's been well looked after. Anyhoo to cut a long story short he took it out for the first time this morning and I got a phone call from him in a panic saying the engine management light had come on.

My mother, who was with him, said that they had stopped at the newsagent and when he went to pull away the car jumped a couple of times along with a few knocks, the management light then came on. I have a sneaking suspision that he tried to pull away in third gear. Would this cause the cat to be over fuelled and then for it to diagnose a fault?

I'm grasping at straws here so any info would be useful. Cheers all!

[BUSHWHACKER]

You don't say wether the car is still working or not. I pressume it is and it was just the old fella chugging away in third like you say. The engine check light was probably from the crank sensor, indicating a fault due to the gear selected and the engine speed. (i.e. the ECU got confused)
Has the check light gone off now?

p.s. What will you be calling yourself next week?

[Scorpion]

Engine light still on and flashing, which according to the manual is the 'drive home as slowly as possible mode'. The engine itself is sounding as sweet as a nut and it starts and ticks over no problem.

Luckily the guy he bought it from is having it taken to a garage on Monday to have it put on the diagnostic rig. I don't think it's a big problem but when your parents are in their mid 70's everyting is a worry!

BTW next week I may be someone completely different. I don't have a split personality, but I do.

[Apache]

I'd be inclined to reset the ECU - disconnecting the battery for an hour or so usually does the trick.

My Alfa used to do weird electrical things now and again, and this technique worked every time.

[Scorpion]

If it was my car Andy I'd try that. But as I said earlier, try explaining that to parents who are in their 70's, all I'd get is, "Well if it's happened once it'll happen again and again, we'd rather have it fixed properly"!

I'll let the guy who sold them the car take it to the garage first, I just wondered if by pulling away in 3rd may have caused the fault.

[darkdezigns]

in a word no,its still the same set up from 1995 when the first bubble shape came out,will be a random sensor somwhere,if it's flashing prob a temp sender

[Scorpion]

Okey dokey, just thought I'd update you on this. Seems the guy who valeted the car also steam cleaned the engine. He somehow managed to get water into the electrical system, which in turn set off the management light.

All fixed now but thanks for the help.

[darkdezigns]

Okey dokey, just thought I'd update you on this. Seems the guy who valeted the car also steam cleaned the engine. He somehow managed to get water into the electrical system, which in turn set off the management light.

All fixed now but thanks for the help.

no worries,bet he popular now