Flashing CEL and Rough Idle

[PlatRexSubie]

I just put on a boost gauge everything worked perfectly until i tried moving it a litlle, after i put it where i liked it to be i turned off my car and noticed that the tail lights and front lights were on, and the check engine light was on,i searched around to see if anything was disconnected but i couldnt find anything it was getting dark so i unplugged the fuse for the tail lights and head lights and they went off for now.but i would like to get my car back to normal so if anyone who knows why my lights wont go off or how to fix this problem please please help me. I would appriciate it so much . Thankyou

[phast]

Weird! Did you turn them off?

Sounds like something might be shorted out somewhere. Not sure why that would cause a CEL. Where did you make your electrical and vacuum connections for the boost gauge?

If you or someone you know has access to an OBD-ii scanner, it'd be a good idea to get things checked out just so you can clear the code and figure out what it was.

[Root]

On top of the steering column is a switch. I works your parking lights, when I get my car washed they always hit it and it was confusing at first.

Hopefully thats all it is,
Justin

[dark_rex]

On top of the steering column is a switch. I works your parking lights, when I get my car washed they always hit it and it was confusing at first.

me too. it's a pkg lite switch (rocker type) for when the car is off.

dR

[PlatRexSubie]

yea it was that switch on the top of the steering wheel.if feel dumb that all it was, was a little switch i hit.

Thank you so much, i appriciate alot

[PlatRexSubie]

well i fixed the lights but when i went to drive my car the check engine light was flashing, im not sure if it always did this but the fan would go on and then cut and then on again,and it was also making clicking noises alot.im not sure how could i have caused this just by moving the gauge to a little bit. also the rpm's would slightly go up and down while im idling,could this be my bov??
i took it down the street just to see how itd run,and itd make a wierd sound when i braked

Please anyone who knows why my car might be acting so strange,im not to sure about taking it to the dealership cause they might not help me out.

if someone could give me some reasons why my car might be doing this please help me, i want my car back to normal,or if anyone knows how to fix this problem,i hope its not too serious ...could someone get back to me asap!!! thanks

[PlatinumWRX]

PRS,

It sounds like your car is in "sensor cycling" mode. This is a setting for technicians to use in order to be able to walk around the car and verify that all of the sensors and switches are working properly. This mode will also cause the idle fluctuate so the technician can observe the engine's response. There are several connectors just below the steering column (black, green, clear/white). Two of these connectors plug together to engage this cycling mode. Disconnect these connectors using a small, flat head screw driver to disengage the plastic lock and the car should return to normal.

Hope this is all that's wrong!

Also, please don't double post. If you do by accident, inform a moderator via PM. Thanks.

-Jim

[PlatRexSubie]

yea that was it thank you so much PW

[Root]

I gotta ask this. Why did something get plugged in that wasn't supposed to on a gauge install and why does Plat know this?

Justin

[PlatRexSubie]

well when i looked under by the pedals i saw these two green clips apart,i had never seen them before,but when i see something disconnected i asume there supposed to be connected but that wasnt the case as what i found out, that they are supposed to be disconnected

[dark_rex]

well when i looked under by the pedals i saw these two green clips apart,i had never seen them before,but when i see something disconnected i asume there supposed to be connected

yeah, i noticed mine were disconnected, so i came to www.clubwrx.net to find out the story. <starry gaze> those were the olden days....


good job plat. i wanted to say that his piston rings were not sealing properly. admit it, at first glance, it had the syptoms.

dR

[PlatinumWRX]

Root,

It looks like "plat" will no longer suffice as a nickname for me on the club. I put PRS for PlatRexSubie, so I guess PW would work for me, you could always put "Jim" when faced with this conundrum again.

If you any of you are wondering how I knew this, the answer is, "Quite frankly, I know everything about the WRX!" Like all things that interest me, I attack each car that I purchase with the intent of LEARNING ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. Why else would I be so involved in such a WRX-centric club on the internet?

-Jim

[darksaga]

Originally posted by PlatRexSubie
well when i looked under by the pedals i saw these two green clips apart,i had never seen them before,but when i see something disconnected i asume there supposed to be connected but that wasnt the case as what i found out, that they are supposed to be disconnected

LOL I did this as well when working under the dash. (can't stand things to not be connected) I Freaked out when I turned on my car, but quickly realized what the problem was. Thanks for the explanation Platnium WRX! =)

[CKxx]

DAMN...any other crazy junk like that youd like to share? Also, how did you find that out?