[cobra117]

What the hell does this mean? I've had it happen twice in three weeks (Seems like the engine vibrates a lot when it happens) but it goes away on restart. It's a continuous flash (about twice a second) until I restart.

Something is wrong with my baby and I don't know what =(

 

[GTIWRX]

does the engine start to die out? if so that would be why your getting a flashing cel...this has never happened to me so i duno man bring it in if the cars new....

 

[GTIWRX]

ok wait on second thought my guess would be that the engine is probobly just sputtering a little bit because its cold out....always let the fuel pump prime first before starting...you can hear it..just wait like 5 seconds after turning the key to the acc position....you say it goes away onrestart which makes me believe the engien warmed up a little when you cranked it the first time....if its still doin it and u dont bring it in i could come check it out for ya in a couple days....albany area w00t

 

[JRod]

You're not alone. This happened to me when i was still basically stock. Just happened again yesterday on a cold start. The first time in happened was during a downpour on start up. I may be wrong, but i dont think it is a huge issue since it goes away once we restart the engine. If it was a serious problem the light would keep blinking. This only happens very rarely, 4 times max. Anyone else with thoughts?

 

[cobra117]

Maybe that could be it- It isn't all the time, just every once in a while when really cold. Maybe I should let the fuel pump prime first, I'll see if it ever happens again. It's just when anything goes wrong with my car I freak out =)

 

[JRod]

Has anyone else had this problem or have some possible explanations/solutions? I need some piece of mind.

 

[wrx300]

any time the CEL flashes it is counting missfires, which is also why it rumbles and vibrates more....go get the codes pulled at autozone b4 u take it to dealer

 

[jmussetter]

I get a blinking CEL a couple times a day in mine, but I have a UniChip, and Shiv @ Vishnu says that it's normal w/ a Stage 0 because the ECU only *thinks* it's misfiring, because the UniChip is doing some major adjustments...

Never had a flashing CEL on startup though... Sorry.

-Jason

 

[wrx300]

i dont think cobra has any ecu stuff....so i still stand by my misfire diagnosis goto

anyways...goto autozone its free

~wrx300

 

[brembo]

The CEL comes on when ya turn the car on. So, when its cold, or not wanting to run just yet and the engine is teetering on the edge of dying or beginning to run, the CEL will flicker. I guess its reading a voltage from the alternator and trying to decide if the car is running or if ya just have the ignition on. I dunno, total guess.

 

[Rich10]

Do you have any mod's? I got it once when I had a unichip.

Rich

 

[bluemax]

The flashing cel is describe in your owner's manuel and wouldn't you know. I can never find it when I need it. Flashing cel has something to do with emision. I had my cel flashed when I was running rich with newly installed sti injectors.

So check the owner's manuel...it should have a description of flashing cel.

good luck..BlueMax

 

[cobra117]

Yep, i have a Vishnu Unichip with a TXS harness modified to use MAP.

I can't get it read- if I turn the car off, it goes away when I restart. It hasn't happened recently though, If I wait for the fuel pump like they told me to try.

Dunno what to say guys, guess our cars are FREAKS!

 

[03WRX83]

Here my Flashing cel problem, starts when i put the key ina nd turn it to the furthest it will go before starting the engine....im getting a fluctuation idle and the fast blinkin cel. Here is in detail what happens. COLD Start, cel comes on and flashes, after 10-15 min of driving if i turn the car off, then back on, the cel is gone and idle is normal. Warm start, cel comes on, then if i drive around for 10-15 min again and turn off, the cel is gone.

From what i have noticed there is no difference in performance, car sounds the same and evverything, just a rough idle and flashing cel.

1. time it wouldn't boost past 7psi, but that didn't happen again.


So what can this be, im totally confused, and what could have caused this to happen?

 

[JimDab]

this isnt the answer im sure, but for those of you with UTECs - the UTEC flashes the map you are in when you turn the key to the "on" position just before the point where you start the engine. example: for map 3 the CEL will flash 3 times then stay on until you start the car (so it's actually 4 times it flashes, confused me at first)