"Check Engine" light on all the time on '96 911 Carrera

For some time now my "Check Engine" light has been on. Several months ago when I lived in San Francisco I had my mechanic check it extensively (I have only worked on my 914, and I had been too busy to check it out myself). He changed the spark plugs, plug wires, and a few other relatively minor things (I can get a complete list, but I don't have it here). His conclusion: he had no idea why the light was on, but he couldn't find a single thing wrong with the car. A friend of mine who races thought it might be a bad chip (I assume he meant DME).

If anyone has seen this problem before, I would greatly appreciate any insight -- it makes me nervous to drive it hard while this light is on. And I apologize if this was covered in a past posting, but I couldn't find any references to this problem.

Thanks for any help.

The DME will have a diagnostic port, that a dealer can download data from, possibly telling why the light is on. See your dealer.

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'81 SC Coupe (aka: "Blue Bomber")
Canada West Region PCA
The Blue Bomber's Website
"If it ain't broke...we'll help you fix it 'til it is!"

[This message has been edited by Doug Zielke (edited 09-25-2001).]

Those "check engine soon" or "service engine soon" or "check engine" lightbulbs are completely useless!! They just send you on a wild goose chase and I dont see the need for them on any car.

It's like that pointless electronic arrow that pops up to tell you when to shift on 1988 Carrera.

Shchit like that they add to modern cars these days take away from the raw feel that a "true" Porsche 911 should possess.

some car features are just completely useless and do more harm than good.

anyway, good luck searching for a possible phantom problem on your "porsche"

Cabman,

I think that's pretty cold. I agree about the service engine soon lights, but the legitimate OBD-Fault Code lights are not to be ignored. They're there to advise the driver and to avoid litigation if they're ignored. "Hey, we warned you, buddy!"

Personally, I'd like to know if any of the safety systems on my MODERN car were inoperative or malfunctioning. I'd love to know that the ABS wasn't working if I was driving a nice 993. Then I could adjust my driving style accordingly. I'd also be pleased to know if the motor wasn't running right, detonating too much or if any of the Electronic Injection was playing up.

It's a sure fire way to avoid spending big dollars on repairs. I've seen people ignore service intervals on modern cars (I work for a large Car Dealership) and have seen cars go for long periods, avoiding scheduled maintenance and suffering horrific faults like siezed cams/cranks and ruined injectors. They hope to save money by not servicing "when the stupid book says to" only to get indignant when they have to pay TWICE that amount in repairs.


Preventative maintenance is always cheaper in my book!

Ericross, I'd take it to the dealer. Only takes 5 minutes for the guys to hook up the diagnostic computer. Good Luck!

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Adam Chaplin
1976 911 2.7 Euro
My 911 Website
Pelican Gallery Page
Porsche Owners Gallery Page