Engine/emissions checkl light on New 2.0 Beetle

[Griftwood]

Hi,
My wifes 2002 2ltr Beetle, has recently got an engine check light on all the time, the manual says it needs the emissions checked, yet it was only MOT'd last June,it says to take it to a VW dealer, who will no doubt rob us for all sorts, we took it to a non VW dealer for the MOT.
Is this an important light that can only be sorted by a VW dealer, or can it be sorted an easier way?
Cheers
Woody

[Slinky]

Local inde will be able to check it over for you, probably a lambda issue (TADTS)..

slinky

[Griftwood]

Cheers Slinky

[Vee]

Could be any number of things.
How is the engine running ? Normally or different ?
My V6 Golf had some hairline cracks in the coilpack which caused it to come on on cold damp mornings. As soon as it had warmed up it went off. Coating the pack in epoxy resin fixed it.
Another time a hose to the charcoal filter had split causing it to come on.
On my father's Bora it was a lamda sensor.

You should have a look around the engine for anything obvious before getting the codes read. An indepenant garage should read them for about £30.

Edited by Vee on Wednesday 14th January 13:39

[Griftwood]

Missus says its had troubles starting lately but got around it obviously else I'd had known sooner! I'll have a look around the engine bay tonight, cheers

[SMB]

Griftwood said:

Missus says its had troubles starting lately but got around it obviously else I'd had known sooner! I'll have a look around the engine bay tonight, cheers

Having just researched this for the wife's 2.0 golf ( same engine) it's an AQY engine code, whihc suffers potentially from air leaks, MAF failures or lambda probes. first 2 more common, so could be cheap fix, do a google for vw emissions aqy

[Gazzab]

You can buy a reader and reset tool from ebay for £20ish. It will be ODBCII compliant. Plug it in, read the numbers, check the list, write them down, reset, drive, re-read - bobs your auntie.

[Griftwood]

Gazzab said:

You can buy a reader and reset tool from ebay for £20ish. It will be ODBCII compliant. Plug it in, read the numbers, check the list, write them down, reset, drive, re-read - bobs your auntie.

Cheers, can you get one for any make? what would I search for?
Cars gone in to indy dealer now, I asked him if he could read it, he said he "thinks so"? Lets hope so!

[Gazzab]

Cant access Ebay from work but I bought an orange coloured unit for my Merc and it read, reset and switched off the light.

[Daggerpie]

I read somewhere that it can also come on from a poss carbon build up (especially if car just used for local stop-start journeys), happened on my Dads v low miles mk 4 Golf, took it for a decent blast to blow out the cobwebs and it somehow sorted it. Not saying if a warning light comes on you should automatically just ramp your car, but it worked on the Golf.

[Griftwood]

It cost us £30, the light was referring to the cats and he said to replace them theyre £200 plus labour but the light has stayed off with the diagnostics reset, lets hope it doesnt come back on
Cheers
Woody