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How to read ECU fault codes?

I used to have a Rover 800 series Sterling and the ECU was mounted (IIRC 'cos it's been a few years) under the passenger seat and had a big red LED visible through a little window. All you had to do was count the flashes of the LED then look it up in the workshop manual - no need for special diagnostic software or plug-in readers or anything like that.

Eee, those wer't days :o) Anyway, I digress...

The wife has an X-reg Mitsubushi Carisma 1.8GDi and the ECU light came on but before I had chance to investigate it properly it went out again. Couple of days later it came back on for about 3 days (again, circumstances and time were against a proper investigation) then went out for a week, and now it's back on again.

Anyone know where the ECU is located and if there's a nice, big, bright LED to watch or any idea how to read the fault codes?

Cheers,

Mogweed.

Reply to
Mogweed
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Reply to
Malcolm Stewart

you will need a code reader, they are a bit expensive

Reply to
mrcheerful

"Malcolm Stewart" wrote in message news:4456528c$0$1355$ snipped-for-privacy@reader.greatnowhere.com...

Tried that Malcolm but, unless I'm being especially thick here, that site seems to specialize in Vauxhall/Opel/GM cars but ours is a Mitsubushi and I can't find anything about Mitsu's there.

Thanks for trying though.

Mogweed

Reply to
Mogweed

Oh poo!!! I thought that that may be the case. Everything's done to maximize the amount of money that can be fleeced from the customer these days.

There was nothing wrong with the old Rover system of a visible LED flashing codes. They could even put in an LCD that shows "P1638" or whatever, but no, we can't have the customer reading his own fault codes - we'll make money out of it instead.

Rant over. Thanks mrcheerful

Mogweed.

Reply to
Mogweed

Just hoped that your car might use the same ECU, on the basis that I'd expect ECUs to be used by more than one model.

Reply to
Malcolm Stewart

Some cars do still have flash codes. Even some Mitsubishis. Unfortunately yours isn't one of them.

Phone around your local auto electricians; I found a good mobile chap who sorted mine for me.

Reply to
Chris Bolus

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