sensor light

Black. Tape.

hammer

Piece of tape over the lamp.

Or, disconnect the battery for a minute or two. It may reset the circuit and the light will go away.

What IS a sensor light in a 26 year old Corolla, and what is its function?

Heh - so I wasn't the only one wondering that...

Cathy

Simple yet effective. ;-)

(But it would bug the crap out of me knowing that the light was on even if it was blocked from view, so finding a real fix is better.)

Since 1981 is before On-Board Diagnostics and after the advent of unleaded fuels and first-generation catalytic converters and air injection pumps, I'll make an educated guess that it's a mileage based emissions system reminder.

Roll the odometer over 75,000 miles (or a preset fixed value) and it wants you to go have a mechanic stick an Infrared Exhaust Analyzer probe up the tailpipe and check that the catalytic converter is still working properly.

The mechanic will know (or be able to look up) the arcane action to reset the light, which will come on again every time you clock another

75,000 miles. Probably does not involve waving a dead chicken over the car, but you never really know... ;-)

Jim: Try the "RTFM Procedure". Go get the Owners Manual out of the glovebox, read it, and see what the light is for. They usually list every one of the displays, even if the only thing you get is the proper name for the light and the cryptic "See your dealer."

I don't have one, so I can't answer the question for sure - but that little book can. Might even have the test and reset procedure.

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Oh... doh.... I read it way too fast the first time & was thinking "piece of tape over sensor" (vs. "lamp") this whole time, & so was relating it to the photo sensor for automatically tripping on the full headlights when it gets dark enough. And wondering what such a sensor would've been used for in an '81.

Cathy

Thanks group, for Cathy and myself, for the edification about "sensor lights" In my dim distant memory I seem to recall there being such a light to try to make you get the exhaust system tested (a profit center for the dealer, naturally.) Yep, the best way to 'turn it off' is with a hunk of electrical tape, the way folks used to get rid of the flashing "12:00" on the vcr when they didn't read the manual and had to reset the clock. I'm reminded of a woman I worked with years ago who asked me how to program her VCR to record. I told her to read the manual, since all makes were different. She was dismayed, saying the manual was 130 pages. She thought I could somehow give her a magic saying or a wave of the hand to program the thing. "Allakazam!, turn on at 8 PM!" I told her she'd have to spend a while reading and understanding the manual.... : - (

Too bad you didn't read anything after Grade 3. Maybe THAT explains why you are a LIEbrawl DEMONrat.

you might want to tell us what sensor light.

Jeff

If I recall correctly, the sensor light is a reminder to check the oxygen sensor function every 30,000 miles. Hook up a volt meter to the test terminals (I can't remember which terminals) and see if the voltage fluctuates when the engine is revved to about 1800 RPM or so. Or, skip the sensor test and just push the sensor reset button somewhere under the driver's side of the dash. The button is very small, about the size of a wooden pencil lead.