Engine Engine VGA warning lights

slowhand · 10th September 2007, 22:48

Looks like I got a new fault.
Driving home today on the A34, accelerating normaly up a shallow hill, the engine suddenly surged for about half a second then the VGA fault came up on the info display, followed by the engine symbol. Engine seemed to be running ok, but I pulled into the first lay-by, turned it off, waited for a couple of mins and started it again still got the engine symbol.
Called Honda AA breakdown , 1.5 hours to send contracted recovery van (guess the AA have sold all their recovery trucks).

By the way the AA thing gives you a free loan car for 3 days if yours breaks down, that is better than taking the car into the dealer, mine never has a curtesy car available, but the people at the other end of the phone are rubbish, I phoned them 4 times and got told 4 different stories about what the recovery truck driver will or wont do, so beware, they have to take you to your choice of dealer and then to your house, the driver is also supposed to arrange for your hire car, I would not rely on the last bit do that yourself throught he breakdown number.

Oh well into the dealer again tomorrow, I am getting to know them much better than I ever did my local Toyota dealer who looked after my last car.

slowhand · 10th September 2007, 22:59

I just checked the manual (should have done this before I posted I suppose), it says the engine symbol shows that the emissions system has found a fault, god knows what that means. Over to you Mr Honda.

TTDegs · 10th September 2007, 23:48

pretty much of a 'catch all' fault

could be anything from a knackered MAF (part of the air filter gubbins) to a knackered catalyst to putting diesel in your 1.8...

Or it could just be a knackered sensor

fingers crossed for you

slowhand · 12th September 2007, 17:12

Just got a call from the dealer, the diagnostic computer came up with an Internal timing fault, dont know whay that means, but they reset the fault memory and road tested it, the fault did not come back so I am picking it up in the morning.
Guess I just drive it around until it happens again.

WOULD YOU WANT TO OWN A CIVIC WHEN ITS 5 YEARS OLD?

I am getting shot of mine after the 2 year point, going back to Toyota, these civics are built in the UK! and QC in terrible, they built cheaply with more attention to styling than to mechanics.

TTDegs · 13th September 2007, 09:47

sorry to hear that slowhand

still - it could be worse - you could be driving an Audi at twice the price and still get engine warning lights popping on at random...

Which is not me dismissing your problem at all - unfortunately, as car become more complex, by definition there is more that can go wrong

My first 'real' car was a MkII Ford Escort, about 15 years old.
It NEVER had an engine check light come on

Not even when I massively overfilled the engine with oil and drove round for a mile generating my own personal James Bond smoke screen behind me

Obviously doing that trick in a new car today would flash up all sorts of warnings - hopefully before the CAT was kanckered - but back in the day things were a lot simpler...

steelfish · 15th January 2008, 18:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowhand

I just checked the manual (should have done this before I posted I suppose), it says the engine symbol shows that the emissions system has found a fault, god knows what that means. Over to you Mr Honda.

Did you get this repaired in the end? Mine's been into the dealers 4 times to get this sorted:

1) simply reset the error.
2) investigate, decided a solenoid was at fault.
3) Fit solenoid
4) Found a loose connection on 'the sensor'

I drove away from the garage tonight after the fourth time. Got half a mile up the road and it's back on again.

Doh!

kenP · 15th January 2008, 19:01

I had exactly the same thing happen to me, with the VSA warning message and the engine warning. Didn't bother with calling anyone out as the car was still driveable, but did go straight to the dealer who had a quick look and said there was so many error codes they couldn't work out the problem there and then.

The car was booked in for a service and the dealer said it would be OK to drive until then. When the car had its service they found a stone stuck in one of the sensors in the braking system which was causing false readings on the VSA, and the fault hasn't come back since.

steelfish · 15th January 2008, 19:21

Oh wow - that sounds like something so random, I just know I'll be back and forth to my local dealer until they find it. When they first reset the error they couldn't find the error code at all!

Thanks anyway, I feel a bit better knowing I just need to be persistant. I do hope they find it soon though as I'm going to flog it and go for something a little less random!

Cheers.

kenP · 15th January 2008, 20:30

Maybe I've just got a good dealer, I was surprised they even volunteered to look at it on a Friday evening, as I had only gone in so I could book a time so they could have a proper look.

10th September 2007, 22:48	#1 (permalink)
slowhand Wheelnut Join Date: 13th May 2007 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 59 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Engine VGA warning lights Looks like I got a new fault. Driving home today on the A34, accelerating normaly up a shallow hill, the engine suddenly surged for about half a second then the VGA fault came up on the info display, followed by the engine symbol. Engine seemed to be running ok, but I pulled into the first lay-by, turned it off, waited for a couple of mins and started it again still got the engine symbol. Called Honda AA breakdown , 1.5 hours to send contracted recovery van (guess the AA have sold all their recovery trucks). By the way the AA thing gives you a free loan car for 3 days if yours breaks down, that is better than taking the car into the dealer, mine never has a curtesy car available, but the people at the other end of the phone are rubbish, I phoned them 4 times and got told 4 different stories about what the recovery truck driver will or wont do, so beware, they have to take you to your choice of dealer and then to your house, the driver is also supposed to arrange for your hire car, I would not rely on the last bit do that yourself throught he breakdown number. Oh well into the dealer again tomorrow, I am getting to know them much better than I ever did my local Toyota dealer who looked after my last car.

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This thread is about: Engine VGA warning lights, it's in Bugs, faults and irritations at the Honda Civic forum Civinfo; Looks like I got a new fault. Driving home today on the A34, accelerating normaly up a shallow hill, the engine suddenly surged for about ...

10th September 2007, 22:59	#2 (permalink)
slowhand Wheelnut Join Date: 13th May 2007 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 59 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I just checked the manual (should have done this before I posted I suppose), it says the engine symbol shows that the emissions system has found a fault, god knows what that means. Over to you Mr Honda.

10th September 2007, 23:48	#3 (permalink)
TTDegs Super Moderator Civinfo master Join Date: 4th August 2006 Location: Cardiff Posts: 5,638 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	pretty much of a 'catch all' fault could be anything from a knackered MAF (part of the air filter gubbins) to a knackered catalyst to putting diesel in your 1.8... Or it could just be a knackered sensor fingers crossed for you

12th September 2007, 17:12	#4 (permalink)
slowhand Wheelnut Join Date: 13th May 2007 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 59 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Just got a call from the dealer, the diagnostic computer came up with an Internal timing fault, dont know whay that means, but they reset the fault memory and road tested it, the fault did not come back so I am picking it up in the morning. Guess I just drive it around until it happens again. WOULD YOU WANT TO OWN A CIVIC WHEN ITS 5 YEARS OLD? I am getting shot of mine after the 2 year point, going back to Toyota, these civics are built in the UK! and QC in terrible, they built cheaply with more attention to styling than to mechanics.

13th September 2007, 09:47	#5 (permalink)
TTDegs Super Moderator Civinfo master Join Date: 4th August 2006 Location: Cardiff Posts: 5,638 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	sorry to hear that slowhand still - it could be worse - you could be driving an Audi at twice the price and still get engine warning lights popping on at random... Which is not me dismissing your problem at all - unfortunately, as car become more complex, by definition there is more that can go wrong My first 'real' car was a MkII Ford Escort, about 15 years old. It NEVER had an engine check light come on Not even when I massively overfilled the engine with oil and drove round for a mile generating my own personal James Bond smoke screen behind me Obviously doing that trick in a new car today would flash up all sorts of warnings - hopefully before the CAT was kanckered - but back in the day things were a lot simpler...

15th January 2008, 19:01	#7 (permalink)
kenP Supporter Wheelnut Join Date: 12th January 2008 Location: West Midlands, UK Posts: 79 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I had exactly the same thing happen to me, with the VSA warning message and the engine warning. Didn't bother with calling anyone out as the car was still driveable, but did go straight to the dealer who had a quick look and said there was so many error codes they couldn't work out the problem there and then. The car was booked in for a service and the dealer said it would be OK to drive until then. When the car had its service they found a stone stuck in one of the sensors in the braking system which was causing false readings on the VSA, and the fault hasn't come back since.

15th January 2008, 19:21	#8 (permalink)
steelfish Valve Cap Join Date: 2nd July 2007 Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Oh wow - that sounds like something so random, I just know I'll be back and forth to my local dealer until they find it. When they first reset the error they couldn't find the error code at all! Thanks anyway, I feel a bit better knowing I just need to be persistant. I do hope they find it soon though as I'm going to flog it and go for something a little less random! Cheers.

15th January 2008, 20:30	#9 (permalink)
kenP Supporter Wheelnut Join Date: 12th January 2008 Location: West Midlands, UK Posts: 79 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Maybe I've just got a good dealer, I was surprised they even volunteered to look at it on a Friday evening, as I had only gone in so I could book a time so they could have a proper look.