maestromaestro

Here's the trouble - the Central Information Light (the red Exclamation Sign) light comes on and sometimes stays on, sometimes goes off all on its own. And, no secondary lights light up either. I checked - and all the bulbs seem to be OK, as in turn on if the ignition is on. Once I acknowledge the light, it tends to stay off, but not necessarily.

Has anyone seen this kind of behavior before? According to the manual, the CIL should not illuminate all by itself, there ALWAYS should be the second warning light. I ran the OBDII software diagnostic tool, and no codes came up (other than the dreaded secondary air intake reporting a problem - but this is typically accompanied by the CEL, which has been on. This is a known issue to me, and it does not trigger the CIL).

So - stumped.

Thoughts?

Coleman

sometimes mine does that too.. oddly enough, if i hit a hard bump, or pound on the dash, it comes on.. this tells me it's a short/ or fault related in the gauge..

maestromaestro

Bump...

It just keeps happening and nobody seems to find the cause...

techman1

Please take a look at your ground cable at the battery. It may look new, but your best bet is to replace it. I was informed in my search to ban the light gremlin, that cable picks up resistance as it ages and may need replacement.

kjr914

You can try popping the switch out of the center console, then pulling the switch off it's plug and reinstall (off/on several times helps) to see if there is oxidation on the connections that are causing intermittent connections. Also, cycle the switch a bunch of time to help clean the switch contacts.

Never had this exact problem, but this is the first thing to try with intermittent electrical issues (and its doesn't cost you anything, hardly any time either). Often the electrical gremlins are simple, like a connector issue or built up switch corrosion.

Amfab

+1 on this—start simple

Ish993

I had a similar problem on my 964, the issue was broken joints on the circuit board of the warning light cluster around the clock
In my case replacing the clock solved the issue

maestromaestro

The Central Information Light just keeps popping up and going off on its own. I have tried what people have suggested and - bupkes. Can't seem to be able to chase this gremlin down. Something is "sending the ground" to the light - and I cannot find what trips it.

So - a bump.

Coleman

+1 on replacing the clock.. (but that was in my 964 as well) maybe unplug the clock and see if you can get CIL to illuminate.. If not, then at least you may have narrowed down the cause..

C<

Stealth 993

Is the e-brake switch loose? it might be contacting & turing the light on?

maestromaestro

Nope. I wish. The biggest issue is that there is no secondary light to go with it.

nile13

It's zee Germans reading Rennlist and doing a preventive strike against you even thinking of suing them

Seriously now, this could be caused moisture under your passenger seat. Stick your hand in there and feel things. The central informant unit is located there.

maestromaestro

See the original post. These gremlins are still here, darn it.

hoggel

Tiptronic?

maestromaestro

No, stick. And, I did everything short of pulling out the clock (I can't find any causal relationships b/n that and the light) and replacing the control unit. I actually bought one to replace, but can't get to the thing - it is packed in so tight underneath the dash...