sstrickstein

My Central warning light has recently been coming on while I am moving down the road. Pressing the reset button turns it off until the next time. No other warning lamps light up on the cluster to tell me what it is pointing to. I have checked all the systems and other than a brake light that seems to have a bad connection every once in a while, all is well. I have looked on the search function and some suggest disconnecting the battery to reset the system. Any other suggestions are appreciated. I have a can of DeOxit ready to go. I am planning on a ground cleaning session soon. It is winter in the Arizona desert and its cold( for here) and I understand all kinds of weird things happen when its cold on a car that lives in a dry hot climate.

M. Requin

The next time it happens press down on the emergency brake handle- if the switch is set on "hair trigger" it can cause this.

joejoe

Different voltage to lights will set light. Are all warning lights coming on before start? I have a side marker on one car that will still set warning every now and then even after cleaning.

sstrickstein

I have checked the e brake first and it wasn't up. The light bulbs in the dash all go on and then off in the start up self test. Brake light goes off but every once in a while my right brake light will have issues. When this happens I not only have the central warning but the BRAKE light out idiot light comes on. When this random issue comes on nothing lights up. Could it be another light bulb flickering that wont have an IDIOT light associated with it that I should check?

mdkelly1

When you turn the key to the full "on" condition before turning it further to start the car, how many warning lights are illuminated in the dash cluster?

soontobered84

IIRC, that ! light monitors the engine temperature, the engine coolant level, the engine oil level, the engine oil pressure, the windshield washer reservoir level, brake pad wear, brake pressure, lighting function, and there are a couple more that I can't seem to remember right now. Anyway, there are only a very few systems that you would need to check to find out why that light is persistently coming on once. It obviously is not a critical system indicator or the light would come back on while driving after being cancelled.

sstrickstein

Here is my dash lights. The alternator gauge also lights. I just chopped the picture. Oh and my oil pressure gauge shows 5 bar now all the time, but it didn't do that last summer. Ive checked the sensor and its good. I think I may have ground issues.

mdkelly1

I don't know about the '84 model year, but the later models ('87+) have a "toothed belt" warning light as well on the left hand side.

The one in my car was burned out when I bought it and the central warning light would come on "randomly" when driving and I could reset it by pressing the ! button.

The car was trying to tell me (and the PO before me) that there was a problem with the timing belt tension and/or the tensioner system.

That convinced me to always count and name the warning lights when something like this occurred.

sstrickstein

16v cars don't have the warning light for the timing belt.

mdkelly1

That eliminates that one. The owners manual probably has a layout showing what warning lights to expect. If the 84 MY has the low coolant light that would be another possibility.

Wisconsin Joe

I think you're supposed to have a "coolant" light on the bottom of the temp/fuel level gauge (below the "wash fluid" light).

sstrickstein

I used to as well! And my connector was having issues! Thanks that might be it!

GlenL

On these old cars it can be a nightmare to figure out. The light can come on without a light that show the problem and then you're really left guessing. Mine does that a lot. I figure the fault is happening really briefly but the error latches the main error signal before the light bulb for the error comes on. Or that one is burned out or something.

Sometimes ya just gotta push the button.

sstrickstein

Spent an hour or so de-oxiting the grounds and connectors. The coolant level sensor connector was looking dirty so I cleaned it. Ill see if that's it. I also pulled the taillight bulbs and cleaned those connections too. The display on the cluster below the washer fluid level is the parking light idiot light. I do remember having a low coolant light but I cant remember where. My wife calls this use of time "fiddle f-cking"

The Forgotten On

Mine does that with the light because the 2 rear brake lights are 2 different bulb brands. It could be as simple as the bulbs in the lights not being a matching set in your case as it is intermittent like my light.

Just try to figure out if the light comes on after you do anything like stopping the car or turning on the headlights as it can help you pinpoint what is causing it.

But it could also be one of those really hard to find things like the gas cap seal failing.

Just know that if something is going really wrong , the warning light will either flash or not go out when you try to cancel it.