aaronazevedo

OK, first I'll say that I have 'searched' for 3 days and find very little info for a light that it is out and tons of information for CEL that are on.

So my story - I've owned my Canadian 993 for 9 years - never a problem - love the car. Moved to from MA (no smog tests) to CA and now fail smog test. Get this thought. The emission from the car is fine and within spec, so I should pass. But......the CEL never comes on. I guess its supposed to come on at start-up then go out. Mine does not come on every. I pulled the gauge, checked the light and its fine. Swapped bulbs with another one and its fine, so I don't have power or signal to the light.

Why does my CEL never come on? Any clue?

I also did the gas pedal to the floor test with acc on to see if I get any blinks from CEL - nothing.

Please help

Thanks, Aaron

TRINITONY

Wat yr is your car?

C4SJOHN

Where are you located in California we may be able to read your codes. Was your battery remove or disconnected ? You may have to reset the five codes that are in your DME computer and that are checked by the somg inspection station.

aaronazevedo

Sorry guys - my car is a '95 C2. I did replace the battery a year ago. What are the proper proceedures for replacing it. It seems there are some codes to be reset after a battery replacement? I'm in North County San Diego.

Thanks

MarkD

You did not say why it didn't pass smog... was there a code in error state?
Or just "not ready" isues?

Search on readiness codes and you will find many threads with discussion around the drive cycle needed to set the codes.
Here is the drive cycle:
https://rennlist.com/forums/5976750-post19.html

Attempting this without a code reader could drive you mad. You need to be able to see if the codes were set... or keep driving to a shop to have them check.

The alternative is to go to a referee station. They have the ability to pass you without the readiness codes being set.
Since this state is pretty much bankrupt... are the referee sations still being funded? For a while they were shut down. Not sure of the current status.

DISREGARD above, this is a 95 car. Readiness codes are not a factor.

aaronazevedo

Sorry guys - The terrible thing ( and most frustrating) is that the car DID PASS SMOG. The smog part. All emissions are in the zone for the rpm and mph testing on the dyno. The ONLY reason the car failed is that the CEL does not come on at start-up. So I'm searching for reasons why the CEL would not come on. I have discounted the bulb, and now am stuck!!

MarkD

oh... I see. They got you on a technicality.
That is frustrating.

As for the CEL not lighting... and the bulb isn't the problem... I have not seen that. Sorry, hopefully someone else has.

All other lights come on when key is moved to "run" position?

helmet155

Check the pinouts on the DME for a signal and continuity...do you have a shop manual or the 993 companion book? If not let me know and I'll tell you which pins...I'd have to look it up.

race911

Not having smogged a '95 (e.g. OBD 1 car), I don't believe they're hooking in electronically. At least if you step back to the last time I had to do the RS America. So it's merely the guy visually checking to see if it's lighting up?

Obviously you have to go in the direction of the wiring. From the circuit board on the gauge where the bulb holder fastens (right? doing this from fuzzy memory) to wherever it gets the signal from the DME. Now if anything was messed around with, who knows!

helmet155

Check voltage for the bulb with key on at the bulb socket/wiring...

And you could apply ground to pin 21 on DME control unit plug with DME unplugged...

aaronazevedo

Thanks. I'll get in there. Where do I find the DME? Is that up under the kick panel in the passenger footwell?

MarkD

Under driver's seat.

Disregard my previous statements about readiness codes... just realized yours is a 95.

aaronazevedo

Thanks - Any cautions before I unlug anything??

travanx

You've got to be kidding me. I am scared to smog this car when its time a year from now. BTW where and what kind of place did you smog at??? Is this light really supposed to go on. Nervously going to be checking this shortly.

Garth S

Usually a good precaution to lift the battery ground strap before releasing the latch on a DME harness ....

Note that there are 2 steps to execute in Helmets's post
a) verify +12v at one of the two CEL bulb contact points with key in on/run position
b) knowing which contact is hot, verify continuity (0 ohms) between the other contact and pin 21 of the DME harness.

Your problem may be due to running a crappy Cdn speedo marked in Kmph - never works well below the 49th .... you could always rip it out and swap for my MPH speedo.