ToreB

My Check Engine lamp does not light with ignition on before starting. All the others are lit.
The bulb is OK, and there's no error codes in the Motronic engine control unit. I have therefore settled with the thought that this light just shouldn't be lit, unless there's some serious error. My car originally come from Saudi Arabia.

However, I saw another 993 the other day, and this lamp was lit as all the others before starting. This was a car with US origin.
I am sure there's differences in the Check Engine light operation throughout the world. I don't have the error code light blink readout possibility as US cars have.
Is the Check Engine light supposed to be lit before start in all country versions?
Cheers,
Tore

Kika

All lights should come on before start at least for US. I am guessing the same is true for ROW as well.

deekay911

I could imagine some people would remove the bulb or disable it in some way to disguise a persistent CEL, but if the bulb is there and OK, I guess that's not it. I think it is supposed to light up on turning the ignitiion on to tell you that it is functional..

ToreB

This was my thought (and fear) as well.
I expect faults to turn up on the OBD diagnosis if the lamp was supposed to be lit.

Maybe I'll have to dig into the wiring and see if there's some problem there. This lamp is directly feeded from the Motronic.
Cheers,
Tore

ilko

You might have a 964 gauge in your car. They are interchangeable but the warning lights are in different locations.

That was the case with my 993. The 964 PDAS (green AWD light) was in the location of the 993 CEL.

ToreB

Thanks ilko, I would expect my gauge to be of the 993 type, the light position in question has CHECK ENGINE written in it.
Cheers,
Tore

acao

CEL on startup is US only.
Mine (1996 from Germany) does not light up either.

Luftd993

In the ROW driver’s manual (page 41), the check engine light aka the emissions control warning light, only gets mentioned for the Turbo.

On page 36 the instruments are illustrated;
#8 Emissions control warning light Turbo

My ROW does not have the CEL lighting up when the ignition is switched on.
I always thought it was a US thing, whether a NA or Turbo.

ToSi

Test it by unplugging the o2 sensor.. should set a fault (might take 2 drive cycles) & turn on the check engine light.

si2t3m

95 993 Canadian car here. No codes (just checked it with T-ODB!) no cel before starting.

ToreB

Thank you all for the input.
I'll have to rely on the blue smoke to know when it's time to do my valve guides then. :-)
Cheers,
Tore