Flashing and Intermittent CEL - HELP
 

I have a 2016 BRZ Limited (HyperBlue) with 4300 miles on it. I purchased it new in February 2016. I drove it about 700 miles over three days this past week. In the last 100 miles, the CEL began flashing at varying intervals. The CEL doesn't come on when I'm at a stop, but as soon as I start moving forward or reverse, the CEL starts flashing again, although even that is intermittent. The only thing that seems consistent is that the CEL doesn't come on when I'm at a stop or driving above 70 MPH.

I took it to the dealership within 10 minutes of the CEL first flashing on/off (I happened to be driving by the dealership). They kept it for half a day and said it's not throwing any error codes at all. They were able to reproduce the problem, but no codes. The car isn't running roughly and the CEL isn't making it go into limp home mode; cruise control still functions. The dealer wants the car back for a full day of diagnostics, but due to my work schedule, I can't take it back in until October 25th. I will update this post, but would like to know if anyone else has experience with this problem. I searched around the forum and didn't find anything like this. It's unnerving to have a new car and be told it's fine to drive it, yet that CEL is flashing in your face constantly as you drive (unless you keep it above 70 MPH).

Well, MugsBRZ, now that is aggravating ......:(

If you have a code reader, I suggest you plug it in to see if it will give YOU a code.

If you don't have a code reader, I suggest you purchase an inexpensive one.

You may consider disconnecting the negative battery terminal for a minute or two, then reconnect it, to see if the machine will right itself.

Other than that, just drive it till you can get it back to the dealer ..... the sooner the better.

Bubba says just to put a piece of black electrical tape over the CEL light till you can get it back to the dealer.


humfrz

Auto Zone will read it for free, Advance Auto does too.

Yup Bubba knows best, black tape. Solves most issues :thumbup: My Durango has a CEL on for the evap system. Silly expensive repair and it has no bearing on performance so just gonna leave it on until the day before we do the next inspection and cover it with black tape.

Yep, for sure ....... unless you're out in the bush ....... ;)

Having a code reader on hand. might give you an idea of whether or not you might want to start flagging someone down ........ :eyebulge:


humfrz

Thread drift -
I had a 81 Honda Civic with a cracked head, drove it that way for ~30k miles. About every 150 miles the number 3 spark plug would foul out and I would have to change it. I kept a box of plugs and 2 or 3 extra plug wires for when I'd yank an end off. I was driving back roads across Nevada that looked just like that to get from Mammoth to SLC so yeah, desolate. I pulled over in the middle of absofukinglootly nowhere and proceeded to get dirty because the car just wasn't going to go any further until the plug was changed. Just as I was finishing it up a local stops his huge F350 Dually and says 'You sure ya don't want to just stick it in the back of my truck and I'll help you get out of here before the buzzrds git ya?' He looked at me like there was something wrong with me when I turned him down. That truck turned out to be the only moving vehicle I saw for 4 hours of driving so I guess hew as right, it wasn't a great place to break down.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming...

Yep, we did a lot of miles in our miata out in the country ...... it took mrs humfrz a few years to get past the fact that we didn't have a spare tire ...... and no cell phone coverage ......:eyebulge:


humfrz

So what happens when you throw another code you don't realize is a real issue but you can't see it because your light is already lit up?

Ehh, I plug in a reader occasionally to check it and clear it. I just can't justify the repair cost on what's essentially a beater extra vehicle and it's a non essential repair.