Transmission warning light on VS

[Old Colts in Oz]

Had a Trans service done about 5,000 kms ago on my servies 1 VS wagon. All was ok but last weekend I towed a small trailer from Adelaide to Melbourne and halfway through the trip the Trans warning light on the dash started coming on. The Trans fluid levels are fine and now that I'm back home, it seems to come on at various times and stay on - even after driving it for only 5 minutes or so. Any ideas? Apart from the light, all seems ok and it shifts the same as it always has.

[immortality]

have you tested for fault codes?

[Old Colts in Oz]

Nah, I'm assuming you need some equipment for that....?

[delcowizzid]

Checking error codes VR/VS (Revised) read here about checking codes nothing needed apart from paper clip

[Cheap6]

One quick and simple check might be to check the fuse for the reverse lights. It may be VR only but I have a recollection that the reverse light fuse also provides power to the trans. electrics (or some of them). The extra electrical load (and, it must be said, sometimes dodgy wiring) from the trailer lights can blow the fuse.

[Old Colts in Oz]

Hi guys,

Great suggestions! I'll check them out when I get home. That codes thing is an interesting read!

[Old Colts in Oz]

Checked the fuses - all good. This morning I was 5 minutes after leaving home and the engine/trans light came on again and stayed on all the way to work. From reading the codes thread, you have to just have the car not running and ignition on. As soon as I turned the car off and bridged the PINS, put ignition back on and the codes showed 12 which is all good as far as I can tell. Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance

[hako]

Try disconnecting the battery for 30 seconds - this sometimes helps with 'strange' problems. Then if the light comes on again do the codes test again.

[kopper69]

Checked the fuses - all good. This morning I was 5 minutes after leaving home and the engine/trans light came on again and stayed on all the way to work. From reading the codes thread, you have to just have the car not running and ignition on. As soon as I turned the car off and bridged the PINS, put ignition back on and the codes showed 12 which is all good as far as I can tell. Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance

Just to confirm, it showed code 12 three times, then after a slightly longer break showed code 12 again?

[Old Colts in Oz]

Yep, it flashed once for the "10", then a pause and flashed twice for the "2". It then did the same again 2 more times ( hope that makes sense ). I haven't disconnected the battery yet but the plot does thicken.... The car starting running a bit rough on LPG on Friday so I had to flick it over the Petrol. It's still running a bit rough on petrol but the engine light hasn't come back on again since. I'm thinking it's LPG related........

[kopper69]

Yep, it flashed once for the "10", then a pause and flashed twice for the "2". It then did the same again 2 more times ( hope that makes sense ). I haven't disconnected the battery yet but the plot does thicken.... The car starting running a bit rough on LPG on Friday so I had to flick it over the Petrol. It's still running a bit rough on petrol but the engine light hasn't come back on again since. I'm thinking it's LPG related........

Code 12 will flash 3 times before flashing any other codes. eg

12 12 12 47 47 47 (before going back to the start again)

If you stoped the code check after the 3rd code 12 you did not give the car a chance to show the other codes.

[Old Colts in Oz]

Bugger! As soon as it happens again I'll check the codes properly

[hako]

Bugger! As soon as it happens again I'll check the codes properly

You don't need to wait till it happens again - the codes are logged in the memory and reading them does not wipe them.

[Cheap6]

I think that they will clear, at least from being current codes, if the fault conditions don't recur within a certain number of starts - 25(?).

[hako]

The book says 50 starts - that's probably next payday for most people.

[Old Colts in Oz]

Sussed it! After 3 goes at giving "12", the codes spit out 44 which is showing as one of the oxygen sensors running lean. The car does seem to run a little rougher lately and the idle while on LPG has dropped a little. So now after all this time learning about codes, any ideas what's wrong that could cause this code?

[mrhotdog]

when i had my LPG system fitted i had the same problem, engine light came on after a few mins and wouldnt go away. new sensors and a retune of the LPG fixed it.

[Cheap6]

An engine miss (ignition system) will give a code 44 sometimes. One way to isolate if it is related to an LPG tune issue is to clear the code and confirm it comes back on LPG, then on or not running on petrol.

[Old Colts in Oz]

Hey thanks guys. I ran the car on Petty today and no light. I switched it over to gas and the light come on 5 minutes later. Looks to be an LPG issue ( yet another one since the conversion! ). Seeing petrol is so cheap I reckon I'll run it on that for a while until I get another service.

Cheers!