Will my car fail inspection because the check engine light DOESNT come on?

Tiny
KVAZZ12
  • MEMBER
  • 1996 AUDI A4
  • 185,000 MILES
My mechanic claims my 1996 audi a4, cannot pass its inspection because the check engine light does not turn on when you start the engine, is this true that it cannot pass for this reason? It will be costly for the dash to be removed to replace a 1 dollar light bulb. I live in PA and didnt see anything about this in the passanger vehicle inspection guidlines of subchapter E.
Thursday, August 30th, 2012 AT 7:31 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,837 POSTS
Yup. That's part of the self-test the system performs when you turn on the ignition switch. Yes, some cars are very expensive to work on and you have one of them. Where you're getting derailed though is in assuming it's a burned out bulb. That bulb turns on so seldom that they rarely burn out. Usually the Engine Computer isn't turning the bulb on.

Regardless if the bulb is burned out, there's a wiring problem on the instrument cluster, (which is a computer module itself), a wiring problem in the car, or an Engine Computer problem, if the bulb can not be turned on, you will never know when a fault has been detected. You won't know that emissions have increased; that's why it won't pass the emissions tests. It's not that the car is polluting more than allowed. It's that you won't KNOW when it starts polluting more than allowed.
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Thursday, August 30th, 2012 AT 7:44 PM
Tiny
EXOVCDS
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,883 POSTS
Removing the cluster is quick & easy. Lower steering wheel, remove upper
steering wheel trim piece, remove 2 screws, pull out instrument cluster.

Steering wheel can remain in place.

Could be a bulb issue, wiring, cluster or ECM. If you are not the
original owner. Maybe someone tampered with the system to keep the
light off.

Thomas
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Thursday, August 30th, 2012 AT 11:38 PM

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