Diagnostic Engine Code Reader.

[redbandit]

I know there are so many threads on here somewhere. But I am a simpel guy. With hardly any more money and little more patience left.

Engine light comes on. (1st time for me you understand) On the very next available occassion I take it to my local Toyota Garage.

It takes less than 5 mins to determins glow plug problems. Fine, I book the car in the following week for it to be fixed (under warranty). HARDLY sit down when the service pen pusher quotes extorionate prices for the car to be checked out using a diagnostic equipment! Ughhh! They already found out what the problems was the previous week. Quoting anything upto £200 quid. What....

Any way 3 days late.......car still in garage awaiting warranty approval.

In plain english can I obtain a reader that is so simple to use and diagnose the problem and then clear the engine light. I'm sure there are a multitude of threads on here but one is more confusing than the other. What do I need to get to read the codes for my Avensis T3S D-4D 2003?

And is the gadget reliable. Does it need any other equipment or software?

SORRRRRY for bieng so FICK!

[JohnYossarian]

I know there are so many threads on here somewhere. But I am a simpel guy. With hardly any more money and little more patience left.

Engine light comes on. (1st time for me you understand) On the very next available occassion I take it to my local Toyota Garage.

It takes less than 5 mins to determins glow plug problems. Fine, I book the car in the following week for it to be fixed (under warranty). HARDLY sit down when the service pen pusher quotes extorionate prices for the car to be checked out using a diagnostic equipment! Ughhh! They already found out what the problems was the previous week. Quoting anything upto £200 quid. What....

Any way 3 days late.......car still in garage awaiting warranty approval.

In plain english can I obtain a reader that is so simple to use and diagnose the problem and then clear the engine light. I'm sure there are a multitude of threads on here but one is more confusing than the other. What do I need to get to read the codes for my Avensis T3S D-4D 2003?

And is the gadget reliable. Does it need any other equipment or software?

SORRRRRY for bieng so FICK!

Have a look at this thread, it is rather informative

http://toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.p...mp;#entry701656

[Beagh1958]

You need as you suspect a code reader to state the obvious, to be precise you require an OBD11 code reader. Your problem as with so many other people is, what do you buy their being dozens on the market. From the basic that gives you your error code to the top end that reads codes, then tells you what the code number represents, turns off warning lights etc etc. I have a basic code reader which I use in conjunction with an Autodata Disc which depending on which option you go for will pretty much tell you anything you need to know in regards to your cars error codes, wiring diagrams & module positions etc. I am afraid the days of D.I.Y mechanics are long gone never to return & motor manufacturers are going to keep it that way. Unless your in the trade & your going to use tool on a regular basis it just is not cost effective. To turn of warning light, disconnect positive Battery lead for 10 seconds being careful not to ground it. But unless you allready have new glow plugs fitted it will come back on. Be careful when disconnecting Battery, certain items on your car that rely on memory, radios(obvious one) but electric windows etc may need resetting. Snap-On tools sell a brilliant memory saver for around £20, part nu YA960 uses small 9v Battery & plugs into cigar lighter before you disconnect battery lead thus saving memory whilst battery lead disconnected. I hope this is of some help, but I am afraid its just the way the business has gone. Just checked Autodata & official time for changing glow plugs is 0.3 metric time or 18 minutes to be exact. I have the same vehicle & MR-T want's an awful lot of your money for very little work. To carry out diagnostic log takes between 5 to 10 minutes, because your warning light designates trouble area ie: Engine, so MR-T will not have to carry out a lot of work to pinpoint this. This is a very very common fault on this engine, glow plugs should be around £25 to £28 each. I would be strongly disputing this price & good luck with warranty claim on 5 year old car, unless you have recently purchased as used approved.

[redbandit]

You need as you suspect a code reader to state the obvious, to be precise you require an OBD11 code reader. Your problem as with so many other people is, what do you buy their being dozens on the market. From the basic that gives you your error code to the top end that reads codes, then tells you what the code number represents, turns off warning lights etc etc. I have a basic code reader which I use in conjunction with an Autodata Disc which depending on which option you go for will pretty much tell you anything you need to know in regards to your cars error codes, wiring diagrams & module positions etc. I am afraid the days of D.I.Y mechanics are long gone never to return & motor manufacturers are going to keep it that way. Unless your in the trade & your going to use tool on a regular basis it just is not cost effective. To turn of warning light, disconnect positive battery lead for 10 seconds being careful not to ground it. But unless you allready have new glow plugs fitted it will come back on. Be careful when disconnecting battery, certain items on your car that rely on memory, radios(obvious one) but electric windows etc may need resetting. Snap-On tools sell a brilliant memory saver for around £20, part nu YA960 uses small 9v battery & plugs into cigar lighter before you disconnect battery lead thus saving memory whilst battery lead disconnected. I hope this is of some help, but I am afraid its just the way the business has gone. Just checked Autodata & official time for changing glow plugs is 0.3 metric time or 18 minutes to be exact. I have the same vehicle & MR-T want's an awful lot of your money for very little work. To carry out diagnostic log takes between 5 to 10 minutes, because your warning light designates trouble area ie: Engine, so MR-T will not have to carry out a lot of work to pinpoint this. This is a very very common fault on this engine, glow plugs should be around £25 to £28 each. I would be strongly disputing this price & good luck with warranty claim on 5 year old car, unless you have recently purchased as used approved.

Beagh

many thanks for your answer. Very helpful. I have 12 months manufacturers equivilent warranty. Service manager contacted me earlier to apologise that they were waiting on the administration to approve the work to be carried out. 3 days ago.What a larf!

[redbandit]

Picked car up today. Well what a shock to say the least! No charge made with regards diagnostic testing. Full safety report carried out.

Even the car was returned and valeted. Me thinks they felt sorry for me and wanted me out of their hair.

[Beagh1958]

Well done. 1-0 at full time to the customer & a tick to Toyota for doing things the right way.

[JohnYossarian]

Picked car up today. Well what a shock to say the least! No charge made with regards diagnostic testing. Full safety report carried out.

Even the car was returned and valeted. Me thinks they felt sorry for me and wanted me out of their hair.

Congratulations on your successful outcome!

I have the same problem, the lights come up (4 times in less than 2 months) and they have diagnosed glow plugs problem (I however do not have any issues with starting the car in the morning). Quoted me £ 120 (labour included). I have full, after the manufacturer warranty, extended warranty (click4warranty.com) and hoped that everything would be covered. Unpleasantly surprised when they told me that glow plugs were not covered (should've gone with warrantydirect of course) despite the fact that I have paid the most expensive warranty on their list (up to £ 7,000 quid covered). I have decided to bite the bullet and next Saturday they will fix the new glow plugs. I might try again with the insurer but I do not have much hope.

The question I have is whether the lights up problem would re-appear as some people have mentioned here that despite the glow plugs replacement they still suffer similar issues.

Can you keep us posted in case you see the "engine check" light again (fingres crossed that it would not).

[Beagh1958]

To John Yossarian,

Glow-plugs easy to test & replace only if needed. It will keep your labour costs in your pocket. If you have the use of a 3/8 drive socket kit & a set of jump leads, that's all you need. Remove your D4D engine cover 5 x 11mm nuts & top of engine is right there. Make sure your ignition switched off ie: keys out of ignition handbrake on & car in nuetral. You will see what looks like solid flat bar running across top of engine, this is your glow plug live feed supply. Remove 5 plastic clips & you will see 5 retaining nuts, remove 5 nuts lift bar away & your 4 glow plugs are right in front of you. To test remove 1 at a time via deep 11 mm socket & you will have metal item about the length of Bic biro in your hand. At one end you will have a thin tip about 1 inch long this glows red hot if glow plug works so remember do not touch this part during or after testing OR YOU WILL BURN YOURSELF SEVERELY . At the other end you will have threaded fitting that you removed nuts from whilst removing unit. To test take your black jump lead & place clamp gently onto thread do not let clamp touch main body so place on tip of thread, place other clamp onto Battery earth post. TO TEST place body of glow plug against any metal part of engine ie: valve cover. Remember only place body against engine this creates circuit. If your glow plug works thin tip at end will glow a bright RED, thus glow plug working. Simple as that, BUT REMEMBER AT NO STAGE DURING TESTING SHOULD YOU TOUCH TIP OF GLOW PLUG YOU WILL BURN YOURSELF EVEN IF GLOW PLUG WILL NOT GLOW RED due to fault in unit high resistance A SMALL ELECTRICAL SUPPLY CAN REACH TIP WARNING IT UP WITHOUT IT GLOWING STILL RESULTING IN BURN. If you have the confidence & tools to do it you will save yourself a pile of money. Toyota will not allways pay out warranty wise on these items because they really are a wear & tear unit. Plese note as to starting car I had 3 glow-plugs out of action & car still started on the button. But wait for really cold weather & see if car starts so easy then. No offence but if you don't feel your up to job then certainly leave it to TOYOTA.

[JohnYossarian]

To John Yossarian,

Glow-plugs easy to test & replace only if needed. It will keep your labour costs in your pocket. If you have the use of a 3/8 drive socket kit & a set of jump leads, that's all you need. Remove your D4D engine cover 5 x 11mm nuts & top of engine is right there. Make sure your ignition switched off ie: keys out of ignition handbrake on & car in nuetral. You will see what looks like solid flat bar running across top of engine, this is your glow plug live feed supply. Remove 5 plastic clips & you will see 5 retaining nuts, remove 5 nuts lift bar away & your 4 glow plugs are right in front of you. To test remove 1 at a time via deep 11 mm socket & you will have metal item about the length of Bic biro in your hand. At one end you will have a thin tip about 1 inch long this glows red hot if glow plug works so remember do not touch this part during or after testing OR YOU WILL BURN YOURSELF SEVERELY . At the other end you will have threaded fitting that you removed nuts from whilst removing unit. To test take your black jump lead & place clamp gently onto thread do not let clamp touch main body so place on tip of thread, place other clamp onto battery earth post. TO TEST place body of glow plug against any metal part of engine ie: valve cover. Remember only place body against engine this creates circuit. If your glow plug works thin tip at end will glow a bright RED, thus glow plug working. Simple as that, BUT REMEMBER AT NO STAGE DURING TESTING SHOULD YOU TOUCH TIP OF GLOW PLUG YOU WILL BURN YOURSELF EVEN IF GLOW PLUG WILL NOT GLOW RED due to fault in unit high resistance A SMALL ELECTRICAL SUPPLY CAN REACH TIP WARNING IT UP WITHOUT IT GLOWING STILL RESULTING IN BURN. If you have the confidence & tools to do it you will save yourself a pile of money. Toyota will not allways pay out warranty wise on these items because they really are a wear & tear unit. Plese note as to starting car I had 3 glow-plugs out of action & car still started on the button. But wait for really cold weather & see if car starts so easy then. No offence but if you don't feel your up to job then certainly leave it to TOYOTA.

Thanks Beagh1958,

I could not find a more detailed description even in a manual!

I have the tools apart from the jump leads. I have considered doing it myself (I have some technical knowledge:) but someone told me that in case I snap the glow plug they would charge me several hundreds of pounds. That was what prevented me from trying. Someone here was mentioning that in fact I need to measure the resistance, i.e. I would not need to check whether they really turn red or not (although the test you offer seems pretty straightforward apart from having to be extremely careful not to burn myself :).

The labour I would be paying is around £ 35, but the glow plugs I would be getting via Toyota would be considerably cheaper than the ones I was targeting, some nice Denso's recommended for Toyota D4D engine.

When I calculated everything I decided to go for Mr. Toyota. They have not charged me a penny for four clearings of my engine messages and two times diagnostic exercise, so I am grateful to the guys. Moreover if the light keeps turning on I would have a good cause for asking for anything else being either done at a discount rate or free of charge (after all they recommended to replacement).

Once again, thank you for this! I have not taken any offence :) as I know that many people would not touch their cars being afraid from worsening things. I would have done it no question with my old car (a petrol Ford Mondeo) but this is my first diesel ever and I am still learning the ropes.

Cheers.

[Beagh1958]

To John Yossarian, The person who told you that they should be checked via resistance is absolutely right, I have tool myself at work. Other way is just a quick way around problem for those who like to do a bit of work themselves at home to keep prices down. Also you may note from my posts I have a 2ltrD4D which required new GLOW-PLUGS and you guessed it they snapped -HEAD OFF. But thats just pure bad luck for me used it as an excuse to completely decoke head & all associated parts. To your advantage if parts snaps whilst in Toyotas hands you have some comeback. It has happened to me at work but what can you do it is just one of those things. But it is very rare to happen thats why drillings in head are much bigger than glow plug tips to take into account any carbon build up. Anyway goodluck to you if your dealer has allways seen you right stick with them