Malfunctioning Indicator Lamp Fault

[kevkc]

Hi,hope you can help,my 'malfunction indicator lamp' dashboard light has come on but after checking all the indicators and the hazzard lights i can find no fault,is this a common fault on the rav 4?has anyone else had this problem and how might i get rid of the light?

any help will be appreciated

Kev

[bothwell_buyer]

Hi,hope you can help,my 'malfunction indicator lamp' dashboard light has come on but after checking all the indicators and the hazzard lights i can find no fault,is this a common fault on the rav 4?has anyone else had this problem and how might i get rid of the light?

any help will be appreciated

Kev

What age is the RAV/what model?

I assume it must not be a 4.1 model as I don't think these had anything like what you describe...

Is it maybe a faulty earth/higher resistance in a circuit due to a poor contact???

If it bugs you, buy a steel punch and a hammer and tap the punch through the light carefully. it'll solve the light problem and you'll know why the dash is all broken!!!

[anchorman]

Another entry into bothys "how to fix things in a way that nobody else thought of" book is born.

The MIL light on a RAV does not indicate any blown bulbs. On cars like BMWs that have this feature they work by sending a tiny current through the lighting circuits to ensure they are complete. That way they can even detect a blown bulb when it isn't lit!

You have a fault in one of the vehicle systems that has stored a DTC (diagnostic trouble code) in the computer. To read the code you need a bit of kit that most good garages have and it will also cancell the light as long as the fault no longer exists. Alternatively you can buy the kit and do it yourself;

http://www.talktomycar.co.uk/Shop/Code_Readers/mj004.htm

Be sure to note the code before cancelling the light.

Cheers

[kevkc]

Thanks for the info,i can live with the light on the dashboard as long as its not a major problem and hopefully get it sorted at the next service.