Crabjoe

Ok, today I started getting a single chime after the motor was started, which it had never done before. Becuase of this, I've been trying to figure out what the problem was.

After a little research, I found that when I turn the key to the Start position to wait for the grid heater light to go off, I hear a buzzing for a second, then I hear a clicking. This happens about 80% of the time.

It sounds like electrical current. Buzzing when there's alot of current, then clicking as if a spark was jumping. With the buzzing and clicking, the MIL light stays on until I start the truck.

Once running, I get one chime after about a second after it's started.

The buzzing and clicking is coming from the driver's side of the motor, but because it's dark out, I can't tell exactly where along the motor it's coming from.

phox_mulder

Is the click a constant, click click click,
or more of a click, pause pause, click pause pause, etc.

It could be the grid heaters cycling, or the lift pump cycling.


phox

Crabjoe

It's a constant click... Clicks about once ever 1/2 second and the MIL light stays on. If there's no buzz then clicking, there's no MIL light.

What's weird is that I can start the motor, shut it off then when I check again I still get the buzz and clicking about 8 out of 10 times. It also makes no difference whether the motor is hot or cold.

Could it be the fuel pump or grid heater getting ready to die on me?

phox_mulder

Does your AMP meter take a larger than normal dive towards the smaller digits?

It shouldn't swing more than 1/8 - 1/6 the scale while the grid heaters are cycling.

The MIL light could be trying to tell you there is a larger than normal draw on the batteries.

The click-click-click could be the relay not quite triggering all the way,
the loud buzz it trying to arc accross the seperating contacts.

Normal would be a click, then a light buzz for 10 seconds or so, then another click followed by silence,
at which point the Wait to Start light goes out.


phox

CTDinMT

Man, may sound dumb, but that sure sounds like what my rig was doing. I have tracked it down to the CD player. When I shut down and sometimes when the key go to on, it will click and buzz. I thought it was coming from the engine compartment and had the wife key on/off several times til I found it. It's still working, but probably on it way to the grave. I just added it to the list of stuff that needs fixed before the 3yr/36000 is up. -Steve

Crabjoe

Ok, I think the buzz then clicking is normal. Atleast thats what some are saying. I still have a problem with the MIL light being on until it's started.

About the chime, I think it's from my ABS light being on for a couple seconds after the motor is started.

Can anyone else confirm if their MIL light stays on with the key in the ignition untill the motor is started?

Thanks!!

Grey Rider

This is normal! The MIL light should remain illuminated until startup. There is only a problem if it remains illuminated after startup. I know this because I have a computer in my truck continuously connected to the OBDII port, and I have NO codes, but the MIL remains illuminated until startup. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense why it remains lit. You've got the key in the "RUN" position, but the engine is not running. The ECM is not "smart" enough to know that the engine is not running because you haven't started it yet: it thinks maybe the engine should be running but isn't. Once you start it, the computer says "oh! Now I'm running...no problem".

Crabjoe

Grey Rider,

In my other vehicles, I would have said it was normal, but my MIL light never stayed on until the motor was started. In the past when the other lights went out, so did the MIL light so I only had the Brake and Grid heater lights on until the motor started. Now I get the MIL light in adition to it the brake, grid and ABS lights. But it's not everytime, it only happens about 80% of the time. Weird.....

Grey Rider

Mine keeps the MIL illuminated (along with the other lights) 100% of the time until the engine is started. It has always done this. Just as an experiment, I watched my wife's Civic this morning and sure enough, it does exactly as my truck does...MIL is illuminated until the engine starts.

Got Torque?

This is normal. It is the fuel heaters in the motor (not sure exactly what they are called). The reason it only does it sometimes is that it depends on how cold it is when you start it.

GT

Grey Rider

GT, you're referring to the wait-to-start light. We're talking about the MIL (Malfunction Indicator Lamp).