Ferrari Mailing List: Re: 355 check engine light?

[Jeff Greenfield (coyote]

If that were the case, you would expect to see either a P0455 and/or P0456,
Evap system leak large/small respectively. 

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Scott Saidel [mailto:Ferrarisimo [at] comcast.net] 
Sent: Saturday, April 11, 2009 7:03 PM
To: Jeff Greenfield
Cc: 'The FerrariList'
Subject: Re: [Ferrari] 355 check engine light?

Did you just fill it with gas?  The Check Engine light will trigger if  
the gas cap is not closed properly.

Scottie

On Apr 11, 2009, at 12:29 PM, Jeff Greenfield wrote:

The CEL does not come on as a mileage or time based maintenance  
reminder.
Some cars have such maintenance reminders, but they are in addition to  
the
CEL.

A generic OBD code reader should give you some information. But keep in
mind, that the code is not always a direct indication of the exact  
problem.
For example, an oxygen sensor code could mean a bad oxygen sensor, but  
it
could also be caused by a vacuum leak causing a lean condition which  
in turn
will set an oxygen sensor code because the ECU does not see the expected
response from the oxygen sensor when it richens the mixture.

IOW, the mixture is still too lean so the system is 'out of range'.

There are many other examples of this sort of thing, so start with the
code(s), and verify with traditional diagnostics. I and others that I  
know
in the business of repairing cars try not to repair based on the code(s)
alone. Perhaps this is part of the reason I get customers coming to me  
after
3 or 4 other shops have been not been able to repair a CEL issue that  
will
keep the light off.

Although I haven't seen any 'red' cars that are new enough to have the  
OBD
port, the diagnostic process is no different whether it is a BMW,  
Ferrari,
Audi, Volvo, or pretty much anything else.

I won't even start to discuss the difference between generic and MFR
specific codes ...

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Perry [mailto:charles [at] carolina-sound.com]
Sent: Saturday, April 11, 2009 12:04 PM
To: Jeff Greenfield
Cc: The FerrariList
Subject: Re: [Ferrari] 355 check engine light?

I have never heard of the light coming on just based on time / scheduled
service for a 355.

However, my 98 is a Euro model and so may not even have the OBD-II
system. I've never gotten a definitive answer on that.

At any rate, I am assuming that your car is a US model, in which case
any shop with an OBD code reader should be able to give you a rough idea
of what set the check engine light. You can then decide if it's
something you want to tackle yourself or take to a qualified independent
or dealer mechanic.

There is one thing you should check the Fchat archives for before doing
that. In some year(s) of 355, the OBD-II connector had one pin that did
not match the standard and so kept standard code readers from being able
to talk to the car. It is a trivial fix to move the pin over one slot in
the car's connector, but I can't remember which pin moves to where. The
Fchat should have the answer, or Clyde on our list may remember since I
believe he published the fix at one time while working on a friend's
car.

-- charles



-----Original Message-----
From: Barry W Raborn [mailto:u2fast [at] sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Saturday, April 11, 2009 11:27 AM
To: Charles Perry
Cc: The FerrariList
Subject: [Ferrari] 355 check engine light?

being the new owner of a 97 355, i have a question. i bought this car
from a ferrari dealer. it is current on all service. i purchased her
with 13600 or so miles on her. i noticed, last night, that the check
engine light was on. i think it came on when the odometer rolled over to
14000 miles, but didnt notice it until 14040 due to driving with the top
down in the bright sun and the steering wheel hiding the light. my
question is, is there a cobb gauge on the car that would automatically
make this light come on for annual service? if so, i am hoping it wasnt
reset at the time of service. all gauges are reading normal at this
time. thanks in advance for any input. barry
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