Hello Everyone, I sold my carry to a family member a while ago, and now i basically just inherited it back. only its not the same. not sure exactly what is wrong but its not running very well and it has a red light on the dash lit up. it looks like something is overheating but im not sure what exactly. the light stays lit up all the time. anyone know what it means? oh, and its not running in the picture so thats why the oil light, etc are on. thanks for any help!
Catalytic converter/exhaust. Ours(light) is on all the time, running, not running, but does not effect the performance at all. Use the "search", as this has been discussed before. Ours is a 1996 Subaru Sambar. Tmikewww (tom)
Sorry for being a smartass. It does kinda look like a nice cooking apparatus though. But TMikewww is correct. It is an exhaust temp overheat light. If its on all the time, likely the sensor is bad or the wire is shorted. No effect on performance or othewise. It is a requirement in Japan that a vehicle have this sensor. Even cars sent from the US to Japan are retrofitted with it. Unless you have a turbo, I honestly would yank the bulb. It is nothing to lose sleep over, that is for certain.
I disagree that it's nothing to worry about. The sensor is mounted in the catalytic converter and it may be plugged up causing the high temp. Since you say it's not running right I'd check it out to find out what's wrong.
I disagree with OM there, and here is why: No vehicles in North America have such a sensor. Plus, the sensor is not in the Cat on all models. If this was such a critical item, why wouldnt it be on North American vehicles? Even the Japanese models here do not have them. This sensor is not on the car because the auto makers think it should be there, its on the car becasue the Japanese Government requires it. In the past 3 years, every one with the light on I have seen was a defective sensor or broken wiring. Never once was there any problem other than that. If you think that it may be a problem or are worried, you need to put in an EGT (Exhaust Gas Tempurature) gauge. Then it will show you the actual exhaust temps and not just turn on an idiot light. Then you know what the real-deal is. Again, the only guys really having any concerns with exhaust temps are usually racers and guys with turbos. You dont even find this on Ferraris or BMWs or other high end cars. Removing the sensor and bulb will make your truck lighter, and therefore faster and better on fuel.
If his truck was running fine I'd say not to worry about it but it's not and the only thing he noticed was that the exhaust temp light was on. The exhaust may truly be overheated if the cat is clogged or it's running extra lean.
Our (light) has been on now, for almost two (2) years. Truck runs great. The only thing, that the light really does, is annoy the s@#% out of me! Black electrical tape, over the light on the dash, took care of the problem. Tmikewww (tom)
addressing the running problem, if the cat was clogged or restriced the exhaust back pressure would increase and the manifold vacuum would decrease and cause a low power condition. one way to check that is to, connect a vacuum guage to the intake and to snap the throttle and see if the response is snappy or slugish. the needle should be steady and when the throttle is snapped the needle should dive to a very low point (say 5"hg) and quickly return to the earlier reading (lets say15"-18"). i have seen other engines get to the point that they wont run at all if the exhaust system is clogged and has no leaks.
I've got the same indicator but I can't start my truck at all. All I get is a click noise underneath and to the rear of the cab when I turn the key. This light came on only once before...a few weeks ago when I overstressed the truck using a trailer that got hung-up on some brush. I couldn't start it then, but left it to cool down. Next day it started up without any problem and the light didn't come on. Truck worked fine for a few days and no light came on. Then, one day last week, I go to start up cold and it was dead...clicks again underneath AND the indicator light now came on again. I had full electrical power, the battery was good (wipers worked, radio, lights etc). I know this wasn't overheated, I hadn't used the vehicle in days and the temps were in the 30s F. Any ideas on what's going on? See attached picture of my truck, 96 Carry FYI. 58KM on it.
overheating may have fried the starter or solenoid.or cooked the grease in the solenoid now its frozen....can you turn it over by hand or bump start?
So that's what that light is for. On my '92 stretched Carry the light is on when the engine is cold and turns off after warm up. I had no idea what it was indicating but I did notice that it runs much better after the engine temp moves off C and the light goes out. This Carry is a lot louder than my former one. Could that be b/c of the stretched cab being more completely over the engine and transmission?
Yes, the cab is now over more of the engine and exhaust. The Ext cab is definitely louder for sure. We were going to put some insulating material under the rear carpet to see about quieting it down but never got around to it. You know that thick matted felt under the carpet of some "normal" vehicles? Thats what we were going to put under there. The light again is a non-issue. Its supposes to come on if the exhaust over heats, but does not actually have any control over the engine or otherwise. The fact that yours is on when cold (I dont remember seeing that) and off when warm leads me to think it may be loose. Double check the connector at the probe in the exhaust and make sure the probe is tight into the pipe. The sensor should be a short to ground when cold and start to increase resistance as it gets hot. yours seems to be doing the compete opposite.
when I referred to overheating I meant of the exhaust...a cat. can glow red hot when plugged and if near the starter, may cook it
I know this is really late and I'm sure you fixed it already but mine just did the same thing! I worked it hard then wouldn't start got the click let it sit started right up then few weeks later same thing. The problem with mine was the ground and positive batt cable took them off cleaned and replaced them works great now!! Oh and I have the light too had nothing to do with my problem!
my wire came off on mine and the light came on n stayed on untill i gronded it to the fram whala its fixed ( went out)
