VR6 Check Engine Light upon startup - is it meant to flash or not?

[-Dell-]

Hiya fellas,

I'm in the middle of clearing up an EPA situation and my first inspection has failed - although the exhaust volume is under the legal limit, i was told that my CEL had to flash when the car was started as part of the diagnostics. This is done to prove that emissions control is present and that the ECU of the car wasn't tampered with or altered.

As part of a lengthy e-mail to the workshop in question, I'm using various methods of proof (including my best mate's Mk3 starting up, and some pages of the Instruction and Bentley manuals) to show that this is not the case with our lovely chariots. This is why I've called upon Watercooled to tell me that, no, there is no CEL when the car starts and is not a reason for me to fail the EPA test.

Thanks! Dev.

[h100vw]

This is done to prove that emissions control is present and that the ECU of the car wasn't tampered with or altered.

I'd say this is wrong. Any chip in the computer VW or aftermarket would have no effect on the light.

While they are claiming that it has to come on, ask where that's written down??

Usually, they all light up to prove the lamp works not that there's a fault.

Gavin

[Ben J]

What year vr6 do you have? I didn't think the early ones even had a CEL? Could be completely wrong and might be thinking of something else completely but something like that sounds familiar. I don't think my old vr6 even had one

[HaydEn]

My 94 doesn't have an engine light. Probably been taken out.

[VR28LT]

i have two here, one early and one late model and neither of them have a cel that lights up on start up..... i didn't even know our cars have a cel i thought it was an overseas thing ???

[dado]

I had my vr6 passed thru EPA inspection no mention of cel and the car didn't have one on start up 100% I can pm you with place details if need be

[Ben J]

I'm actually pretty sure my old vr6 literally didn't have a CEL, like there wasn't a place in the cluster for it and it when I looked to find where it was in the manual, it made no mention of any CEL light in the cluster.

Maybe get them to contact a vw dealership or something, not really sure what you can do about stuff like this, when people decide some things wrong it can be very hard to convince them otherwise.

My CL definitely doesn't have one which lights up on startup either

[HaydEn]

Vw probably didn't put them in the cluster from factory as they would always be on..

[anthony--t]

I've mucked around with some clusters and I'm pretty sure they all had CEL I know some of them certainly did but I've never seen them turn on and the bulbs behind have been plugged in and working.

[KKK VR6]

This is gonna sound stupid but, for some reason I carn't think what CEL stands for ??
Car in question is a 97' model
OBD1 might be different ?

Build date on mine is late 96' model.
As for engine check light, I have one and it never flashes on startup and I have a factory standard vr6 !!