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EP3 Engine Management Light came on

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145
Evening all. Not very happy at the minute, just went to pick my daughter up from school, fired up the car and there was a reasonably loud metallic rattle followed by the dash lighting up like a christmas tree with the "ACC" logo illuminated, the two cars hitting each other logo coming on then the EML came on and remained illuminated. Any ideas what the hell is going on?! I have the car booked in for it's first service on Thursday and I've contacted them and am awaiting a callback. Anyone else had this ping on? Engine seemed fine at tickover, but I didn't drive it and just worried about the loud metallic rattle when I first started it.

Edit to add: Just started it again a couple of times and the EML has gone off now and everything seems normal. Hmm, I hate when problems disappear without being fixed. Hopefully if it remains as it is Honda can plug it in on Thursday and see what's going on.
 
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Hmm, that’s worrying, if it wasn’t for the metallic sound I’d have said it was an electric gremlin with the dash lights. Best of luck Thursday
 
Make sure you ask them for the code, then go from there. Metallic sound is not good, if it came from the engine that could be all manner of things, have you driven it since or revved it? I presume it isn’t modded ?

I’d be inclined to call the dealer and explain what happened they may choose to flatbed it there, at least if they say no drive, it will strengthen your claim if something goes wrong on the drive there.
 
I’m just wondering if it’s an intermittent camshaft sensor failure. I’m wondering if the metallic sound was detonation if the timing was off. Would also bring the EML on
 
Not modded, the car seems to tick over and rev fine but I'll speak to Honda tomorrow and see what they advise, warning has gone, it idles and revs completely normally, no warning lights or anything. The metallic noise sounded more like something rattling like a heat shield or exhaust, rather than coming from the engine internals, don't know if it spazzed out and a sensor momentarily tripped into EML mode, and that provoked the rattle due to the change in exhaust flow, or something.
 
Not modded, the car seems to tick over and rev fine but I'll speak to Honda tomorrow and see what they advise, warning has gone, it idles and revs completely normally, no warning lights or anything. The metallic noise sounded more like something rattling like a heat shield or exhaust, rather than coming from the engine internals, don't know if it spazzed out and a sensor momentarily tripped into EML mode, and that provoked the rattle due to the change in exhaust flow, or something.

Fingers crossed, let us know what the code was.
 
low battery? I seem to recall mine did something similar once when it had been parked up for a few weeks (thanks Covid) and was a bit down on power. I recall was some very strange sounds as it tried to fire, failed. been doing loads of short journeys with all lights and heaters / windows on etc?.
 
low battery? I seem to recall mine did something similar once when it had been parked up for a few weeks (thanks Covid) and was a bit down on power. I recall was some very strange sounds as it tried to fire, failed. been doing loads of short journeys with all lights and heaters / windows on etc?.

Yes I've been doing mostly short journeys picking the childling up from school every other day in the dark, then it sits around for 2/3 days over the last few weekends due to not being allowed out. There is no low battery warning though and it's not been struggling to start. I took it out last night and it drove completely fine, hopefully just a random spazz out, but it goes to Honda tomorrow for the service and they are going to plug R2-D2 into it and find out what went wrong.
 
Yes I've been doing mostly short journeys picking the childling up from school every other day in the dark, then it sits around for 2/3 days over the last few weekends due to not being allowed out. There is no low battery warning though and it's not been struggling to start. I took it out last night and it drove completely fine, hopefully just a random spazz out, but it goes to Honda tomorrow for the service and they are going to plug R2-D2 into it and find out what went wrong.

this is when you find the previous owner has a ktuner on it, downpipe and bust blow off valve... :p:D
 
Had it's first service yesterday and Honda plugged R2-D2 into it to find out what happened - apparently the fault code was for a camshaft sensor. They tried replicating it but couldn't and all the diagnostics were saying everything is fine, the engine timing is correct, no issues. They said it could have been a combination of low outside temperature and the fact it had been sat around a little while that caused a surge on start-up that tripped the sensor into thinking something was wrong.

Everything else was fine on the health check, service done no problem, but they said if anything like that happens again to bring it back and they will keep it in for a few days, but they reckon it's fine now. I drove it quite a bit yesterday and it feels exactly as it should - if there was a problem with the timing or the ignition it would be pretty obvious. Hopefully it was just a random sensor freak out.
 
bring it back and they will keep it in for a few days,

Ha I bet they did!! "Your turn to take it home josh..."

Glad its not serious. Touch wood they are pretty reliable, I've had two erroneous messages in 3+ years, but are so technical bound to be the odd gremlin now and again
 
yep, when my original FK8 was having major surgery on the gearbox, they said prior to Honda authorising the labour on the work that Honda wanted a full download of all 11 ECUs that exist on the car. so no wonder why they might be slightly prone to the odd technical brainfart when starting up (esp. on a cold winters morning, slightly less than full battery and cold-cranking sucking a mahoosive amount of juice from the battery).
 
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