schooler@inmet.UUCP (10/02/85)
My girlfriend's '83 (gasoline) VW Rabbit just had a warning light
come on which apparently indicates the necessity of a 30,000 mile
checkup. The story from the shop is that the only way to turn
this light off is to replace a "sensor board" at a cost of $120.00
or so. (This happens every 30,000 miles, I would suppose.) Is this
a scam, or what?
-- Richard Schooler
Intermetrics, Inc.
{ihnp4,ima}!inmet!schoolerjayj@hpisla.UUCP (Jay Johannes) (10/04/85)
My 83 GTI has one of these 30000 mile lights. All it takes is to
do the following:
1. Remove the instrument panel cover (3 screws at the top, remove the
radio knobs and nuts, 2 hex screws under the ashtray. )
2. Look at the upper left quarter of the instrument cluster. There are
two small holes with brass levers. One is labelled OXS and the other
is EGR. The EGR light is the one that goes on at 30 K miles. To
turn it off, bend a papr clip, reach in behind it, and pull it toward
you. This gives you another 30000 miles.sct@lanl.ARPA (10/04/85)
In article <57500013@inmet.UUCP> schooler@inmet.UUCP writes: > >My girlfriend's '83 (gasoline) VW Rabbit just had a warning light >come on which apparently indicates the necessity of a 30,000 mile >checkup. The story from the shop is that the only way to turn >this light off is to replace a "sensor board" at a cost of $120.00 >or so. (This happens every 30,000 miles, I would suppose.) Is this >a scam, or what? > I have an 81 Jetta and this 30000 mile warning light is to remind you to get your smog control system checked (at least for the '81 models). When mine came on the mechanic did a quick check and reset the light for $15. I am assuming the same is true for your '83 Rabbit.
toma@tekchips.UUCP (Tom Almy) (10/07/85)
In article <31442@lanl.ARPA> sct@a.UUCP (Stephen Tenbrink) writes: >In article <57500013@inmet.UUCP> schooler@inmet.UUCP writes: >> >>My girlfriend's '83 (gasoline) VW Rabbit just had a warning light >>come on which apparently indicates the necessity of a 30,000 mile >>checkup. The story from the shop is that the only way to turn >>this light off is to replace a "sensor board" at a cost of $120.00 >>or so. (This happens every 30,000 miles, I would suppose.) Is this >>a scam, or what? >> > > I have an 81 Jetta and this 30000 mile warning light is to >remind you to get your smog control system checked (at least for the >'81 models). When mine came on the mechanic did a quick check and >reset the light for $15. I am assuming the same is true for your >'83 Rabbit. Under the hood there is a box mounted midway in the speedometer cable (typically on the firewall). There is a bunch of wires comming out of this box that goes to the various "CAT" "EGR" and/or "OXS" indicator lights. There are one or more recessed pushbuttons that you can depress with the eraser of a pencil (or screwdriver if you are hardware inclined) that will turn off the indicator lights until the next indicated service inteval. Repair shops should push these buttons when the do the appropriate repairs, but on a VW it is easy enough to do. Tom Almy
dave@cylixd.UUCP (Dave Kirby) (10/07/85)
In article <57500013@inmet.UUCP> schooler@inmet.UUCP writes: > >My girlfriend's '83 (gasoline) VW Rabbit just had a warning light >come on which apparently indicates the necessity of a 30,000 mile >checkup. The story from the shop is that the only way to turn >this light off is to replace a "sensor board" at a cost of $120.00 >or so. (This happens every 30,000 miles, I would suppose.) Is this >a scam, or what? It'd be cheaper just to smash out that idiot light with a nice screwdriver. And while you're at it, smash out the designer who put in that ripoff. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Dave Kirby ( ...!ihnp4!akgub!cylixd!dave) (The views expressed herein are the exclusive property of Dave Kirby. Any person, living or dead, found with the same or similar opinions will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of law.)
davew@shark.UUCP (Dave Williams) (10/07/85)
>>My girlfriend's '83 (gasoline) VW Rabbit just had a warning light >>come on which apparently indicates the necessity of a 30,000 mile >>checkup. The story from the shop is that the only way to turn >>this light off is to replace a "sensor board" at a cost of $120.00 >>or so. (This happens every 30,000 miles, I would suppose.) Is this >>a scam, or what? > > I have an 81 Jetta and this 30000 mile warning light is to >remind you to get your smog control system checked (at least for the >'81 models). When mine came on the mechanic did a quick check and >reset the light for $15. I am assuming the same is true for your >'83 Rabbit. We have a '79 Rabbit and the EGR light came on at 25,000 miles. There is a small button on the rear of the speedometer housing that is easily accessible from under the hood. Use a ball point pen or some other small object to depress the button. This will extinguish the light until the next maintenance is due. Usually the EGR parts do not need servicing unless there is an engine problem such as excess oil burning. -- Dave Williams Tektronix, Inc. Graphic Workstations Division *********************** * This space for rent * * * * (cheap) * ***********************
tommie@psivax.UUCP (Tom Levin) (10/08/85)
In article <57500013@inmet.UUCP> schooler@inmet.UUCP writes: > >My girlfriend's '83 (gasoline) VW Rabbit just had a warning light >come on which apparently indicates the necessity of a 30,000 mile >checkup. The story from the shop is that the only way to turn >this light off is to replace a "sensor board" at a cost of $120.00 >or so. (This happens every 30,000 miles, I would suppose.) Is this >a scam, or what? Sounds like a bunch of horse shit to me! I had a 78 scirocco and now own an 84 scirocco. There is a button under the hood near the speedometer cable that turns the warning light off. It is a lot cheaper to do this each 30,000 miles than some board replacement! -- __________________________________________________________________________ Tom Levin {ttidca|sdcrdcf|logico|scgvaxd|bellcore}!psivax!tommie You've seen those car stickers that say "Baby on Board"??? _________ I want one that says: / \ / Psychotic \ / On \ \ Board / \___________/
schooler@inmet.UUCP (10/10/85)
Thanks for all the response concerning the Rabbit 30,000 mile
OXS light!
-- Richard Schooler
Intermetrics, Inc.
{ihnp4,ima}!inmet!schooler
P.S. The definitive responses seems to be:
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From ihnp4!ihuxl!dcn Wed Oct 9 05:18:39 1985
There is a similar ocurrance with the oxygen sensor in some other cars.
The company is forced to replace it before it might go bad so that they
will continue to meet emissions standards. This is probably the case
for the Rabbit as well.
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From ihnp4!nwuxc!pokorny Wed Oct 9 05:19:08 1985
I think you may have misunderstood the shop person slightly.
At 30K, all VWs with three way catalysts and mixture control computers
('81 and later) must have the OXYGEN (or LAMBDA) sensor changed.
Since they wholesale for around $80. , $120 from a dealer is not
"unreasonable".
Reseting the light only takes a bent coat hanger applied to a switch
under the upper left part of the instrument panel (the $15 job w/inspection).
Although VW demands replacement of the sensor, they are probably good for a lot
longer but the 30K change is probably "safe" for VW to insure pollution specs.
NOTE: if you are not in a pollution checking area (yearly inspections), just
have the odo timer reset; HOWEVER, a bad O-sensor can (AND WILL) cause trouble
because it tells the computer what the fuel mixture is so that the computer
can "calibrate" the system for proper operation.
I would recommend the purchase of the Bentley '80-84 Gas Rabbit Service Manual
(~$27 at the dealer) for further reference and questions.
I don't have access to the net directly; that's why I sent this direct.
Post it if you wish.
_
|_| BE A SPORT
| |
/ M \ DRINK MALORT
/ A \
| L |
| O /| JOE POKORNY
| R / |
| T/ | (ihnp4!)nwuxc!pokorny
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From ihnp4!masscomp!xeroc!peter Wed Oct 9 05:19:45 1985
The OXS light in my 84 gas rabbit just came on. The owner's
manual indicates that the light comes on around every 30,000 miles.
The service department at the dealer where I purchased the car told
me it was about $120 dollars to replace the Oxygen Sensor which in
turn shuts off the light. I called 4 other VW service departments
in the Boston area and got roughly the same price quote. The quote
includes 1 hour of labor to install the inconviently located part.
One service department told me that when the sensor fails
the car will run extremely rough. I was concerned that the car would
just die. Unfortunately, the sensor is only part of the 30,000 mile
checkup. The checkup includes a tuneup as well. The total service
bill for the car at 30,000 miles is around $230 according to the
dealer where I bought the car. One service manager told me that some
of the older rabbits had EGR indicators which were simply reset
during the service call and did not always need to be replaced.
The OXS in the newer rabbits needs to be replaced every time the
light comes on. I suspect the car would not pass the emission
tests with a bad sensor.
Peter Kapinos @ Masscomp (617)692-6200 x2260