The light with a spanner thrown in, well thats the one. It should switch off after a delay before your crank the engine OR switch off after the engine is fired up.
It was the middle of the second trip to kerala, this was soon after the 3rd (10,000 kms) service also. In my absent minded state, i was in the process of hiding the ciggie packet after parking, and the car in gear and running, accidentally let go the clutch and engine stalled.
Started next time and saw the service light glowing, switched off and tried again and same result. Everything else is normal (so i thought) and proceeded, the odo read 10,501 km and i wondered if it was the car letting me know it was time to service. Maybe RNS didnt reset at service.
I was in a hurry since i had to rush down to Chalakudi which is about 150 kms and then head back to Guruvayoor which is another 80 kms the same day. It was warm day and i got stuck in a traffic snarl soon and suddenly realized the AC compressor has died. Cursed myself and then drove on since i was dropping my mom to catch the connecting train from Shornur, surprisingly the AC (compressor) came ON as soon as i started moving.
This phenomenon continued everytime i stop the car, after a few sec the compressor would cut off and then come back to life soon after the car reached around 20 kmph. Again thought ran that this car is so advanced that it cuts the compressor to save the engine the additional load till its serviced.
So the day and the trip went by as planned, and the car parked for the night at the hotel in Guruvayoor. Thought of disconnecting the battery wire and see if the ECU resets and things will be fine, but it had started raining heavy and i was also too tired with the mad rush through the day.
Next day headed to Trichur and dropped wifee at my sis n laws house and i headed to the local A.S.S (Sitaram), its new and supposed to be good. Informed the engineer am on my way to Bangalore and need to see if this light issue can be diagnosed. They assured that they have the analyzer and can run a test and fix it.
They took the car hooked up the thingie (am out at the reception and watching), first one guy then another, then a 3rd and they are fiddling with what all i dont know. I didnt like this, so i called up the service adviser (who was busy attending to other customers), he went in and came back and informed that it was radiator fan and that its not working. The boys are trying to diagnose and it will take another hour.
It was 11 am and i wanted to get to Bangalore before late night, waited another 30 mts and apart from more new faces introduced to the car, i didnt see any progress. They were referring to thick black manuals for help. So a hefty service adviser walks to the team talk something and walk back to reception. So i stopped him and asked, he seemed the typical know it all and bloody rude. Informed me the radiator fan was conked.
Told him that i knew, so what did they do, did they check the fan itself? He says yes the fan per say is fine. Ok, so i asked did you check the Fuse? he says they will require another hour and that too not sure, so i will have to come back later.
I told him i need to leave asap, the car has done 200 kms since the service light and so far no issues apart from AC tripping at idle, he says you never know your engine could be already damaged, since we are not sure that the temp gauge is working properly.
That did it, i lost my kewl and told him that i know very well how a overheated engine works and the symptoms, and i would rather drive till Bangalore in the same state than risk the whole day waiting for these guys to figure out where the fuse is, and if they didnt!! get stranded in my beloved home state which was going to celebrate its umpteenth BANDH for the year the next day!!!
So i took the car, picked up wifee and strated driving, thankfully it was raining cats n dogs till Krishnagiri and temp low and the engine temp perfectly stable as usual. Rather stuck to NORMAL.
Oh i forgot i tried calling my RNS service adviser from Guruvayoor but he had left his cell at home the previous day and hence couldnt get through.
Next day back in Bangalore called RNS guy and he promptly asks if the tempertaure was normal, any lack of pull etc, i said all well and perfect. So he instructs me to drive to RNS yeshwanthpur anytime iam free, i fixed the early morn appointment for the next day.
Sachin (RNS adviser) is there waiting for me (as usual) and i demo the problem to him. He asks if i would like a drop back or wait, i opted to wait and said wait of 1 hour is ok compared to 3 hours commute up and down. Sachin informed me that it might be a relay or a fuse, anyways will confirm.
Sachin calls up the electrician and take the car in, 15 minutes and he is back and informs that the Fuse indeed was the culprit, its a slightly expensive one (30 AMP Block type) Rs 130 which is charged, no other charges. Offers a complimentary wash also, which i declined since i was in a hurry to get back to office.
He ran all the tests and everything aok, the AC fan circuit was not working and radiator fan per say was working normal. Hence the temp was normal and only the AC used to trip at idle when AC radiator grill temp rose above normal, where the AC circuit has to take over.
Once again Snowhite back to normal, and great experience with RNS Yeshwanthpur, especially Sachin.
Sitaram Trichur, clean facility but inexperienced and rather rude mallus around
Thats all folks.
cheers,
Jaggu