Bloody annoying red light on Vitara dash...................

[RickUK]

Would like some help with a bloody annoying red light on my Vitara,my ultra reliable 1998 2ltr V6 has a a light that flashes on the dash board every so often,it down on the right hand side of the dash board near the steering wheel next door to the rear fog light switch and heated rear screen.

It looks to me as if its a factory fitted red warning light rather than say a after market addition,have had this light flash on not every day but it appears to be when really pushing it around either corners or round abouts,this in theory usually indicates low fluid levels of some kind.So when it 1st started flashing about 8 months ago,one then checks every fluid level on the car many times ie water,oil and every other form of red warning sympton.

But all the levels are spot on and no loss of any fluids either,have checked the hand book many times and nothing in the book indicates any red warning light in that location or what it even does,so my question is to anyone who either currenly owns one or has owned one,do you have idea what this red light does.

The thing about it is the fact the motor and all the mechanical/electrical side of the Vit runs exactly as it should do,infact its onr of the best motors that i have driven,apart from this bloody light,had thought about bunging a bit of tape over the light as that would shut the wife up from moaning about it

Any thoughts about this mystery red light zone.

Thanks

Rick

[ScottieJ]

What does the red light look like? is it a symbol or just a light?

[RickUK]

Scottie,its just a red light,no symbols or anything else,its located eight next door to the heated rear screen and rear fog lamp switches,of course when both these switches are switched on they have the inbuilt red light,but what this red light is beside them but not connected in any way is beyond me.

It must have a function of some sort other wise it would not be in the car,but it appears to be a factory fitted light but nothing is mentioned in the operators hand book,so this is telling me that possibly it was added after by another owner but for what purpose that is the mystery,so i am thinking rather than just take it out regretting it later on,i will make it vanish by putting some black tape over it

[Ginger_boy]

sounds like you have some sort of aftermarket car alarm fitted

[RickUK]

sounds like you have some sort of aftermarket car alarm fitted

Nope,no alarm or immobiliser either,its just one big mystery this one,no other accessories added either,would not mind if anything was fitted as at least i could have something to look at,but that is not the case.

[Anton]

Plug a laptop into your ECU and get someone to watch for warning codes as you drive in a way that makes this thing light up?

Also, I'm wondering if it's got dodgy wiring, if it only lights up during "spirited" cornering...?

[RickUK]

Anton,i think the idea of a laptop plug in could well be the best way forward,i will see if i can get this done over the weekend,but saying that its been like it since i have owned it so another few days wont matter.

[RickUK]

Problem has been found and resolved,i took the red light out and it had the word 'Hella' on the front of it,of course this then meant that it was some after market jobby,it had something to do with some old spot lights that it had at sometime,so what was left of the offending wiring and what was causing the problem have been junked.

Result problem solved at long last

[ScottieJ]

was going to say the only factory warning lights are in the main gauge cluster.

[RickUK]

was going to say the only factory warning lights are in the main gauge cluster.

Must admit Scottie it was a very good installation,but as you have mentioned all the warning lights are accounted for on the manual but not that one,that should have sent the red flag up that it was aftermarket.

Anyway thanks folks for all your suggestions,it turned out being a simple job,i of course was aware what the problem was all the time i was just testing you folks