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458 Have you ever gotten a "Check Engine" light for no reason on your 458?

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by up4speed, Jul 7, 2020.

  1. up4speed

    up4speed F1 Rookie
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    #1 up4speed, Jul 7, 2020
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2020
    There seems to be posts here and there on the forums stating that 458's displayed a Check Engine light, when there is actually nothing wrong with the car.

    How many people have received these "random" lights, just to clear them, and have them never come back? I don't want to hear about the ones where there was an actual problem, just the ones that are "fake".
    If you had a fake CEL, most importantly what was it for, and did it pop up again after being cleared (if so, how many times)?
    Also, if you figured out what "tricked" the computer to display the false CEL, what was it?

    I'm wondering if there is some programming issue with Ferrari electronics? Why does this not happen with Hondas and Toyotas as frequently? (doesn't Bosch make the electronics for most manufacturers)
     

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  2. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #2 ryalex, Jul 8, 2020
    I get "catalytic temperature implausible" occasionally turning the car on, and "electrical system failure" every few weeks turning it off (comes up as I'm turning the key so I'm assuming it's a pulse of something from the electronics as it turns off). Nothing wrong though.
     
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  3. IloveGT

    IloveGT Formula 3

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    #3 IloveGT, Jul 8, 2020
    battery is a usual suspect.
     
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  4. AlfistaPortoghese

    AlfistaPortoghese Moderator
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    #4 AlfistaPortoghese, Jul 8, 2020
    Chris,

    The joys of italian electronics I guess. Have had those fake warnings both on a dying battery and after changing it to a fresh one. Sometimes out of the blue, I get those. Then I don’t get them for years. Then they pop up again. Car running smoothly as ever. I stopped trying to make sense of it to be honest.

    Kind regards,

    Nuno.
     
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  5. Gh21631

    Gh21631 F1 Veteran
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    #5 Gh21631, Jul 8, 2020
    Sounds like a Mac
     

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  6. RBarbieri

    RBarbieri Karting
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    #6 RBarbieri, Jul 8, 2020
    If you turn the key on and let the car go through all of its electronic cycles before starting the car you get fewer erroneous error messages.
     
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  7. Gh21631

    Gh21631 F1 Veteran
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    #7 Gh21631, Jul 8, 2020
    Exactly, give it a chance to run through the systems.
     
  8. soulsea

    soulsea Formula Junior
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    #8 soulsea, Jul 8, 2020
    She’s Italian, she doesn’t like to be rushed.

    I find it adorable that this car has both a key and a start button. You have to wait about ten or so seconds between the two to let it cycle through It’s ‘stuff’.

    If you do get the error, go drive it on a highway for about ten minutes, pull over, turn it all the way off and open/close door to make sure all systems shut down, and restart it, this time by waiting a bit between the key and the start button. It will clear the fault if it’s a tantrum and not an actual issue.
     
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  9. up4speed

    up4speed F1 Rookie
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    #9 up4speed, Jul 9, 2020
    Interesting that you made the connection with a new battery also (I was wondering the same) usually all of the electronics issues that are reported, stem from an old, weak battery.. I never had any CEL lights the whole time I owned my car, but "tactically" replaced the battery at 4 years just to avoid any of the false lights (things like that aggravate me).
    Well, What do you know, even though I always do the proper start up procedure and wait for the electronics to communicate and for the beeping to stop, after the 2nd or 3rd cold start with new battery, I got an error code for "secondary Air Pump Low Flow" for both banks. I have the Launch X431 tool, and activated the air pump just to make sure that it worked properly, and it did, so I reset the CEL.
    I've started it cold twice so far and it hasn't triggered another code (yet). So I'm guessing that it may have been a situation like you mentioned, that my car set a code due to a new battery.
    If I had to guess, maybe the electronics are very sensitive to volts/amps while doing startup communication tests, and it takes a little time to learn the parameters after power was lost and restored, and if it's a tiny bit off, the car triggers a CEL. Strange...
     
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  10. MalibuGuy

    MalibuGuy F1 Veteran

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    #10 MalibuGuy, Jul 9, 2020
    As most people know , the check engine light is a fairly common and very non-specific issue.
    Aside from a failing battery and a problem with the fuel inlet valves or filler cap, one should discuss with a certified service center.
    F Chat probably won’t be able to diagnose your cars problem. Bad battery, bad inlet valves, bad fuel cap, bad variators, bad butterfly intake manifold, bad ...

    You might also be best served by engaging a certified mechanic do the repairs too. Let us know how things turn out.

    458 is a great car BTW!
     
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  11. BabyFerrari

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    #11 BabyFerrari, Jul 9, 2020
    battery would be #1 suspect, next is the PCV connectors int he engine bay but you will have stored codes.
     
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  12. 3POINT8

    3POINT8 Formula 3

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    #12 3POINT8, Jul 9, 2020
    yes. a few times now. as stated above, it was due to the battery or a low charge. i just charged the car up and it was fine. next time don't let it sit so long!
     
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  13. gilly6993

    gilly6993 Formula 3

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    #13 gilly6993, Jul 9, 2020
    It is impossible to own a Ferrari and not see a check engine light at some point....
     
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