My A8 (early 1997) didn't have a check engine light that turned on when turning the car on (like the abs, airbag, etc..) though I have the OBD2 function that works (checked codes many times with vag-com and generic OBD2 readers without problem).

I removed the cluster to replace what I thought was a burnt bulb, but there was a paper/sticker covering the check engine light hole (same for glow-plug, asr, and other unused lights).

When I put in a bulb nothing happens... any ideas ? Do you guys (with early D2's) have check engine lights?



thankss

 

Finally fixed it.. put in a bulb and it worked, so I guess the first bulb I tired was burnt or not well seated.

Other lights that don't light up even with good (checked) bulbs are the following, but I think it's normal because it depends on what equipment the car has:

-CAT (red) (OBD 1 maybe?)
-ASR/ESP (yellow) (my A8 has quattro so I don't have ASR nor ESP)
-Immobilizer (yellow) (thought I had an immobilizer/chip in the key?)
-and a blank red

 

Glad to hear you worked that out...made no sense to have OBD without a CEL.

Quattro does NOT rule out having ASR or ESP, BUT your year model does. ASR and ESP both work in conjunction with quattro. Quattro is the mechanical AWD (fr/rear open diffs and center torsen diff). ASR and ESP are electronic systems that add traction (ASR..ant slip regulation) control through individual ABS braking of spinning wheels and engine power intervention...and ESP (electronic stabilty control) adds anti side skid control (plow & fishtail) to the above. They are all still quattros.

 

When I drive around town doing ''mini drifts'' and quick turns I hear the abs pump cycling a bit.. as if it were braking select wheels.. could that be possible? EDL perhaps?

 

Yep, that's EDL...which is basic electronic traction control, front and rear on your model.

Only FWD 97's had ASR which was EDL on the front and engine power intervention (if both drive wheels try to spin) added to that.

P.S. You're actually correct that only FWD (97-99) had the ASR light. 2000 models on had ESP available or standard on all quattro (no FWD available anymore), which incorporates ASR as part of ESP (stability, EDL and throttle intervention control).