Engine warning light.

I have a 2008 Mitsi Fortis (Galant). Recently an engine warning light has come apparently advising me the car needs a service. (Probably preset in Japan) I have already serviced it! will it eventually go out itself if I ignore it? An unhelpful Mitsi garage said he can plug into the car an reset it. But the main question is what happens if I do nothing!

We're looking after a ute for someone which has a warning about its timing chain or whatever needs periodic replacement. Is yours a similar issue? I did a google on how to reset it and there were some instructions about how one could do that without the plug-in computerisation the fixer should have done. Otherwise it'll stay on! Have you asked the service place who did the service on it?

I do my own services ie oil and filter plus checking other levels. The Mitsi garage I went didn't seem to be very interested (some are funny with imports, don't know why there are tens of thousands of them in the country) he was difficult to talk to and I never asked what would happen if I did nothing. This car has all the bells and whistles but unfortunately most of the on screen information is in Japanese!. If I could read it I know it would tell me everything. I had thought about going to the local college and seeing if there was a Japanese student there who could read it for me. Haha I'm sure the warning light is just to let me know it needs an oil change and filter which I have already done.

Hi, see if you can find a manual on line or elsewhere, some of the vehicles have stuff on the steering wheel to change the times for servicing etc. you can alter the information so that it will come up on the screen at whatever setting you have inputted and warn you . Cheers.

Possibly (and definitely with Toyota HiLux's) the timing belt change warning light comes on when a pre-set milage has been reached. The engine does not disintegrate if you ignore this warning, but it does if the timing gear breaks. If the timing gear does get changed before the light comes on, then the light does come on when the pre-set milage is reached. There is no harm done to the engine if that timing light is not turned off and re-set.

Thank you for your replies, I've had the car a few years and one of the reasons I bought it was it has a timing chain not a belt, so it isn't that but I will eventually get around to having the garage reset the info screen.

Do you have a garage that is not tied to a brand? We use one here and their knowledge is great. They may be of more help that a franchise.

Most modern cars will display an engine check light or an error code when the service is due. When the garage completes the service they use an OBD2 analyser to reset the error code. If that is the only reason the light light is on then it will be reset to its default condition when they complete the service. However it may also be a sign that there is another fault in the car so its advisable to take it to a garage and ask them to reset the code They will probably charge you (last time it cost me $40 for a VW. Alternatly you can buy a OBD2 analyser off trade me for about the same price BUT make sure it will also reset the fault codes as well.

seventrumpet.com/reset-oil-maintenance-l...5-mitsubishi-lancer/

Even timing chains need to be replaced but are far less prone to breakage than belts. It will rattle badly when it is too far gone but won't usually break! The light is probably (as others have indicated) activated by the odometer and if it is a non-digital ( the old wheel types) then it could simply be a switch that needs to be changed into the next position.