[gtx2000]

OK I'm the guy with the taurus that will not run right. Everyone is asking me is the check engine light on? Well i don't see on on the Dash. I have the digital dash and there is a service light below the TACH it only comes on upon start then goes out immediately. Well i investigated and for that the tan red at the diagnose plug has an out put there to turn on a check engine light and hooked up a test light too 12v and other end in the tan red port. well when i start the car the test light turns on and stays on till it is running if i leave the key on without starting it stays on while the service light goes out. WELL now i know they are different what is the SERVICE light for? Also does anyone know if I'm supposed to have a light on the dash for the check engine? any one have a digital dash 1st gen taurus that knows this?

 

[gtx2000]

I really just want to know what turns on this service light in the first place. I looked at every wiring manuel I got and cannot find anything on this light on the dash. 87 cars dont have a very informative owners manuel either anyone know this would be great. i would like to convert it too the service engie soon light

 

[1989LX]

Hey, I have a digital dash in my '89. I have the exact same service light that comes on every time I start my car up and goes out after a minute or so. I've also wondered what this light is for. Your check engine light is in a weird place. If you look on your dash just to the right of your ignition. You will see an elongated light that has "Check Engine" written vertically. I thought it was a button until one day it came on when I was having some problems with my car. Hope this helps.

 

[jj57]

The service light on those cars is a reminder to Change the oil and filter, or other routine service. IT IS NOT a MIL.

You can reset those by... Um.... Ahh..... Doing something. I will have to fins my book on those cars.

 

[gtx2000]

Yea just found that out reading a old mitchell manuel. It will come on every 7200 miles. to reset you hold down the odometer and trip reset buttons at the same time.


I was investigating my MIL light as i need one with my present situation and i found out the tan red at the self test plug under the hood is my would be check engine light. i used a test light and hooked it up too battery positive and away it started blinking.

Well then i was thinking i want a check engine light to help me figure out what is going on and this is what i found out .. Well when i was looking at the self test plug i saw that the tan/red wire had 2 leads on it and one led to the ECM. SOOOOO i was wondering where the other one went to well i followed it to the under dash area. well after this i don't know where it goes. My car is NOT equipped with a MIL so where does it go? anyone know? Well this is what i also did. I took a LED from an alarm mounted it into the dash, took a 1.5k ohm resistor put it inline on the positive leg or the diode and then attache that to the IGN from the key switch with a 3 amp fuse. then I took the NEG leg on the diode and attached it to the tan red i found under the dash by the Park brake ans WHOLLA i got a serve engine soon light. There is also a quick disconnect under the hood right before it goes into the dash area i don't know why you would want to disconnect the MIL but it is there. IF ANYONE knows why it goes under the dash let me know I looked at ALL wiring diagrams for the non digital dash and the elec one and both have no MIL lights as well as the mustang cougar they also don't have a MIL in tis year of make