marionacht8

Ka preheating lamp issue

I've got a 2008 Ford Ka, diesel engine, with about 91k km on the clock. Recently, the preheating lamp won't switch off, and the check engine light is now constantly on. To top it off, I'm getting a noticeable puff of smoke when I accelerate. I've checked the basics, and I'm leaning towards a defective glow control unit. Could a dodgy cable or plug connection to the unit be the culprit?

A 2008 Ford Ka with a diesel engine had issues with the preheating lamp staying on, the check engine light being constantly illuminated, and smoke during acceleration. The initial suspicion was a defective glow control unit, possibly due to a faulty cable or plug connection. After professional inspection, it was confirmed that the problem was indeed the glow control unit and a faulty connection, which were both repaired, resolving the issue.

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4 comment(s)

Sounds familiar. I had a similar issue with my old Opel Corsa – preheating light stuck on and engine light glaring at me. In my case, it was also related to the glow plugs. Did you check the glow plugs themselves or just the control unit?

I've only focused on the control unit so far. How did you figure out it was the glow plugs and not something else in the system? Any specific tests you ran or signs you noticed?

For me, the mechanic ran a diagnostic check that pointed directly to the glow plugs. But before that, I noticed rough idling, especially on cold starts, which is another sign. Honestly, it's probably best to get it checked out professionally, unless you have the diagnostic tools yourself.

Thanks for the advice! I took it to a workshop, and you were spot on – it was indeed the glow control unit and, as I suspected, a faulty connection. They replaced the unit and fixed the wiring; cost me about 95€. The preheating light is behaving normally again, the engine light is off, and the smoke is gone. Appreciate the help!

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FORD

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