Hi,
Thanks for this. I tried jumping pins 6 and 7 on the top row together for two seconds with the ignition on (firstly without, and then with the engine running) but the orange "check" engine (management) light remained constantly illuminated, i.e. did not switch into error code reporting mode. Maybe this light (in the instrument panel on my UK model) does not report the code and perhaps I should instead have been checking the LED on the engine management computer ? (that's if it has one - I'm not sure as I didn't take the plastic panels off to look at the computer which, I believe, is bolted behind the dashboard between the two footwells - is this right ?)
I therefore tried again from the start (key out), but this time jumping pins 6 and 7 on the bottom row together, on the off-chance that this was what was actually required ! The result was again the same, i.e. the orange light stayed lit constantly - once again regardless of whether or not I had turned the key to the position in which the engine is running or just to the position immediately before this.
Then, out of desperation !, since neither of these approaches seemed to be working, I turned on the engine and revved it as hard as I dared for a few seconds in neutral. Once again, this appeared to have had no effect since the light obstinately remained on again when I drove off on a short errand a few minutes later....
However, after only a few yards of driving, I noticed that the orange light had gone out ! It did, pessimistically, cross my mind that maybe I'd inadvertently fried something by connecting the wrong pair of pins which had put the light out but, no, the "check" light is now operating completely normally, i.e. comes on when I turn the key but goes off as soon as I start the engine.
Therefore, as far as I can tell, the fault has cleared but I don't know what put the light out - whether it was connecting pins 6 and 7 (top), connecting pins 6 and 7 (bottom) or revving the bollocks off the engine - but, whatever it was, it seems (strangely ?) that the car needed to be driven a few yards to clear the fault rather than just to have had the engine running. Would any of these approaches actually be expected to extinguish the light ?
I don't know if the light will come on again - maybe the fault is intermittent (even during the past few days when I drove with the light illuminated, my fuel consumption was still the same as normal) - I will let you know if it does come back on again - if you can bear another epic screed !
Meanwhile, many thanks for your advice.
Cheers,
Aidan (YNWA !)