AYC Warning Light

[g8legnum]

Arrrggghhh /Grrr Noticed that my AYC warning light is coming back on about 30 seconds after startup. Is this something I should be worried about?

[Nutter_John]

could be the pressure switch or the pump

have a look see thru the members area lots of info in there about testing etc

Also I assume you mean the red light ?

[Dazpostie]

yes, be careful my light came on then the break pedal hit the floor! SCARY STUFF

[MPBVr4]

As Johns said could be the pressure switch or the pump. Take a look at AYC threads. Cheapest place to start is with the switch.
http://www.clubvr4.com/forum/showthread.php?filter[15]=AYC%20System&t=23768

If you need one pm me.

[g8legnum]

Thanks for the info guys. I'll check it out at the weekend. Have also got it booked in at my Mitsi garage next week just in case.....

[MPBVr4]

Thanks for the info guys. I'll check it out at the weekend. Have also got it booked in at my Mitsi garage next week just in case.....

Don't let them talk you into a new pump yet. The AYC life can extended by installing a new switch.

[g8legnum]

Also I assume you mean the red light ? Update: the AYC light - yes it is the red one and not the three bars - came on during a lunchtime journey when I was 3-up. Rear passenger was on LHS. Journey home tonight, solo, no warning light displayed.:speechles So is this a rear load issue and does that give any more pointers to what could be wrong?

[MPBVr4]

Update: the AYC light - yes it is the red one and not the three bars - came on during a lunchtime journey when I was 3-up. Rear passenger was on LHS. Journey home tonight, solo, no warning light displayed.:speechles So is this a rear load issue and does that give any more pointers to what could be wrong?

Probably not a load issue more a temperature issue. Was it sunny and warm in your part of the world at lunch time? Usually they start to show in the summer when the weather is hot. I sent out 3 switches in 1 week with the first few hot days we had this year.:thinking:

[Kieran]

As everyone else has said - don't panic, it's quite common. The pressure switch is most likely the cause and it's an easy and cheap part to swap. The guys over on the UK lancer register found that over time, the pump does wear (though it's still operational) and being bathed in AYC fluid (Mitsubishi SPIII ATF is commonly used now as it's 'compatible' with genuine DiaQueen AYC fluid) doesn't do the pressure switch itself much good.

If the switch is dead you'll get trouble all the time, if it's just that the pump isn't pressurising due to age/wear/tear, then you'll notice the fault is intermittent, but that it happens more often on hot days or when you've been giving the car some grief - Hot fluid causing a pressure drop and triggering the switch.

As Malc and John say, the fix is to is replace the pressure switch with an adjustable one, so that you can 'dial in' to a level that allows the AYC to operate without constantly throwing a fault. This will allow a seemingly 'Dead' AYC diff to operate happily again.

It is alsoworth checking the condition of your AYC fluid as well - Both diff and hydraulic side. I've seen several VR-4s (including my own, rather scarily!!!) where the clutch fluid is a bit manky, but the hydraulic fluid is almost BLACK in colour!!

[Spirit]

Kieran has explained it perfectly Pete. Don't let Mitsy talk you into doing anything without checking out the fluids and the switch first. They tend to go straight for the "new pump,sir" option......kerching £££ !

[Nevman]

I've had this same problem but ONLY in very hot days (rarity in this country /Devil5 ) or after hard driving.
Didn't come on for last couple months. Personally think that the temperature makes the fluid thinner and it doesn't keep the pressure. I'll change the switch on my next service and see if it makes any difference.

[g8legnum]

Yeah, I was a bit bothered about the comment on temperature, as it is not so hot at the moment and when it happened yesterday, the car had been standing parked, all morning and the warning light appeared within the first minute of starting the journey. So at that time all the oils would have been cold...

Def going to look at the switch on Saturday, if the missus will let me get away from wallpapering /pan /pan

[White Lightning]

Reminds me that I still need to look at the bulb in my dash ... my red AYC light does not even come on at startup ... :smash:

[BKBRKR]

when the red light appears,do you feel any difference in the drive line(does the car jurk to one side..)? maybe have your rear wheel sensors checked,especially the left rear. heat from your exhaust may have it faulting or you could just have a screwed sensor..
good luck,and hope this helps

[g8legnum]

when the red light appears,do you feel any difference in the drive line(does the car jurk to one side..)? maybe have your rear wheel sensors checked,especially the left rear. heat from your exhaust may have it faulting or you could just have a screwed sensor..
good luck,and hope this helps
Funny you raised this as a couple of nights ago when driving home from work, I noticed that at every tight right hand bend or corner, it jinked at bit at the rear. At the time I put it down to the AYC issue and that it would go away as soon as the switch was changed. That night, parked my car the opposite way to normal. Next morning came to drive to work and noticed that the rear n/s tyre was almost flat. Checked pressure, an it hardly registered on the gauge. Madly pumped tyre to correct pressure and set on my way. Since then no AYC light seen on dash. Got me thinking :thinking: could the AYC incident be down to excessive diff activity with one tyre at normal pressure and one almost flat???? Will be checking if there is a slow puncture on Saturday
just to make sure....

[Nutter_John]

Yep different pressure tires on the same axle and throw a ayc light up

[Andy Teg]

I've had this same problem but ONLY in very hot days (rarity in this country /Devil5 ) or after hard driving.
Didn't come on for last couple months.

Ditto. When we had the odd hot day during the summer I knew that the AYC warning light would be on within 15 minutes or so. However, since the summer over here was utter **** I don't think I've seen it on since July.....

I'm going to go for the new switch option, but I'll probably not have to bother until sometime next June!

[miller]

Well maybe im being too optimistic, my red AYC light has come on and is staying on. I havent been giving it stick at all recently, cant remember when i last had two bars let alone three bars light up! Yes its hot weather out there!!! which is why im thinking optimistically that this is the cause.

Keiran, can you remember which fluid did we not get done when it was pissin rain, was it the clutch fluid or the hydraulic fluid? I think we passed up on the hydraulic fluid? May be next on my list for peace of mind!


Mike

[MPBVr4]

Well maybe im being too optimistic, my red AYC light has come on and is staying on. I havent been giving it stick at all recently, cant remember when i last had two bars let alone three bars light up! Yes its hot weather out there!!! which is why im thinking optimistically that this is the cause.

Keiran, can you remember which fluid did we not get done when it was pissin rain, was it the clutch fluid or the hydraulic fluid? I think we passed up on the hydraulic fluid? May be next on my list for peace of mind!


Mike

Is it since we've had warm weather? If you've changed your oils then a switch might help.

[miller]

Just this evening its popped up.

[Kieran]

It was just the clutch fluid and not the hydraulic fluid. And Malc could well be right - Warm weather does show them up a bit if the pump's got a bit of wear on it.

[miller]

Well its off now in the cold evening. Proving warm weather does affect it!

rightio off to do some switch research!

Mike

[Nevman]

Swap your AYC switch to the adjustable one. Works on mine (just need small adjustment).

[peter alan cox]

im having similar problem, exactly where is the switch you refer to located

[peter alan cox]

can someone tell me where the AYC switch is located, my red light stays on, so i need to cherck it out, many thanks

[MPBVr4]

The switch is attached to the AYC pump under the boot floor, right hand side.
All details are revealed in the "members" section.

[g8legnum]

I've had this same problem but ONLY in very hot days (rarity in this country /Devil5 ) or after hard driving.
Didn't come on for last couple months. Personally think that the temperature makes the fluid thinner and it doesn't keep the pressure. I'll change the switch on my next service and see if it makes any difference. Drat! Changed the switch and all was fine, Eurospecs changed the fluids at the last service, still fine - until yesterday. Was out and about in the afternoon and had to press on a bit as I was forced on a detour but needed to keep an appointment and damn AYC light came on again. Just hoping that even new fluids go thin in hotter weather, and that it is not a sign that the pump is on its way out /Grrr

[MPBVr4]

Drat! Changed the switch and all was fine, Eurospecs changed the fluids at the last service, still fine - until yesterday. Was out and about in the afternoon and had to press on a bit as I was forced on a detour but needed to keep an appointment and damn AYC light came on again. Just hoping that even new fluids go thin in hotter weather, and that it is not a sign that the pump is on its way out /Grrr

The switch is adjustable. Just drop the pump assy down and unscrew the adjuster (between the 2 spade connectors) by 1 turn. That should sort you out for a bit. As stated elsewhere the switch will delay the the expense of a new pump by a few years but doesn't stop the pump degrading over time.

[Alan T]

After reading some posts on this subject I am now convinced that I need a new AYC Switch.

But, where from, and how much ?

[SGHOM]

contact the person who posted directly above you ! :pimp2:

[ianturbo]

I didn't know there was a red light ? on start all i get is 3 green then they go off , or does it come on only when a problem ????
ian

[Alan T]

Cheers.

[d i c k i e s]

you get the ayc warning light when you turn the ignition on. it then goes out when ignition is turned over.

when i had this issue, all i did was put air into the tyres.
hasnt come back since.

[Nevman]

The switch is adjustable. Just drop the pump assy down and unscrew the adjuster (between the 2 spade connectors) by 1 turn. That should sort you out for a bit. As stated elsewhere the switch will delay the the expense of a new pump by a few years but doesn't stop the pump degrading over time.

I've done it few weeks ago and it's cured the problem.
I've done about 3/4 of a turn.

[ianturbo]

you get the ayc warning light when you turn the ignition on. it then goes out when ignition is turned over.

when i had this issue, all i did was put air into the tyres.
hasnt come back since.
red or green ? i only get 3 green on start up no red ???
ian

[Nevman]

There should be 3 green bars and a red AYC letters on the right hand side of your dashboard.
If they're not there when you turn your ignition it may be just the bulb needing replacement but it also means that you have no indication whatsoever if the AYC unit works all right.
Are you getting any green bars on fast corners?

[d i c k i e s]

red or green ? i only get 3 green on start up no red ???
ian

should be red: like this AYC
it will go out once the car is turned over...

but as mentioned, you may have blown bulb or something?
it should appear on the far right bottom near temp gauge.

[White Lightning]

I have had the infamous red AYC light come on a couple of times over the last couple of days. First time was yesterday after my car cut out whilst the air con was on (hopefully getting this fixed with a new stepper motor). The light cleared after I left the car for a while with the ignition off so I assumed this caused by the cutting out (!). But it has just come on again on the way home. Again, ignition off and back on cleared it. Just about to pop and check my tyre pressures as the handling has not felt brilliant the last day or so but that may be down to the fact I recently softened the dampening on my Teins a bit as I was getting a bid fed up with the bumps on certain road on the way to work.

[MPBVr4]

I have had the infamous red AYC light come on a couple of times over the last couple of days. First time was yesterday after my car cut out whilst the air con was on (hopefully getting this fixed with a new stepper motor). The light cleared after I left the car for a while with the ignition off so I assumed this caused by the cutting out (!). But it has just come on again on the way home. Again, ignition off and back on cleared it. Just about to pop and check my tyre pressures as the handling has not felt brilliant the last day or so but that may be down to the fact I recently softened the dampening on my Teins a bit as I was getting a bid fed up with the bumps on certain road on the way to work.

Sounds like the "hot weather AYC light syndrome". If it persists a switch will sort it

[White Lightning]

Possibly Malc ... can you PM me a price for a new switch just in case it comes to that. Cheers.

[martin_y]

Reminds me that I still need to look at the bulb in my dash ... my red AYC light does not even come on at startup ... :smash:

Its supposed to?

I think I only get 2 green lights on startup....

*** Edited - I should have said 3 green lights***

[White Lightning]

Its supposed to?

I think I only get 2 green lights on startup....

Yes, the red AYC light (and I think the three green AYC bars) should come on at startup and clear after a few seconds when all the system checks have completed OK.

[vr4-fan]

I need a switch pressurre to , all that thinks happed to me , when the car get some temp turn on the ayc red , but when the car its cold not turn on , I need a switch , I have afraid blown the diff , tthis can will hapen??

[bradc]

When you become a free member you get a new AYC pump that will fix that problem

[White Lightning]

Well, all my tyre pressures were fine ... so let's see what happens today.