182, toxic light, poor mpg, sooty exhaust

[Keith Lemon]

Hello All

Last night when driving my clio down the motorway, then toxic warning light came on. I originally thought that this was bad fuel, so I have filled up with vpower, and done about 70 miles since. The light is still on, lso the fuel comp is showing 20mpg, was over 34 before the light came on. Also I have noticed a strange smell when it first kicks in, kinda petrolly.

Also the exhaust seems to have quite a build up of soot. I'm really worried about the car, only brought it a week ago, its an 04, with 48k miles.

My mate has a u380 reader I can borrow at the weekend to read the fault codes, but I'm wondering if any of you guys have any ideas what it could be. Reading similar threads it seems it could be the lambada

The car runs fine apart from some slight spluterring on idle?

Thanks alot guys

Wayne

 

[sideways danny]

sounds a lot like a faulty lambda to me

 

[partyboy23]

would a lambar sensor cause the car to smoke tho?

 

[Jimmybs]

where did u buy the car from?

 

[Keith Lemon]

It was evans halshaw part ex car brought at auction, spoke to the previous keeper though, ( number was in the manual) , he said he's not had any problems with the car, just had a new one.

The car does not smoke, just sooty deposits in the tail pipe ( no smoke evwen at redline)

U380 reader sates fault code n/a 0101. On the I/m test it shows the 02 sensor as ''nt rdy' - dunno if thats significant.

MPG seems to have improved a little, I have put the light out once, while i am driving normally it it stayed of, two mins after booting it its back on.... Any ideas please?

Thanks alot for your replies...

Wayne

 

[Andyman]

Running like a dog and poor mpg is quite often lambda sensor related

 

[clio_steve]

i had the same sort of problem turned out to be spark plugs and coil pack that had gone

 

[Keith Lemon]

hope its the lamda then, anyone else got any ideas?