MIL

Malfunction Indicator Light or check engine light.

The MIL is located in the instrument cluster, and indicates that there is a problem with the engine, ECU or wiring. It is normal for the MIL to illuminate for 2 seconds when the ignition is first switched on. By shorting out a diagnostic connector it is possible to retrieve error codes from the ECU by counting flashes from the MIL. With the programmable ECU it is easier to plug in a laptop and datalog the ECU to retrieve the error codes.