What does the "EX" warning light mean?

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - Printable Version

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What does the "EX" warning light mean? - Duncanreally - 04-06-2010

I have a Japanese market LHD 968. It has a little light marked "EX" in the top left of the instrument cluster. It has never lit up before, but a few days ago I went a bit faster than I've been before (on the autobahn), about 200kph, and it started flashing. Reducing my speed to about 180 stopped the flashing, but it would start again if I let the speed rise again. Now I expect EX means EXhaust, rather than EXcellent, but what exactly is going on here? Is it something to worry about, or should I just put some duct tape over it...

Thanks for any suggestions,
Duncan

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - Ryan - 04-06-2010

I would look in your owners manual as I don't know what that is and don't think American cars have the EX light.

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - banditsc - 04-06-2010

That lets is to let you know that the cat is getting hot, it's a Japanese thing. In the later 928's the Japanese cars have a picture of grass burning or something. Apparently the Japanese have a fear of grass catching fire when your cat gets hot so they require a warning light on the dash.

Your probably running a little lean at the top end. What chip are you running in the car?

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - Duncanreally - 04-06-2010

The owner's manual is all in Japanese, and I don't read Japanese. However the hot cat makes sense. I should try to replicate it by running at the same revs in a lower gear. The cat should heat up even quicker with less wind cooling, I should think.

As far as I know the chip is stock, but I've never looked. I'd be surprised if chipping a normally-aspirated car, especially a sports car, makes much difference - does it? Forgive my ignorance, I haven't had the car long and it's only just stopped being winter here so I haven't had much chance to get to know its innards.

Any other ideas about the EX light? Is it just to warn about grass catching fire if you park with it flashing, in which case I can drive along with it flashing with no problem, or will it actually melt the cat if I do that?

thanks,
Duncan

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - banditsc - 04-06-2010

I know some of the chips out there can get lean in certain rev ranges which would cause the cat to get warm. Not sure if the chip for Japan is different from a German car. Maybe Flash knows more about the chips out there and the lean condition.

Chips in these cars do wake them up a bit, do a search around on the different chips, there are some good ones out there.

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - rhudeboye - 04-06-2010

In the US we get this image.

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - Mark - 04-06-2010

I was thinking it was alerting you to the presence of your former wife and her lawyer looking for more assets. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - Duncanreally - 04-07-2010

[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - jlm968 - 04-09-2010

Yeah, that's strictly a Japanese market thing, the Godzilla warning light. Helps to know when Godzilla's nearby so your car doesn't get stepped on.

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - 94SilverCab - 04-09-2010

Wow!

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - Duncanreally - 05-03-2010

So I've noticed that the light only flashes after sustained WOT. This can only really happen in top gear - in lower gears one hits the rev limiter before the cat overheating occurs. If the pedal is not fully depressed, I can go to 200kph and hold it without the light coming on (but it takes longer to get to that speed). So the problem appears to be with the fuel mixture at WOT causing the cat to heat up.

So I guess I will investigate banditsc's suggestion that the chip has been changed and it is running lean at WOT. Next newbie question - where can I find the chip?

Duncan

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - 94SilverCab - 05-03-2010

The chip is found on the DME (Computer). This is location in the passenger foot well under the floorboard.

I'm assuming this is LHD.

Regards,

Jay

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - TonD - 03-29-2011

Bringing up an old topic, I took my 968 to German autobahn last sunday where I noticed the EX light when attempting to get to top speed. Didn't get over 240 KPH on the speedo cause roads weren't all that great compared to our own <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> (but over here I'd lose my license at those speeds)

Anyway I kinda ignored it, cause there was no grass near <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/rolleyes.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> I'm not sure, as NA/RoW cars don't even have this feature, if it's something I should be worried about.

BTW, I'm running RS Barn stage 1 chip since a week or two, but also saw EX light on sustained WOT with stock chip.

Should I be worried by this light, should I investigate further?

P.s I read somewhere that Japanese 944's have this feature too, and there apparently the light starts flashing when the cat reaches 850 C. Which sounds hot to me! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/blink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - lbpesq - 03-29-2011

What's "WOT"?

Waste of time?

Web of tarantulas?

Watermelon often tasty?

Weapons of totalitarianism?

Weed or THC?

Washington! Oyvey! Taxes!?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Bill

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - tamathumper - 03-29-2011

Wide Open Throttle.

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - rxter - 03-29-2011

Funniest thread I've read in quite a while. Thanks for the yucks gents. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - Sooz54 - 04-26-2012

My "EX" light recently started blinking all the time. First time was just at start up, cold engine so not a CAT heat issue. Being a fairly conservative driver (as 968 drivers go!) the car hasn't been pushed to the max either so not sure what has triggered the light. My car is a Japanese model, the original owners' manual doesn't even mention the EX light. The car is running beautifully with no apparent symptoms so am continuing to drive it. Any ideas?

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - 968CS_HKG - 04-26-2012

This will explain it in more detail, it looks like you need a new cat.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-924-944-968-technical-forum/337660-advice-dashboard-warning-light.html

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - Sooz54 - 04-27-2012

Thanks for the link - the thread seems to be describing a similar situation except I don't have a loss of power. Will try the wire disconnection in the first instance though and see how I go. I'm loathe to replace the CAT when things are running so well at present. Cheers, Sue.

What does the "EX" warning light mean? - Sooz54 - 07-22-2012

Turned out to be an electrical fault, not the cat (thank heavens!). A connector in the wiring had worked loose, and was only intermittently connecting - when disconnected it showed a fault and caused the "ex" light to blink. Incidently, no fault code recorded. I'm happy!!