Blinking Check engine light

[httrdd]

Not mine! :grin: I have a buddy that is looking at a 97 L and the guy said his check engine light stays on and blinks (critical). He pulled the code with his reader and found code for Neutral position switch. He said he replaced the switch and other stuff and light still blinks. That is the only code he has. He said it runs and drives normally. Older guy and seems pretty honest. Any ideas?

[harrymaneuvers]

I am pretty sure that a blinking light is indicating an engine misfire... the only time I have witnessed this on my 99L was about 200 miles of highway driving before my Crank pulley completely came off... I am thinking that the engine was misfiring as the woodruff key would slip out of the groove on the crank pulley from the slack caused by the loose crank bolt and then recatch the groove after a couple revolutions.

Eventually the whole pulley came off while driving and rested at an angle between my timing belt covers and my radiator with the slack belts still around it...

Check to make sure the green connectors under the dash arent plugged in too... old man might have been trying to fix a problem and thought they needed to be plugged in.

[amgarrety]

He cleared the codes after replacing the switch, right? It is my understanding that the code doesn't go away unless you delete it (either with an ECU reader or by unplugging the battery for 30ish minutes).

[httrdd]

Right, but if like a wire is loose then the sensor is not telling it ok. I am just looking for other senerios.

[Danny-G]

A bit of a late response but I might know what the cause is. I've seen the OBD-1 connectors under the dash of my moms '97 Outback, green and look like the speaker plugs. If those are connected then somehow OBD-1 is there and in self check mode. My '93, being OBD-1, has the connectors and when I connect them the c.e.l will flash codes. That might be the issue.

[Wiscon_Mark]

97 Outback is OBDII though. As is the newer car.

I doubt the diagnostic plugs underneath magically got connected, but yes, it'll cause the CEL to flash.