Check Engine Light Not ON in Igition - 96 Maxima

[sam_vee]

When keying in ignition (radio on, before engine start), all the lights (seat belt, overdrive... etc) are lit except for the Check Engine Light. We checked the Check Engine light bulb and is fine.

The smog test cannot be completed because the MIL status remains off. Assumption is that the faulty check engine light does not allow for the completion of emission diagnostic cycle to enable MIL status on.

Welcome any other suggestion for why engine light not coming on in ignition mode. Is replacing the whole cluster to correct the only way to get Check Engine Light back on?

Thanks in advance.

[canucklehead]

yikes! I don't know the precise answer, but my immediate thought was a burnt out bulb. Maybe the bulb is just making poor contact on the PC board?Sometimes they just loose some of the tension even though the bulb isn't burnt out. this ASSUMES the bulbs are similar to the style used in my jetta, with little metal tabs on the oustside,that are spring loaded. they screw in 1/2 twist and the tabs make contact with the PC board. On my '89 Jetta and I had to solder a piece of wire to complete a broken connection on my cluster/ circuit board.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Yeah, first suspect is a bad lamp.

[sam_vee]

A new light bulb was put in, and still does not work. Old light bulb is also verified to be working still.

Am curious if changing the cluster will resolve this Check Engine Light problem so that we can proceed with smog test. Or, is this more serious with the ECM?