Hyundai excel '94 check engine light

I bought a Hyundai excel(/pony) 1.5 GLS from '94. A few months ago the
check went on after several days. I went back to the dealer, but they
couldn't find anything. They resetted the computer and the car drove like
crap. After a few days the car started to drive normal, but the check
engine light came back on. This happened to more times. The last time I
went to the dealer they told me that there was something wrong with the
gas valve. They fixed that and the check engine light never came on since.
Now I have a weird feeling about that repair. Before the repair the check
engine light came on for four seconds and than went of (as is normal with
this car) every time you switch the contact to ON, but after the repair
the check engine light stays on until I start the engine. Is this normal
??? The dealer said to me that it is normal, but i doubt that. Did they
really fix the problem, or did they manipulate the light so it looks like
it has been fixed?

 

Yes, it's normal on all cars for the check engine light to stay on until the
engine starts. It's known as a bulb check. The only way someone can
manipulate the light so that it looks like it's been fixed is to remove the
bulb.

Bob

 

Is this car in the U.S.? My experience with U.S. Excels is that the lamp
stays on for five seconds and then goes out whether the vehicle is started
or not.

 

No, that's not true. He said the light used come on 4 seconds and then go out.
For some EMS applications, steady CHECK engine light in the key-ON
position means there's a fault code stored in the ECM.

 

The car is in The Netherlands right now. As far as I know it has been there
it's whole life.

As you described above:

Quote: My experience with U.S. Excels is that the lamp
stays on for five seconds and then goes out whether the vehicle is
started
or not.

I had that same experience before I took it to the dealer but after the
repairs the light stays on until I start the engine