It's not the bulb. Someone has deactivated the light. Any ideas on how to "reconnect" the light? My first post, so thank you in advance. I searched the forum before posting!

 

Well if the light does not light up when you turn the key to ON but do not start the car, then either you have a bad idiot light panel, or bad bulb.

 

Thanks, but since only the Check Engine Light socket does not supply power to the bulb, and all other positions in the panel are functioning perfectly, I suspect some PO has tampered with the sensor, computer plug, or circuit board that signals the Check Engine Light. I was hoping that someone may have run into this problem before, but it appears to be a unique occurence of tampering with my RX-7.

 

next step would be to look in the wiring diagram, the circuit is simple for the bulb.

 

No, you are wrong. Power is supplied by the idiot panel. Ground is supplied by the ECU and idiot panel. Go read the wiring diagram.

All the idiot lights, light up if the key is in the ON position, regardless of if the ECU wire is even hooked up.

In fact you could cut the wire at the back of the idiot panel, and the light would still turn on, with the rest of the idiot lights when the key was in the ON position but the engine was not running.

So you can waste your time looking at a disconnected wire, but that would be your time wasted.

This is a very very common occurrence and I have rebuilt probably 250 of them for this or a similar problem. I am not understanding why you are choosing to ignore the solution. You have a bad idiot light panel. Replace or rebuild it.