While your car ca n’t talk , it communicate with you using chimes , icons , and content . One icon that you should never ignore is the checkout engine light . It turns on when the railway car ’s onboard reckoner detects a trouble .
If your stay locomotive light is on , do n’t panic — it doesn’tnecessarilymean you ’ll need to give your next payroll check to the near auto-mechanic . job that actuate a check engine light are sometimes canonical and quick to fix . Do n’t ignore it , either , and get it checked out as quickly as possible .
The 10 most vulgar problems that actuate a arrest engine light include :
Keep in creative thinker that the shift computer code that cause the Light Within to turn on in the first place is stored in your car ’s onboard data processor , and you may retrieve it using a uncomplicated equipment to get a exact idea of what exactly is wrong under the thug . Doing this on your own will save you money in the long run .
1. Oxygen sensor failure
A go wrong oxygen sensor will usually trigger your car ’s check engine light . The O sensing element ( sometimes call anO2 sensor ) measures the amount of unburnt oxygen in a car ’s exhaust system . It sends data to the vehicle ’s computer , which uses it to baffle the intermixture of aviation and fuel that enter the cylinders . An locomotive engine will keep running even if an O2 sensor needs to be interchange , but it will burn more fuel than usual . In the prospicient runnel , a big O2 sensing element can damage components like spark spark plug and the catalytic converter . It may also get a railroad car to fail an emissions test .
On average , a timbre O2 detector will set you back about $ 175 , but the monetary value of labor will vary greatly depending on the fomite ’s make and model , as well as your geographical placement . Finally , keep in mind that most late - model car have more than one O2 sensor .
2. Loose fuel cap
A loose fuel capital is one of the most coarse reasons why the check engine light turn over on . The capital is a all-important part of a car ’s fuel delivery organization . It notably prevents gasoline fumes from leaving the fuel cooler , and it helps keep the whole scheme under the right pressure .
If your stoppage locomotive engine twinkle turns on immediately after a fill - up , pull over and make certain the cap is n’t sluttish — or still on your car ’s cap . Sometimes the cap demand to be replaced , but it ’s not a job that ’s going to hit your wallet severely . Most car share stores sway universal - fit gas capital that be somewhere in the vicinity of $ 15 .
3. Catalytic converter failure
A catalytic converter failure can also cause your car ’s check locomotive light to turn on . Thecatalytic converteris integrated into a vehicle ’s exhaust organisation . It turns the carbon paper monoxide generated during the combustion process into carbon dioxide . It ’s a fairly simple part , and its failure can often be prevented . That ’s right news because a novel one price between $ 200 and $ 600 depending on the make and modelling . Every late - poser car that runs on gasoline has a catalytic converter .
Performing veritable maintenance ( such asoil changes ) on time is key to hold on your railroad car ’s catalytic converter in working order . If you live in the city and mostly drive scant distances , take your car on the highway every now and then to ensure the catalytic convertor does n’t get clogged . And as always , keep your eyes and pinna open for unusual sounds or discolored smoke coming from the exhaust .
4. Spark plug/ignition coil issues
Spark stopper / ignition coil outlet can trigger your car ’s check-out procedure locomotive light source as well . Put simply , an firing coil generates the electrical energy the flicker plugs need to ignite the fuel and aura mixture in the cylinders . definitive cars have a single spiral , but many modernistic fomite practice one coil per cylinder ( it ’s often called a coil clique ) . If your ride has a V8 under the cowling , you could have eight freestanding ringlet . The monstrousBugatti Chironhas 16 . No matter how many you have though , a malfunctioning coil will almost certainly trigger the chip locomotive engine light , but commemorate , if your car burns diesel , you have neither kindling coils nor twinkle plugs .
address of twinkle plugs , haggard or fouled plugs can make a kind of issues admit an engine dud and disinclination under heavy speedup . A worn coil can exhibit the same symptoms , and it can cause the car to shut off unexpectedly . A tone spark hack costs between $ 10 and $ 20 , while a whorl is broadly speaking in the $ 50 kitchen stove . Changing your own discharge plugsis also easier than it voice .
5. Bad spark plug wires
A bad twinkle plug conducting wire can and will make your check railway locomotive light ferment on . As its name implies , a light wad wire transfer electrical energy from the scroll to the spark plug . Without it , the fuel and air mixture in the cylinders would n’t ignite . The vast majority of machine use a single wire per cylinder , but there are models — notably , someolder Mercedes - Benzes — with two spark plugs per piston chamber and , consequently , two conducting wire . Keep in judgement that most newer cars do not use spark stopper wires , however .
Symptoms of spoilt spark plug wire include a harsh idle , a noticeable drop in engine carrying into action , and lower gas gas mileage . Expect to pass about $ 50 on a set of plug wires . Swapping them out is easy — it drive a few minutes and requires no special tools or knowledge .
6. Mass airflow sensor failure
The mass air flow ( MAF ) sensor can trigger your car ’s check engine brightness level . The MAF monitors how much air enter the locomotive engine . It ’s a part of the locomotive engine - direction organisation , so your cable car would n’t be capable to adapt to changes in altitude without it . Symptoms of an MAF failure include a unsmooth idle , trouble start , and a sudden change in the position of the throttle pedal . Reduced gas mileage and stalling can also indicate a MAF problem .
A MAF for a late - model car typically be between $ 120 and $ 150 .
7. Issues with an aftermarket alarm
An aftermarket alarm system can wreak havoc on your gondola — and accordingly make your check railway locomotive light bend on — if it ’s not put in decent . It can drain the battery , trigger the handicap engine twinkle , or even preclude the fomite from starting . Then , when you least expect it , it ’ll go off in the centre of the night because a folio from an oak tree fell on the thug .
If the above issues sound familiar , you ’ll need to have the warning machine fixed , reinstalled , or replaced entirely by a competent mechanic . come it done properly in the first position might cost a little minute more , but the peace of mind that comes with get a fully operational alarm is priceless .
8. Vacuum leak
A misfire emptiness system can trigger your railroad car ’s check engine light . Every cable car has a void organization that performs a wide change of function . The bracken booster is void - lock , and the vacuum system also help lower emission by routing the smoke as gasolene evaporate through the railway locomotive . If your car ’s idle begins to surge or settles at an unusually high rpm , a vacancy leak could be the culprit .
Vacuum hosiery can dry out and crack as they age , especially if they ’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold . This is the most plebeian causal agent of void leaks . Other common issues include cracked fittings and loose connection . Vacuum note cost just a few sawhorse each , but trace the source of the escape can be time - consume — and expensive if you ’re not perform the work yourself .
9. Exhaust gas recirculation valve failure
The exhaust gasoline recirculation ( EGR ) arrangement lowers the amount of N oxide that come up out of the elevator car ’s engine and help oneself it run more efficiently . It place the hot exhaust gases back into the burning sleeping accommodation , which makes fuel easier to burn . It also reduces emission . A clotted or give out EGR can make your car ’s balk locomotive light turn on .
If you ’re even slightly automatically disposed , you’re able to remove the valve , clean it , and reinstall it in a comparatively forgetful amount of metre . If the valve needs to be replaced , have a bun in the oven to pay at least $ 125 for a brand - new , OEM - quality unit .
10. Dead battery
A dead battery may not only cause the battery light on your car ’s front gore to turn on , but your verification locomotive engine luminousness as well .
Thecar batteryis as simple as it is important ; without it , your railway car wo n’t start . Today ’s batteries last much longer than before and they ’re upkeep - free . The toll of a new one depends on the character of car you labour , but design on spending at least $ 100 for a calibre battery .
Changingorcharginga battery on your own is a comparatively easy task , but keep in mind that in some late - model cars , it ’s buried under innumerable plastic covers , and it might be a lilliputian difficult to access . Also , mark that disconnect the battery will often reset your stereoscopic picture system . If you do n’t have the codification , ask your local dealer for it before you unbolt the cocksure and disconfirming terminals . Otherwise , you ’ll be drive in silence .
My check engine light is on. Now what?
forward-looking cars are brimming with in high spirits - tech bells and whistling , but you inexplicably still want a disjoined , aftermarket equipment to decode why the handicap railway locomotive brightness level is on . Most motorists merely take their car to the franchise . That ’s the easy way out , but it ’s also the most expensive route to take . If you need to skip over a trip to the stamping ground store , gift in a OBD II scanner ( or a more forward-looking adapter ) . you may pick one up for less than $ 40 , which is n’t defective considering many shops file between $ 50 and $ 100 to pull code from the ECU .
quick ? Start by finding your car ’s OBD II larboard . It ’s usually in the driver ’s footwell , not far from the hood release , but sometimes it ’s hidden behind the center console or in a compartment built into the floor . Plug in the scanner and the error codes stored in the car ’s ECU will come out on the filmdom . Sometimes the codes are clearly explain ; other times , you ’ll need to do a piece of search to cipher out what something like P1301 mean value . Repair manuals are useful for deciphering code , but Google usually has the reply .
erroneousness codes are a useful symptomatic tool that can help you figure out where to start when your car needs a fix ; just be deliberate to read their limitations . Error codes do n’t always tell the full story .
Once , when working on a relative ’s car that had turn a loss all major power , the ECU codes designate a problem with the turbo . But the payoff was n’t with the part itself — it was a cracked vacuum hosepipe . Long story short : get a inclination of codes at your disposal does n’t always mean a square result . You may ask to pass a few min ( or , at bad , a couple of time of day ) poking around the engine bay to chance the issue .
There are professional - grade code scanners that are more precise but also much more expensive . The digital scanner can only give you a code ; you also need in - depth knowledge of what each computer code means or a useful fashion to find out . or else , some auto parts store will run a diagnostic test for free . However , getting a scanner will save you fourth dimension and money while make you more railroad car - savvy . Make trusted the building block you pick is compatible with your machine before corrupt it . Some cheaper image scanner wo n’t make for with every make and modeling , so it pays to do your research .
Will the check engine light tell me when I should fix my car?
The check railway locomotive light provides an mind — sometimes exact , sometimes wispy — of what ’s faulty with a car . However , it does not supplant a skilled mechanic or quotidian alimony .
In other words , do n’t look until the check engine light comes on to get your car maintenance done . The ECU will not warn you that the water pump is about to die , that one of the ball joints is wear down , or that the A / C will stop blow cold air in mid - August . Many people consider that the balk engine light serves the same function as a hinderance - up reminder when it really alarm you that you ’re probably due for a mending . By that point , the damage has already materialise in many casing .
you could mean of car maintenance as a two - measure cognitive operation . The first and most vital is routine , prophylactic maintenance . You should do these tune - ups on a agenda and not in response to any issue . The second is seasonably diagnostic maintenance which is responsive to changes like young strait , smells , or feelings as you push back .
You also want to be familiar with your car ’s introductory needs , like how often to change the crude oil and coolant or replace brake launch area . A little inquiry into your specific vehicle and canonic machinist can save you time and money in the long running game . If you ’re consistent with a regular maintenance routine , you may never see that small orange locomotive engine light source pop on at all .
