What Does Check Engine Light Mean?
It is usually a troublesome sight for a driver to see the car engine light illuminate the dashboard.
Don’t panic if you see this orange engine shaped icon turn on. But, don’t ignore it as well because this could lead to damaging your engine’s parts.
How It Works
The check engine light, sometimes known as the malfunction indicator lamp, is part of your car’s diagnostic system. When it turns on, it means that your car’s engine computer senses that something is wrong. It could be anything from a simple faulty gas cap to a more serious misfiring engine. Further, if you check engine light is steady this means that the problem is not an emergency. However, if you see a check engine light blinking, this means that the problem needs immediate attention.
Nevertheless, the only way to know the problem is to bring it to your trusted auto shop. Should the need arise, Northside Motors would be happy to offer you a check engine light service in Spring, Texas.
Possible Reasons Why Your Check Engine Light Is On
Your car engine light turning on could indicate a host of problems. Some of the possible problems that your car might be experiencing include:
Loose gas cap
Faulty oxygen sensor
- Worn out spark plugs
Spark plug wires need replacing
Catalytic converter failure
Mass airflow sensor failure
Vacuum system leak
Battery is dead
Tips on What to Do When Your Check Engine Light Comes On
Situation 1
Your check engine light may illuminate in certain situations like when you are driving on the freeway. If you encounter this situation and don’t feel any change in the performance of your car, you may still drive it home and then bring it to the mechanic as soon as you can.
Situation 2
If your check engine light comes on during driving and then stays but there are no noticeable performance problems, there may be a permanent fault in the emission control system and your car would probably run in limp-home mode.
Situation 3
If your check engine light stays and you notice that your car has performance problems or if it blinks in a steady pattern, this means that your car has a very serious problem. It could stall at any time or it could even start a fire in extreme cases. Pullover, stop driving, and have it brought to your mechanic immediately by having it towed.