When driving, you will want the vehicle to be at top performance levels. However, at some point, the check engine light may illuminate on the dashboard. This is a fairly common occurrence and more often than not, it is not a serious issue. The light is part of a built in computerized system, so you should not ignore it. In most cases, you can finish your normal drive and then investigate the issue. It is important to not confuse the check engine soon light with the service engine light because they have different meanings than the check engine light. The maintenance is required when a service engine soon light illuminates at a given mileage to let you know that a vehicle service is needed. By bringing the vehicle in, we can inspect the vehicle for the condition it is in.
There are several reasons why the check engine light might come on. To have a better understanding of what may have caused the light to come on, it is significant to know what year your vehicle was built. If your vehicle was built before 1996 and the check engine light comes on, it might mean that there was a failure somewhere in the electronic engine control system. If there are any electronic sensors not functioning properly, you are going to see the check engine light illuminate.
Starting in 1996 the check engine light began to monitor vehicles’ emissions. The check engine light is now required to monitor a number of different emissions factors, including the exhaust that comes out of the engine. It can even monitor the exhaust again as it is exiting the catalytic converter. These newer systems are so precise that the check engine light may come on if the gas cap is not tight enough. Also the light will come on if there is a leak anywhere in the fuel system.
It is recommended to bring the vehicle in if you notice the check engine light illuminate on the vehicle. This can help have the vehicle be inspecting for what the issue might be. Two very serious visible warnings to look for are whether or not the light is red versus yellow and if the light is blinking versus staying solid. A red check engine light means you should not be driving the vehicle at all. If the light is blinking this is also a serious problem. The main reason the light comes on like this is if there was a malfunction in the vehicle’s emission control system. If the check engine light comes on and stays on, but is not blinking or red, then you can check for a couple more signs. Listen to the engine while it is idling and when you accelerate. If it makes any odd noises or has performance issues, this means there is a failure somewhere in the emissions control system. Finally, check your gas cap. Make certain it is tight and try turning the car off and back on again. This may help reset the light. In some cases, it may even take a couple of short rides to get the light to reset.