Beginning to See the Light (Check Engine Light Diagnostics)
August 14, 2022
It's a light many drivers fear they'll see turn on at the most inopportune time. It's the one on the dash that says "Check Engine," "Service Engine Soon," or it may be simply an engine-shaped light. Your first instinct may be to pull off to the side of the road and turn off the engine.
The truth is that Check Engine light can be pointing to problems as simple as a loose gas cap. But it could be as serious as a severely misfiring engine. Don't ignore it because it's there to help you avoid an expensive repair it is designed to alert you to, to tell you something's not quite right.
Your vehicle has a connected system of computers and sensors constantly checking to see that all systems are working the way they should. If something isn't, the system will turn on the Check Engine light.
If it's flashing, that could be serious. Look at some of the other warning lights or gauges such as heat or oil pressure. They could be telling you your vehicle's problem should be checked right away. In that case, if you can, safely pull off the road and shut the vehicle down. If your vehicle loses power and the Check Engine light is on, try not to push the demands you are making on the engine, such as towing or accelerating hard.
Simply put, a flashing Check Engine light should be checked out by a professional as soon as possible.
If the Check Engine light is on steadily, manufacturers say it means there's a problem, but it probably doesn't require immediate service. The system is designed to remember the problem it found and store it (as a code) so it can be retrieved later.
When you do bring your vehicle in to have us see what's behind the Check Engine light coming on, we’ll hook your vehicle up to a diagnostics tool that can reveal the clues the engine's computers have stored. It takes a trained technician to understand those clues, like a doctor who can interpret a patient's symptoms and come up with the correct diagnosis. Some newer vehicles can even be checked remotely.
Once we figure out the problem and repair it, you'll be back on the road again. It's nice to know the Check Engine light is your sentry, standing by to alert you the next time you begin to "see the light."
South Side Garage
9117 S WALKER AVE
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma 73139
405-308-1514
http://www.thesouthsidegarage.com
More articles from Southside Garage
Not-So-Smooth Operator (Transmission Signs of Trouble)
November 17, 2024
You are heading down a flat, newly paved street when all of a sudden you feel it. Your vehicle jumps a little bit when you're accelerating and changing gears. You know it's not the surface of the road because it's smooth as silk. So what did you just feel? That kind of jumpingor grinding or sl... More
Out of Joint (CV Joint and Boot Replacement)
November 10, 2024
If you have a front-wheel-drive vehicle, it has components called CV joints which enable you to turn your wheels smoothly. The CV stands for constant velocity. In essence, its a set of gears that connect a shaft that allows power from the transmission to be sent to the wheels. When you turn the ... More
The Power Behind your Engine (Alternator Diagnosis and Repair)
November 3, 2024
There's nothing like that sinking feeling when you turn the key and nothing happens in your vehicle. A lot of us are quick to blame the battery. But it may instead be your alternator that's failing. Your battery supplies power to start your vehicle, but the alternator is what sends power when y... More