{"id":1114,"date":"2019-01-11T11:38:52","date_gmt":"2019-01-11T11:38:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dealerfireblog.com\/thirdcoastautos\/?p=1114"},"modified":"2026-02-02T18:13:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T18:13:24","slug":"why-check-engine-light-is-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thirdcoastautos.com\/blog\/why-check-engine-light-is-on\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Is My \u201cCheck Engine\u201d Light On?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

More formally known as Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL), the \u201ccheck engine\u201d light is primarily monitors a car’s emissions system. But according to Dan Edmunds, director of vehicle testing for Edmunds.com, \u201cthe engine and the emission control system are so interlinked that the health of the emission control system is a good indication of the general health of the car\u2019s engine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this in mind, resist that common human urge to ignore the light. If your Check Engine light is illuminated and doesn\u2019t turn off on its own in a short period of time, it\u2019s best to get it looked at promptly, especially if the light is flashing, which indicates a more serious problem. Below we have the five most common causes for an illuminated Check Engine light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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You May Like: Necessary Preventive Car\u00a0Maintenance<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Five Most Common Reasons Your Check Engine Light Is On<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
  1. Oxygen Sensor<\/li>
  2. Loose Gas Cap<\/li>
  3. Catalytic converter<\/li>
  4. Mass airflow sensor<\/li>
  5. Spark plug wires<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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    False Alarms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s worth noting that the light does malfunction sometimes. It\u2019s recommended that the first thing to check when your engine light comes on is your gas cap, which can set the light off if loose. Check your gas cap is tight, and tighten if needed. After doing so, it will still take a short time before the light turns off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The light can also turn on due to humidity or other factors, but should turn off on its own after a short time in these cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In addition, drivers often confuse the Check Engine light with the Service Required light; the latter simply means the car is due for an oil change<\/a> or other routine service. So before you take the car in, make sure that you\u2019re looking at the right light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Finding the Problem Yourself<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    If you want to get an idea of what\u2019s wrong yourself before taking your vehicle to a mechanic, there are many inexpensive devices available at auto parts stores that allow you to get information about the problem directly from your vehicle. Plug the device into your vehicle\u2019s standardized Onboard Diagnostics (OBD) port and see what code comes up on the device. The OBD port is usually located under the steering column and should be fairly easy to access. After getting the code, you can search to find the issue it corresponds with online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    However, be careful of jumping to conclusions and applying fixes yourself. For example, if the code indicates a certain sensor is broken, it may be that the sensor is totally fine, but the wires leading to it are damaged. For assistance in fixing the problem yourself, consult your car manual, which can often be found online.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    the check engine light in a car<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5702,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n