What Happens When Your Check Engine Light Is On?
Did you know that the check engine light is actually part of your car’s onboard diagnostics system? Since the 1980s, computers have been used for controlling and monitoring a vehicle’s performance and regulating variables such as engine speed, fuel mixture, ignition timing, and when automatic transmissions should shift.
When the electronic-control system finds a problem that it can’t correct, it turns on a yellow warning indicator labeled “check engine,” or “service engine soon.” This warning light typically means that the emissions control system is faulty and that the vehicle is emitting pollution into the air beyond allowable federal standards and would not pass an emissions inspection.
Here are four common issues of what happens when your check engine light is on:
- The check engine light comes on intermittently. The check engine light may come on only in certain conditions, such as city driving vs. freeway driving. Does your vehicle run differently when the light is on? If so, head to your auto shop as soon as possible. If there's no change in performance, go ahead and drive on to your destination, but have it checked out as soon as possible.
- The check engine light comes on and stays on but has no performance issues. If this is the case, there is likely a permanent fault in the emission control system. Your car may only run in a few lower gears—known as the "limp-home mode." Have your car serviced as soon as possible.
- The check engine light comes on and stays on with performance problems. This means that a vital component of your emission control and engine management system has a serious problem. Your vehicle is not safe to drive—it could stop or stall at any moment so pull over and call a tow truck.
- The check engine light comes on and blinks steadily. There is likely a severe failure of the emission control system that is causing the engine to misfire, causing damage to the catalytic converter each time the check engine light flashes. Pull over immediately pull into a safe place and have your vehicle towed to an auto repair shop.
When the light comes on, one or more diagnostic trouble codes are stored in the car's computer. These codes stay there even if the light goes out. Using a specialized computer, your mechanic can retrieve the codes to find the problem.
If you need to know more about what happens when your check engine light is on, contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Cannon Auto Repair for more information about engine repair and to schedule an appointment. Our auto shop serves vehicle owners in Cannon Falls, MN, and the surrounding areas.
Did you know that the check engine light is actually part of your car’s onboard diagnostics system? Since the 1980s, computers have been used for controlling and monitoring a vehicle’s performance and regulating variables such as engine speed, fuel mixture, ignition timing, and when automatic transmissions should shift.
When the electronic-control system finds a problem that it can’t correct, it turns on a yellow warning indicator labeled “check engine,” or “service engine soon.” This warning light typically means that the emissions control system is faulty and that the vehicle is emitting pollution into the air beyond allowable federal standards and would not pass an emissions inspection.
Here are four common issues of what happens when your check engine light is on:
- The check engine light comes on intermittently. The check engine light may come on only in certain conditions, such as city driving vs. freeway driving. Does your vehicle run differently when the light is on? If so, head to your auto shop as soon as possible. If there's no change in performance, go ahead and drive on to your destination, but have it checked out as soon as possible.
- The check engine light comes on and stays on but has no performance issues. If this is the case, there is likely a permanent fault in the emission control system. Your car may only run in a few lower gears—known as the "limp-home mode." Have your car serviced as soon as possible.
- The check engine light comes on and stays on with performance problems. This means that a vital component of your emission control and engine management system has a serious problem. Your vehicle is not safe to drive—it could stop or stall at any moment so pull over and call a tow truck.
- The check engine light comes on and blinks steadily. There is likely a severe failure of the emission control system that is causing the engine to misfire, causing damage to the catalytic converter each time the check engine light flashes. Pull over immediately pull into a safe place and have your vehicle towed to an auto repair shop.
When the light comes on, one or more diagnostic trouble codes are stored in the car's computer. These codes stay there even if the light goes out. Using a specialized computer, your mechanic can retrieve the codes to find the problem.
If you need to know more about what happens when your check engine light is on, contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Cannon Auto Repair for more information about engine repair and to schedule an appointment. Our auto shop serves vehicle owners in Cannon Falls, MN, and the surrounding areas.
