Check Engine Light

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your will ordinarily shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. For example, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will quickly turn itself off. Still, if your catalytic converter is working correctly, and you did a lot of stop-and-go driving, that may have turned on the check engine light due to the high usage of the converter. In most cases, your light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Larry H. Miller Downtown Honda Spokane so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

Is it safe to drive your with the check engine light on?

If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is suggested to service your quickly. This question is not exceptionally simple because it all depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be safe to drive. This is usually indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the car, it could be an indication of a more serious problem. Call the experts at Larry H. Miller Downtown Honda Spokane by dialing 5098225464 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your to our certified mechanics as promptly as likely.

Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless potential causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several common causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other mainly common reasons for a Check Engine Light are dirty mass airflow sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, defective emissions control part, broken oxygen sensor, defective head gasket, or damaged spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Certified Mechanics and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and entirely repair it as required to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your issue was totally fixed.

Every was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its critical systems. The quick sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending crucial data to the electronic control unit. If the electronic control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light illuminates telling you that there is a problem. However, unfortunately that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what specifically is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Larry H. Miller Downtown Honda Spokane provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Exceptionally Qualified Service professional.

Check Engine Light Service

What do you do when you’re driving along in your and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most owners, your heart sinks extremely because you may have explicitly idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the cost of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep, serene breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t mean you have to pull the vehicle over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is advised that you get your checked swiftly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major, major damage to costly engine components.

When your 's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t correct, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is usually labeled “check engine” or “service engine soon”, or the light may be nothing more than a picture of an engine, or a picture of the engine with the word “check.”

When the light turns on, the ECM stores an engine code or “trouble code” in its memory that can instantly identify the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is read with an electronic scan tool that is used by our auto repair mechanics at Larry H. Miller Downtown Honda Spokane. There are also a number of comparatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you choose that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced professional to determine the absolutely correct issue and repair it.

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is usually difficult to predict how many miles you can be safe in driving with the warning light on. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. If you check engine light is flashing, we suggest that you pull over and contact Larry H. Miller Downtown Honda Spokane to help determine if your car is safe to drive in or if we suggest a tow truck.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most ordinarily misunderstood lights or indicators in your is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the crucial onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a wide range of different ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light illuminates in either an amber or red color and is part of the diagnostics system found on your vehicle. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored vehicle performance since the 80s and do a wide range of things for your. Some of these essential duties include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing security control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a wide range of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as hazardous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your, contact Larry H. Miller Downtown Honda Spokane . Our service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing. Contact Larry H. Miller Downtown Honda Spokane today!

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Also, the check engine light could again be a warning of a significant problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and pricey repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady and continuous glow ordinarily means something less serious but a flashing check engine light signifies that your vehicle’s engine is in significant trouble and useful service is necessary immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your, we very suggest not to drive the vehicle and schedule service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

• One of the most common and frequent cause is that your gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your serves various purposes. It prevents perilous gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. What happens if you have a broken fuel cap? If your gas cap is old or has a ruptured seal, you can lose fuel through evaporation which will result in more trips to the pump and be more expensive. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't expensive. If your check engine light turns on swiftly after you put gas in your, first thing you should check is to make sure the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your is what determines how much fuel is needed to run your engine efficiently by measuring the amount of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to certain changes, like altitude. If your is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden quick change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a critical sign of a broken mass airflow sensor.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket components and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the car from starting. If these issues sound familiar, bring your to and have our team of accomplished certified mechanics make sure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, particularly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM components first place might cost a little bit more but could help you save substantially from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns more quickly and your car will be less efficient when it comes to fuel economy. So what happens if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A broken sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause serious damage to your catalytic converter and your 's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the absolutely correct combination of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A broken O2 sensor can again cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.
• Your has a vacuum leak. Every has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system again helps lower harmful emissions by routing the fumes as gasoline evaporates through the engine. If you notice that your RPM is high in idle or randomly surges, a vacuum leak could be the cause. Over time, vacuum hoses can dry out and crack, particularly if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your ’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is normally caused by consistently neglected maintenance, which is why Larry H. Miller Downtown Honda Spokane offers a complimentary multi-point examination with every service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your vehicle may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause other dangerous problems from overheating.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your is every critical. Without a vehicle battery, your vehicle won’t start, light up the road in front, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s vehicle batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel combination in the combustion chamber of your car. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run smooth. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or old, you will experience a noticeable poor performance and reduced power. In some extreme cases, your engine will have trouble starting or continuing to run. Worn spark plugs and plug wires can cause clogged catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, leading to more expensive repairs.

Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, particularly to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminate, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear right away. If you hear the term, diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), these are just another name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, again known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can correctly represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you helpful knowledge about your car and will again allow that important Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, apparent and helpful car symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of potential OBD codes, there are again hundreds of potential reasons for the light, including:

• O2 Sensor
• Old Battery
• Computer output circuit issues
• Fuel and air metering systems problems
• Emissions controls issues
• Transmission issues
• Bad Spark Plugs
• Ignition system faults
• Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap

This is why it is crucial for someone who does not have a lot of prevailing automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Larry H. Miller Downtown Honda Spokane at 5098225464 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a proficient certified mechanic.

How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?

The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is generally between $88 and $111. The good news, Larry H. Miller Downtown Honda Spokane offers entirely free multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help determine the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not accurately tightened to a more serious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it good to get the proper code reading and diagnosis.

Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is exceptionally serious and if not taken care of immediately may result in major and significant damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention immediately and your should be brought in quickly. This blinking light frequently reveals a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can rapidly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive and extensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can specifically be the cause. A broken, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is invariably flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Larry H. Miller Downtown Honda Spokane quickly by calling 5098225464. If the problem is totally ignored or you continue to drive, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a extremely pricey repair.