![]() Use built-in diagnostic services, if available.Have the car checked as soon as possible to prevent expensive damage. ![]() For example, it would be a good idea to stop towing a trailer. If the check engine light is blinking or you notice any serious performance problems, such as a loss of power, reduce your speed and try to reduce the demands on the engine. Some vehicles have a separate indicator that warns of a loose gas cap. Keep in mind that it may take several trips before the light resets. On some cars, a yellow check engine light means investigate the problem and a red one means stop right now. These conditions mean you should pull over and shut off the engine as soon as you can find a safe place to do so. Check your dashboard gauges and lights for indications of low oil pressure or overheating. Look for a serious problem that requires immediate attention.If the check engine light comes on, here are some tips on what you should do: If neither is close by, you may want to pull off the road and call a tow truck. You may be able to get home or to a nearby dealer or garage. If this happens, you will notice that your car does not have as much power and that some accessories may turn off, but you will still be able to operate both steering and brakes. Sometimes, the check engine light will illuminate at the same time the car enters what’s called a "limp home" mode. In some extreme cases, the car’s computer may reduce power for you as it tries to limit the risk of damage. “The customer is really, in the long run, potentially hurting their pocketbook by leaving that light on and ignoring it,” says Jim Collins, a national training team leader for Ford Motor Co. Today’s automotive computers often try to compensate when there’s a problem, so you might not notice deterioration in performance, even though your fuel mileage might be suffering and your vehicle emitting unacceptable levels of hydrocarbons and other pollutants. If the light is steady, the problem is not an emergency, but you should schedule an appointment as soon as possible. If that happens, you should reduce power and have the car or truck looked at as soon as possible. In late-model cars, a blinking light usually indicates an engine misfire so severe that unburned fuel is being dumped into the exhaust system, where it can quickly damage the catalytic converter, leading to an expensive repair. Either way, you should have the vehicle checked by a mechanic. A blinking light, or in some cars a red light instead of a yellow or orange light, indicates a problem that needs immediate attention. If the check engine light illuminates, it will either blink or remain constantly illuminated, depending on the problem. This can work in some instances, but when in doubt, seek professional help. With the cost of a shop performing a diagnosis costing around $90, many car owners are turning to the internet to find the cause and remedy. The code will typically just point you in the direction of the problem, and still requires an experienced professional to fully diagnose and repair the issue. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers. The code can be read with an electronic scan tool or a diagnostic computer-standard equipment in auto repair shops. In addition to turning on the light-known as the International Check Engine Symbol-the computer stores a “trouble code” in its memory that identifies the source of the problem, such as a malfunctioning sensor or a misfiring engine. When it finds a problem in the electronic-control system that it can’t correct, a computer turns on a yellow warning indicator labeled “check engine,” “service engine soon,” or “check powertrain.” Or the light may look like nothing more than a picture of an engine, perhaps with the word “check.”
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |