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United Tire and Service News

Why is my Check Engine Light On?

12/8/2018 2:13:00 PM | (559) View Count | Return
When you're sick, your body has ways of telling you. You might have a runny nose, or a fever, or aches and pains in your joins. It's your body's way of telling you “Hey! Something is wrong.” Your vehicle does the same thing—it tells you when something serious is wrong by throwing error codes that trigger the lights on your dashboard to illuminate as a warning signal. 
 
When your check engine light comes on, it’s often followed by a panicked feeling. That little red light could mean a costly repair like a faulty catalytic converter...or it could just be a heads up that your gas cap isn't on correctly. In most cases, however, it does mean you’ll be paying your favorite auto repair shop a visit to diagnose the problem and determine the best repair options. 
 
While there are a number of reasons your “check engine” light would come one, we’re sharing the top five most popular reasons so you become the expert! 
 
1. Your oxygen sensor needs to be replaced
  • • Your oxygen sensor measures the amount of unburned oxygen in your vehicle's exhaust system. If you don’t replace your oxygen sensor, your vehicle will continue to burn more fuel than needed, losing fuel economy and getting less miles per gallon. 
  • • Faulty sensors can cause damage to your spark plugs and catalytic converter, resulting in more costly repairs. 
2. The gas cap is loose, damaged, or missing
  • • Your gas cap seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. It also prevents gas fumes from being released into the atmosphere. 
  • • If you don’t fix or replace your gas cap, you can actually start to lose fuel through evaporation. 
3. Bad catalytic converter
  • • Your catalytic converter helps protect the environment by converting harmful carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide. Damage to the catalytic converter usually occurs due to neglected maintenance. 
  • • If you don’t have your catalytic converter fixed, your vehicle will not pass your emissions test and you will experience reduced fuel economy. You also run the risk of overheating your vehicle.  
4. Time to replace your Mass Airflow Sensor
  • • The mass airflow sensor measures the amount of airflow entering the engine to determine how much fuel is needed to run your engine efficiently. 
  • • Faulty sensors can damage spark plugs, oxygen sensors, and catalytic converters. Your vehicle will also experience reduced fuel economy. 
5. You need a new Spark Plug
  • • Spark plugs ignite the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. 
  • • When your spark plugs need to be replaced and are not, you will experience poor performance and reduced fuel economy. Worn or old plugs can cause clogs in your catalytic converter 
 
Your best bet for addressing your check engine light is to just have one of our knowledgeable technicians take a look. We always tell our customers it's better to be safe than sorry—especially with something as sensitive as your car’s engine. You can call or schedule an appointment online at United Tire and Service today. 

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Auto Repair 101

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