The check engine light can instill fear in the most confident drivers. If your low oil light comes on, you know that you have low oil. If the check engine light comes on, you have no idea what’s wrong. Sometimes, the light will come on and there will be no other signs of problems. This does not mean you should ignore the dashboard warning. Journey Auto Repair can run a diagnostic test to find out why your check engine light keeps coming on and then fix the problem.
Catalytic Converter
If your catalytic converter is malfunctioning, you might end up with too much carbon monoxide in your vehicle’s exhaust. This will trigger the engine control module to turn on the check engine light. A dying catalytic converter can also make your engine overheat and smell like rotten eggs.
Electrical System
The electrical system in your car is more than the alternator and battery. Today’s automobiles have system sensors and modules that record data and submit that information to the engine control module. An electrical system malfunction can include problems with these sensors and modules. This will turn on the check engine light.
Fuel Cap
It might seem funny, but your engine light will turn on if your gas cap is too loose. The gas cap keeps fuel vapors in the tank rather than allowing them to dissipate into the air. A loose gas cap will trigger a check engine warning because your vehicle is releasing fuel vapors when it shouldn’t be.
Mass Airflow Sensor
The mass airflow sensor measures the air that comes into the engine. It lets the engine control module know whether there is enough air for the air/fuel mixture. If it is malfunctioning, the air levels may be off, and this will throw off your vehicle’s combustion and exhaust, too, which will trigger the check engine light.
Oxygen Sensor
Most people’s check engine lights come on because they have a bad oxygen sensor. Plan to replace this part every 100,000 miles. The oxygen sensor also helps adjust the air and fuel mixture in the engine by reading how much oxygen is released through your automobile’s exhaust.
Spark Plugs
Spark plugs are controlled by the engine control module. The module fires the plugs in the right order to detonate the air and fuel in each cylinder. If the plugs are worn, they will not fire correctly and the engine control module will alert you of the problem. You might also have vehicle performance issues.
Transmission
Finally, the transmission does not have a warning light other than the engine light, so if something goes wrong with it, the check engine light will turn on. You might also notice your vehicle is having a hard time shifting gears or it is grinding or clunking when it shifts gears.
We’ve got you covered here at Journey Auto Repair in New Hope, MN. We’d be happy to diagnose the reason why your check engine light came on and fix the problem to avoid further engine damage.