What Does a Check Engine Warning Mean?
The check engine light on your vehicle’s dashboard is a catch-all, which means it can come on for a variety of reasons including an engine vacuum leak and transmission trouble. Argonaut Garage advises, however, that there are a handful of common reasons why the check engine light illuminates on your dashboard. We are going to list these reasons below for your information.
Catalytic Converter Problems
If your catalytic converter is clogged and/or having other problems, the check engine light will come on and you may smell rotten eggs. Other signs that your catalytic converter is malfunctioning include excessive heat underneath your automobile, an overheating engine, and black exhaust smoke.
Faulty Engine Control Unit
The engine control unit is your vehicle’s main computer chip. Various system sensors communicate with it when you turn your automobile on and while it is running. If the engine control unit goes bad, your check engine light will turn on and you may end up with a dead motor that cannot be started.
Faulty Mass Airflow Sensor
The mass airflow sensor tracks the outside air that flows into the engine. Generally, this part does not malfunction unless it is dirty. It is located directly behind the air filter, so it can get dirty after a while. Cleaning the mass airflow sensor often resolves the problem and turns off the check engine light.
Faulty Oxygen Sensor
The oxygen sensor tracks the oxygen being released in your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s exhaust. This sensor can malfunction as early as 60,000 miles. Generally, the sensor lasts over 100,000 miles. If your oxygen sensor has gone bad, you may also have engine performance problems and poor fuel economy.
Loose Gas Cap
A quick fix is tightening your gas cap if the check engine light came on after you’ve filled up your automobile. If there is not a proper seal over the gas tank, you will lose fuel to evaporation. If the engine control unit detects that there isn’t a proper seal over the gas tank, it will turn on the check engine light.
Worn Spark Plugs
Finally, if you need to get your spark plugs replaced, the check engine light may come on. Aside from this dashboard warning, you will also notice that your engine is misfiring frequently. Depending on the severity of the misfires, your engine may also stall frequently.Call Argonaut Garage in Berkeley, CA, today to schedule a diagnostic check for your automobile if your check engine light is on. This test will tell us exactly what is wrong.
