For many drivers driving is a pleasure and a car trip is always welcome. However, there are things that can spoil the good mood and among them is the appearance of warning lights on the vehicle. Depending on their color, a bigger or smaller problem is indicated, the red ones warn you of a serious problem that requires immediate intervention. Orange or yellow lights indicate a fault that needs to be investigated as quickly as possible, and green, blue or white lights indicate the use of certain vehicle functions.
Contents:
- Check engine - what does it mean and why does check engine appear?
- Check engine on - the reasons why the check engine lights up
- How can you find out what problem the check engine light is signaling?
- What does it mean if the check engine turns on and off?
1. Check engine - what does it mean and why does check engine appear?
What does check engine mean? A check engine light can indicate a number of malfunctions and therefore gives shivers to any driver.
Why does check engine appear? It appears in the form of a symbol or text and is a witness in the orange category, so it does not indicate a serious problem, but signals the need to check the system.
The check engine warning light scares, especially, novice drivers with its name.
What should you do when the check engine warning light appears?
The check engine does not necessarily indicate a serious problem, but it is very important to try to discover the cause, otherwise the risk of a major failure increases considerably.. Sometimes the check engine witness is accompanied by other witnesses, so it is easier to understand where the failure comes from . Otherwise, you can check certain aspects to find out. If the vehicle in question is the one you currently drive, then you certainly know what the engine sounds like at optimum parameters. So it is recommended to listen to the sound of the engine running and idling. Open the hood and check the following: possible leaks in the hoses/connections, the wiring and electrical connections of the battery, the lids of the pans are properly closed and also check the dipstick indicating the oil level. If after checking these possible causes you still haven't discovered the source of the problem, you need to go to a service center or use an OBD scanner (if you have one) to find out what the error is.
2. Check engine on - the reasons why the check engine lights up
Why does the check engine light up? The appearance of the check engine warning light in the car is generated by multiple reasons. The most common situations for the check engine light to come on are the following:
- Low battery voltage, battery not charging or malfunctioning;
- Plugs or spark plugs do not work and their wear leads to improper combustion of fuel;
- Alternator faults that can cause starting problems;
- Clogging of the EGR valve that ensures exhaust gas recirculation;
- Failure of the air flow sensor that measures the amount of air required to burn the fuel properly;
- Malfunctions of the Lambda probe, the component responsible for optimizing the fuel combustion process to have the lowest possible nox emissions;
- The tank cap is not properly tightened or is missing. Its role is to seal the fuel system, so if it fails there is a risk of fuel evaporation and low pressure in the tank.
3. How can you discover what problem the check engine light is signaling?
To find out a check engine error, vehicle diagnosis is necessary. This is done through an OBD scanner that connects to the OBD II connector that transmits data about various sensors in real time. Thus, if a sensor malfunctions or is inactive a specific error code will result and thus the problem can be identified. Thanks to this scanner, the car sales market is safer, because you can easily check if the vehicle is hiding certain errors.
OBD II is the most widespread car diagnostic standard, there is also OBD I which is an older interface used in the past. Both have the same role, only OBD II being a newer version provides more accurate information. It should be noted that OBD II exists in two types of connectors: type A, dedicated to vehicles with an input voltage of 12V and type B, dedicated to vehicles with an input voltage of 24V. The plugs of the two types are different in order not to cause damage to the hardware system, but if you want to buy an OBD II scanner, it is recommended to pay attention to which type of connector fits your car.
4. What does it mean if the check engine light turns on and off?
If the warning light is flashing, it means that there is a problem that requires the attention of a specialist. In general, signaling of this type indicates a failure of the cylinders or the induction coil and it is recommended to stop driving the car as long as the warning light is present on the dashboard. In the given situation it is good to call a specialist who can tell you if it is okay to travel the road to the service with the vehicle or if a platform is required.
So, it is important not to ignore the signals sent by witnesses even if at first glance they do not indicate serious problems. If we don't intervene in time, minor problems can turn into serious breakdowns that, in addition to lost time and vehicle downtime, can also entail high repair costs.
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