If the check engine light pops on in your car is it time to panic? Definitely not.
The yellow light on your dashboard has many meanings that range from serious problems like extreme engine trouble to simple issues like a loose gas cap. Most of the time drivers won't have to immediately stop their car or call a tow truck if the light turns on, but ignoring the warning isn't a good idea and could lead to serious damage to your engine.
A simple solution for drivers with a check engine light is to take their car into a local tire retailer and have an ASE Certified technician take a look at it. Most tire retailers are fully equipped to quickly diagnose the problem and fix it.
The engine light is part of a car's onboard diagnostics (OBD) system. In the last couple of decades the OBD has gained more and more 'responsibility' so to speak. It now controls and monitors a vehicle's performance by regulating engine speed, fuel mixture and ignition timing.
In 1996 the government made it so OBD had another important function - monitoring automotive emissions. The computer almost acts as a continual state emissions test, checking things like if gasoline vapors are leaking out of the car or if the car is releasing carbon monoxide.
If a problem surfaces with any component that the OBD monitors then the system turns on the check engine light. Behind the scenes, problems are given specific codes that are then stored in the device's memory.
This is where a tire retailer's ASE Certified technicians come in. Most tire retailers have electronic scan tools that can run diagnostics on the OBD system and can easily determine what the problem is and of course solve it.
By visiting a tire retailer with ASE certified technicians, consumers can be confident that their vehicles will be taken care of by professionals that have the technical know-how necessary to read and diagnose OBD codes. ASE certification must be kept up to date so technicians are continually keeping up with changes in technology.
The diagnostic can reveal failure of the oxygen sensor in your car's exhaust (a common malfunction); a faulty spark plug, plug wire, coil pack, cap; low oil or coolant; a loose gas cap and those are just some of the things that can set off a check engine light.
In the case of low oil or coolant, most cars have other sensors that will let owners know those things are running low before the engine light would turn on. One way to limit unneeded scans at the tire retailer is to go through your car owner's manual and familiarize yourself with the various lights on the dashboard. The manual is also a good place to find out what the engine light covers for individual models.
Another thing car owners can do before a diagnostic is to tighten the gas cap. This often solves the problem, but in many models it will take more than one trip for the light to shut off. If the check engine light shuts off then the is problem solved, if not then it's time for a visit to your local tire retailer.
One thing to note is that if the engine light is red or flashes repeatedly that is a case where you should stop the car immediately. Generally those two indicators are signs of engine or emission control system failure; in those most extreme cases the car will generally suffer some performance issues as well.
The engine light alone doesn't mean your car is falling apart, but it does mean something needs fixing. A lot of times it's something small, but the sooner it gets to a tire retailer the better. A tire store's scan can pin-point the problem cheaply and get your car on the road to recovery.
Author Resource:-
Steve Julius is a business professional with a passion and love for writing and sharing stories. For more information on car care tips on custom wheels, alignments, brakes, batteries, oil and lube, shocks & struts, windshield repair and replacement, and more find out more at http://www.belletire.com.
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