{"id":64417,"date":"2023-09-23T11:42:24","date_gmt":"2023-09-23T10:42:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carmart.africa\/blog\/?p=64417"},"modified":"2023-09-23T11:42:24","modified_gmt":"2023-09-23T10:42:24","slug":"what-should-i-do-if-my-check-engine-light-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carlots.ng\/motoring\/what-should-i-do-if-my-check-engine-light-on\/","title":{"rendered":"What Should I Do If My Check Engine Light On?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Have you ever been driving down the road only to have a light come on in your car\u2019s instrument panel? While that panel that sits in front of you hosts a number of informative lights, the most notorious (and important) one is the \u201ccheck engine\u201d light.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what should you do when it comes on randomly?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-s-the-meaning-of-a-check-engine-light-nbsp\"><strong>What\u2019s the Meaning of a \u201cCheck Engine Light\u201d?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/carlots.ng\/motoring\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Why-Your-Check-Engine-Light-Is-On-After-Washing-Your-Car.jpg\" alt=\"Why Your Check Engine Light Is On After Washing Your Car\" class=\"wp-image-54149\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The check engine light is part of your car\u2019s diagnostic system and it illuminates whenever there is an issue with the car\u2019s electrical or mechanical system. While it is just a single light, it can mean a multitude of problems; from a loose gas cap to a misfire in the engine and everything in between.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In some cars, this light can be accompanied by a message in the instrument panel that says \u201cservice engine soon\u201d or \u201ccheck powertrain.\u201d While a check engine light doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that you need to pull over to the side of the road immediately and call a tow truck, it does mean that you get the issue checked out as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-can-i-find-out-what-the-light-means\"><strong>How Can I Find Out What the Light Means?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Since that one all-important light could mean a number of different issues, it\u2019s important to pull the codes from the car\u2019s computer to see what the problem is. In addition to turning on the check engine light, your car\u2019s onboard computer also stores a code, or codes, that can point you or a mechanic to the proper area of the engine that needs checking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/car-repair-maintenance\/what-does-check-engine-light-mean\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">experts<\/a>, if the light stays on steadily, then the problem is most likely not an emergency. But if it\u2019s blinking, then that could mean that your car is in need of immediate attention. In either case, do your best not to ignore it and get it checked out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-check-the-engine-codes\"><strong>Check the Engine Codes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/carlots.ng\/motoring\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Clean-Brand-New-Toyota-Corolla-2023-Model-engine-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Clean Brand New Toyota Corolla 2023 Model engine\" class=\"wp-image-63095\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"http:\/\/carlots.ng\/motoring\/is-the-2023-toyota-corolla-the-best-new-compact-car-to-buy-in-nigeria\/\">Clean Brand New Toyota Corolla 2023 Model engine<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>In order to check the engine code that is stored in the computer, you can either purchase or rent an OBD (On-Board Diagnostic) code reader from your local auto parts store and plug it in yourself to retrieve the codes or have a mechanic do it for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is a list of help tips for the next time your check engine light comes on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Checking the instrument panel for other warning lights:<\/strong> If the check engine light is on due to low oil pressure, for example, then the oil pressure light might come on too. Also, check the car\u2019s gauges to see if there are any other glaring issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tightening the engine cap: <\/strong>A loose gas cap can trigger a check engine light. So be sure to tighten it completely. Just remember that it could take a couple of trips for the light to turn off.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Slow the car down and stop over, if needed:<\/strong> If you see any visible issues like smoke coming out of the hood, or if the check engine light is blinking, then reduce the car\u2019s speed or pull it over to prevent any more damage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you ever been driving down the road only to have a light come on in your car\u2019s instrument panel? While that panel that sits in front of you hosts a number of informative lights, the most notorious (and important) one is the \u201ccheck engine\u201d light.&nbsp; But what should you do when it comes on [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19136,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-64417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-car-tips"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Should I Do If My Check Engine Light On? - Car motoring news and Car reviews<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/carlots.ng\/motoring\/what-should-i-do-if-my-check-engine-light-on\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Should I Do If My Check Engine Light On?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Have you ever been driving down the road only to have a light come on in your car\u2019s instrument panel? 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