Driving with your check engine light constantly on can be very stressful. The main reason why is that you don’t know what’s wrong. Trinity Auto Care cautions that there likely is something wrong with your engine because a recent study showed that the check engine light doesn’t come on for no reason. Let’s talk about it below and why it might be illuminated on your dashboard.
How it Works
Your car, truck, utility vehicle, or van has an engine control unit (ECU) that does a lot. This main computer chip not only talks to all of the system sensors, but it also makes minor adjustments if something goes wrong to correct problems and ensure that your vehicle is always running as it should be. When the ECU cannot handle the problem itself, it will turn on an associated dashboard warning. If the problem does not have a light of its own, it will turn on the check engine light.
Reasons Why the Check Engine Light Is On
Your engine light has come on because there is a problem somewhere. This problem could be in the combustion chamber, the electrical system, the exhaust system, the fuel system, or elsewhere. There are many common reasons why a check engine light comes on, including the fact that your gas cap isn’t screwed on tightly. Check that first, and if that does not resolve the issue, your check engine light is refusing to turn off because
- You have an issue with the catalytic converter
- There is a problem with a system sensor or the ECU
- Your exhaust system is clogged or leaking
- The mass airflow sensor is malfunctioning
- The oxygen sensor is malfunctioning
- You have an incorrect air-to-fuel ratio in the combustion chamber
- Your spark plugs are dying or misfiring
- There’s a problem with the transmission
All of these things are serious problems in your automobile’s engine that can cause further damage if you keep driving your car, truck, UV, or van. It’s important to find out why the check engine light came on as soon as possible. For example, let’s assume for the moment that your catalytic converter is clogged. This part is responsible for converting carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide, and if it is clogged, you may end up with carbon monoxide inside your passenger cabin.
Trinity Auto Care has the best auto service shops in White Bear Lake and Blaine, MN. Choose the one that’s closest to you and schedule an appointment today.