{"id":384,"date":"2022-06-08T17:42:29","date_gmt":"2022-06-08T17:42:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gcsjunkcars.com\/blog\/?p=384"},"modified":"2022-06-08T17:42:29","modified_gmt":"2022-06-08T17:42:29","slug":"what-it-means-when-the-check-engine-light-comes-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gcsjunkcars.com\/blog\/what-it-means-when-the-check-engine-light-comes-on\/","title":{"rendered":"What it Means When the Check Engine Light Comes On"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Uh oh. The one light on your dashboard you don\u2019t want to see come on just did. What does it mean when your Check Engine Light lights up? Well, the answer isn\u2019t always so clear. Continue below to learn some top reasons why Check Engine Lights come on, plus what you should do now that yours is illuminated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sell
Sell a Junk Car in Louisville 502-804-5605<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Check Engine Light Basics<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Also known as a Malfunctioning Indicator Lamp (MIL)<\/em>, the Check Engine Light is designed to do just that: indicate when there is a malfunction occurring within one of the systems in your vehicle. Is your Check Engine Light solid or flashing? In most cases, this light will illuminate in a solid orange, yellow, or amber color. If the Check Engine Light is flashing, it is typically indicative of a more serious automotive malfunction or breakdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common Causes of an Illuminated Check Engine Light<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In most cases, a Check Engine Light will come on because the gas cap<\/a> is loose or needs replaced. So, always check this first before moving forward with diagnosing and illuminated Check Engine Light. In moderate cases, the Check Engine Light will illuminate if one of the vehicle\u2019s internal systems is experiencing a malfunction or decline in performance. In serious cases, a Check Engine Light can come on as a result of misfiring, an overheating catalytic converter, or an internal fire hazard. In these occurrences, the MIL will generally present itself in flashing form. In rare cases, the MIL will illuminate for no reason at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of top reasons why Check Engine Lights come on is because a part needs to be replaced, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2194 Mass Airflow Sensor
\u2194 O2 Sensors
\u2194 Catalytic Converter
\u2194 Ignition Coils
\u2194 Spark Plugs
\u2194 Fuel Injectors
\u2194 Thermostat
\u2194 Evaporative Emissions (EVAP) Purge Control Valve
\u2194 Evaporative Emissions (EVAP) Purge Solenoid<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Diagnose a Check Engine Light<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are two ways you can go about diagnosing the reason why your vehicle\u2019s Check Engine Light came on. You can take your car into a local auto shop and have a mechanic diagnose the issue using an industry specific code reader. You can also choose to purchase your own code reader and perform diagnostics yourself. You can expect a mechanic to charge you anywhere from $75 dollars to $120 for Check Engine Light diagnostic service. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over-the-counter code readers drastically range in price, anywhere between $25 and $800, so you have quite the selection to choose from. The pricier the device, the more accurate the readings are likely to be. Also, the more expensive code readers typically offer additional features separate from Check Engine Light diagnostics. This is why they cost more. The cheaper code readers may not provide the most accurate diagnostics, which may require you to take it in for professional service in the end. So, he was when making your purchase selection. If you are going to perform your own Check Engine Light diagnostics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did your Check Engine Light code results reveal that your car is totally junked? If so, trade it in for cash on the spot, then place that profit towards a new car!<\/strong> Contact GC\u2019s Junk Cars<\/a> at 502-804-5605 to sell a junk car in Louisville, Kentucky<\/a> for an instant cash payout. We provide FREE junk car removal!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Uh oh. The one light on your dashboard you don\u2019t want to see come on just did. What does it mean when your Check Engine Light lights up? Well, the answer isn\u2019t always so clear. Continue below to learn some … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":385,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[152,236,156,209],"tags":[8,121,5,285,283,286,21,284,29],"class_list":["post-384","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-auto-salvage","category-car-care","category-car-parts","category-cash-for-cars","tag-auto-salvage-louisville","tag-car-care","tag-cash-for-junk-cars","tag-check-engine-code-readers","tag-check-engine-light","tag-check-engine-light-is-on","tag-junk-cars","tag-malfunctioning-indicator-lamp","tag-sell-a-junk-car-louisville"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gcsjunkcars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gcsjunkcars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gcsjunkcars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gcsjunkcars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gcsjunkcars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=384"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gcsjunkcars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":386,"href":"https:\/\/www.gcsjunkcars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/384\/revisions\/386"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gcsjunkcars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gcsjunkcars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=384"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gcsjunkcars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=384"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gcsjunkcars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=384"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}