Determine
various causes of flashing “check engine light” on your dashboard.
Check engine light indicator
is the most misunderstood indicator on your car’s dashboard. Most of the times
you start to freak out when you see engine light flashing because the exact
cause is unknown. You wonder what went wrong with your engine or other
component.
Rather than stopping
your car on one side of road and calling a tow truck, it’s better to diagnose
the problem yourself. “Check engine light” is very confusing indicator with no
information telling you what the problem is.
Do not ignore the
warning. You could end up damaging other auto parts along with the damaged one
too. In this article we would read about
check engine light and its significance and how to know what exactly is wrong
with your car when it flashes on.
Check engine light is
very confusing, so it is important to know what it means exactly. Check engine
light is basically a part of your car’s Onboard Diagnostics system.
It is basically an indicator to indicate malfunctioning of a computerized
engine management system. It is meant to indicate troubles with the engine,
charging system and breakdown.
When it finds a problem in electronic control
system that it can’t correct, the computer turns on the indicator of check
engine light. In the garage, when the mechanic places a small computer
underneath the dashboard it reads back the problem stated in the indicator.
Let us have a look at
some common malfunctions that cause the engine light to come on.
OXYGEN
SENSOR
Oxygen sensor generally
monitors the amount of unburned oxygen from the exhaust. The sensor sends its
data to the system computer which then uses this data to maintain right amount
of air fuel mixture for maximum performance of the engine.
A faulty sensor can
cause bad fuel mileage because it is not sending enough data to the computer.
Engines that have bad oxygen sensors often run roughly.
There are many reasons
that could contribute to a bad oxygen sensor. Over time oxygen sensors may get
depleted by sulfur, lead, fuel additives, oil ash etc. this contamination
causes the sensor to lose its ability to produce voltage and send right signal
or data to the computer. Bad emission system and low quality gasoline may also
speed up oxygen sensor failure.
You can change the
faulty oxygen sensor at aftermarket prices here.
You can take a professional’s help to install it.
CATALYTIC
CONVERTER
Catalytic converter is
one of the most expensive component of the exhaust system and extremely prone
to theft. Their main job is to reduce the exhaust gases. These converters
convert harmful gases like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide to less harmful
hydrocarbons.
Strange performance of
your car and loud noises may indicate bad catalytic converter. Lack of regular maintenance
and servicing, failed oxygen sensor or spark plugs may lead to a bad catalytic
converter. The replacement of catalytic converter may cost of a lot of dollars.
It is better to resort to regular servicing.
But if it is a grave
need to replace a catalytic converter then you can also opt for aftermarket catalytic converters accessories of car because your car’s manufacturer
produced converters may cost near $2000.
MASS
AIR FLOW SENSOR
auto Mass air flow sensor
is used to find mass flow rate of air entering a fuel injected combustion
engine. The air- fuel ratio
can be controlled precisely, if the sensor is used in conjunction with the
oxygen sensor.
These sensors use live
wire to monitor and measure airflow. It tells the computer to add proper amount
of fuel based on air coming through the engine.
Improper MAF sensors
can lead to decreased fuel economy, stalling and rough idling of the vehicle
and increased emissions. When you encounter such problem it is wise to replace
MAF sensors as they are not that expensive as compared to catalytic converters.
These can be removed and cleaned. You
can also use second option of replacing your car’s air filter first.
This is because air
filter has direct impact on MAF sensors. The dust and dirt in the air filter
could be accumulating on the sensor thus reducing its performance and hence triggering
the check engine light.
SPARK
PLUGS
Spark plugs are very
important for your car to start. They provide ignition to the fuel. To do so,
spark even has to jump across at little gap. By time, spark plugs may get
damaged in the form of expanded gaps for the sparks to cross.
Thus worn spark plugs
can cause ignition problems, decreasing fuel economy or damage to other
internal systems. Spark plugs often misfire, when the plugs are failing. Your
car just won’t start without spark plugs.
As soon as you
encounter the problem of spark plugs, get them changed immediately. It is cheap
and easy to change them. You can also shop for aftermarket auto spark plugs
at cheap prices.
GAS
CAP
A missing or damaged
gas cap may cause the gas to evaporate. If you are out of gas often than usual,
then this trivial thing could be the problem maker for you.
The gas cap may have
been cracked or just wasn’t tightened well enough. auto Gas caps
can be replaced easily on cheap prices. Even a quick twist on the cap could
save you from heavy expenses.
Your check engine light
may be a sign of seriously spooky engine troubles. These are only some of
common possibilities, and there are plenty out there. Do something about the
engine light, before it gets too late.
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