Reasons Your Check Engine Light May Be Illuminated

Why You Shouldn’t Ignore the Check Engine Light

When the funny looking amber light turns on, most people either panic or ignore it. The best response is to take your vehicle to a professional mechanic in Gastonia, North Carolina, and have the proper maintenance checks performed on your car. At Miller’s Automotive Service, we understand that you can’t always make it to a garage right away. Here are a few of the most common reasons why the check engine light might be lit on your dashboard and some easy tricks that may help solve a problem before it starts.

Not Just the Engine

There are a variety of issues that can cause a check engine light to illuminate. The good thing is, not all of them have to do with the engine. Some possibilities include:

• Spark Plugs: Internal combustion engines need something to ignite the pressurized gasoline fumes inside. Spark plugs provide that little bit of energy, but if they aren’t firing correctly or the wires aren’t working well, the internal computer will send out the warning.
• Catalytic Converter: A problem with this component can cause emission failures and may leak dangerous fumes into the atmosphere. If general maintenance is performed on the vehicle regularly, this probably isn’t the cause of the warning.
• Oxygen Sensor: This part monitors and regulates how much oxygen makes it into the exhaust. These parts can fail without much notice, and leaving it until later may mean issues with the catalytic converter and spark plugs down the road.
• Gas Cap: Having a loose gas cap can interfere with the pressure in the fuel lines and let harmful fumes escape. A simple proper tightening should do the job unless the cap is damaged.
• Mass Airflow Sensor: The MAF keeps an eye on how much air is entering the engine, and a faulty part will lead to higher fuel consumption. A rough idling vehicle might be another indication that this part failing may be the cause.

Get It Checked

A check engine light is something to take seriously since ignoring the warning may leave you without a way to get around Gastonia, North Carolina. Let the trained technicians at Miller’s Automotive Service diagnose the problem and help make sure the only lights you see are green!