The engine light on your vehicle can signal many problems, and it's essential to know the problem before you take your car in for service.
Check Engine Light Diagnostic Service The check engine light has been around since the early days of automobiles. Initially, it indicated something was wrong with the internal combustion engine. Today, however, the check engine light is also used to display other types of problems with the vehicle. For example, if the check engine light comes on when driving down the highway, this could mean a problem with the air filter or fuel injector. If the check engine light comes up at a stoplight, it may indicate pain in the ignition system. The most common cause of the check engine light is a malfunctioning oxygen sensor. This sensor monitors the amount of oxygen in the exhaust stream coming from the engine. The check engine light will come on when oxygen drops below normal levels. A faulty oxygen sensor can lead to several other problems, including: • Poor gas mileage • Increased emissions • Low power • Reduced performance There are two main types of oxygen sensors: catalytic converters and non-catalytic converters. Both types work by measuring the amount of oxygen in your exhaust stream. However, they do so using different methods. With a catalytic converter, the oxygen sensor measures the amount of oxygen in the exhaust stream after it passes through the catalyst. Without a catalyst, the oxygen sensor measures how much oxygen is in the exhaust stream before it enters the muffler. If your vehicle has a catalytic converter, you should have no trouble finding the location of the oxygen sensor. You can usually find the sensor under the hood or behind the bumper. You will need to look inside the muffler on vehicles without a catalytic converter. To access the oxygen sensor, you must remove the muffler assembly. Once you have removed the damper, you will see a round metal plate near the muffler's back. It is where the oxygen sensor sits. If the oxygen sensor is wrong, then it will not be able to accurately measure the amount of oxygen in a properly functioning engine. As a result, the check engine light may come on even though everything else seems fine. Because the oxygen sensor is such an integral part of the engine, replacing it is one of the easiest things you can do to fix the problem. In addition to being a source of information about the health of your engine, the check engine light can also provide valuable information about the condition of your tires. There are three primary ways that the check engine light can tell you whether your tires are worn out:
How Does Your Car's Check Engine Light Work? The check engine code is a series of numbers that tells you what kind of problem your vehicle might have. These codes are stored in a computer chip called the OBDII (On Board Diagnostics II) system. This system sends the check engine light signal when there is a problem with your vehicle. When the check engine light first comes on, it does not necessarily mean something is wrong with your vehicle. Instead, it could simply be a way for the manufacturer to tell you that the car is ready to start up again. The check engine light only turns off once all the problems have been fixed. In the end, the check engine light is just another tool used by auto manufacturers to help you diagnose problems with your vehicle. Learning how to read the check engine light, you can use it to keep track of potential issues while driving.
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