Does a check-engine light really mean something is wrong with your engine? What you should do if yours comes on.
Neither black tape nor a Magic Marker is the solution when your car or truck's check-engine light comes on. When the light, which is shaped like the outline of an engine, illuminates, do not panic!
And definitely do not attempt to cover up the warning. There's a much better way to deal with the problem. Here's how. For starters, it's important to know what the dashboard light is actually telling you.
In some vehicles, there are separate warning lights labeled Service Engine orDue, versus a more traditional Check Engine light. If there's any confusion about which light you're looking at, check your owner's manual. If it's a maintenance-related warning light, then you can relax, at least temporarily. This type of light is your car telling you that some routine work is due, such as an oil or air-filter change.
Imagine if your teeth started glowing every six months when a cleaning is due. Granted, you'd look a little funny, but it wouldn't mean a root canal was automatically on the agenda. If you're positive that it's a check-engine warning light staring back at you from the gauge cluster, there are some key things to remember.
If the light is a steady orange or yellow and there is no perceptible change in how the car is driving, you don't need to stop the vehicle immediately. There is a good chance it could be a minor problem, but, as we've already noted, it's not smart to ignore the problem until the car does have noticeable issues. Sometimes, something as simple as a loose gas cap can be the culprit.
In the rare instance that the warning light starts flashing, however, pull over and stop the car. This almost always indicates a serious problem has occurred, and severe damage could be done by continuing to drive the car. Assuming your instrument cluster is showing the more common solid amber or yellow check-engine warning, there's an easy-to-use tool that can help you understand what's going on long before you visit a repair shop or dealership.
That's because every car built from the 1996 model year onward speaks the same basic language—and deciphering it takes far less time and money than you'd imagine. You can find out what's ailing your engine through the vehicle's OBD-II port. An OBD-II port might sound like something R2-D2 would fall in love with and marry, but in reality it's a simple diagnostic connection found on every post-1996 car and truck.
You plug an OBD-II scanner tool into it and, in most cases, out pops a code that tells you what the problem is. The scanner also allows you to clear the vehicle's internal code, which is what triggered the check-engine light. Do that, and the warning light will turn off. More on that later.
To shut off the warning light, and to know exactly what's wrong with your vehicle, you need a scanner. While a professional-grade OBD-II scanner might cost you hundreds of dollars, a wide range of perfectly good consumer models can be found online from between $20 and $100. Some are wireless; all plug in to the OBD-II port.
By communicating with your phone, tablet, or laptop, the wireless units access an app that provides the diagnostic information that could indicate the problem with your car or truck. Some of these wireless scanners include the app in the purchase price and some do not. Do your homework, since not every app works with all types of wireless devices.
, you'll usually find it on a metal tag at the base of the driver's side of the windshield . Depending on the scanning device, it shouldn't take long for any potential problem codes to appear. When an issue surfaces regarding how your car is operating, the vehicle's onboard computer records it as a standardized code.
Thanks to OBD-II technology, all cars have the same basic codes. While some scanners will translate those codes into readable diagnostic descriptions, others will only display the codes and leave you to decipher them yourself. If that is the case, a quick Google search of the codes can help identify the actual issue.
Be sure to write down all of the codes before clearing them, as they can be helpful if you decide to take your car to a dealer or independent repair shop. If your repair estimate comes back with a completely different issue, it could indicate that something suspicious is going on. Your scanning device might immediately trace where the problem can be found.
More advanced scanners will have a wider range of capabilities, so keep this in mind if you plan to use the scanner regularly. Still, some discrepancies might arise between the codes you read on your scanner and what a dealership or shop uncovers, so don't automatically assume you're being conned. Given the complexity of today's cars and trucks, the more advanced tools used at a repair shop can sometimes uncover additional issues.
Remember, ask plenty of questions and stay informed, especially when the codes appear dissimilar. If your main reason for buying an inexpensive scanner is to reset the check-engine light, know this: clearing the code and turning the light off doesn't mean your issue has gone away. Some check-engine light warnings are temporary—like the aforementioned loose fuel-filler cap or a rare engine misfire. It's possible that the warning light won't come back on after you clear the code.
Then again, if the light does come on again soon, you must conclude that you do have an issue that needs to be addressed. And if you can't handle the repair yourself, then you should take it to a shop and have it attended to. Failure to do so could cost you a lot more later.
So put away that black tape and Magic Marker, and take time to understand what your car is telling you when the check-engine warning light turns on. After all, if you can plug in a smartphone and punch in an Amazon order ID, you have all the skills needed to install anMost mechanics will charge you an hourly labor rate just to plug in an OBD-II diagnostic scanner and tell you why the light is on.
However, many auto parts stores will let you borrow an OBD-II scanner for free and allow you to check for yourself right there in the parking lot. Checking for a code and resolving the underlying issue are two different things, though, and repair costs are entirely dependent on the severity of the issue. Knowing what the problem is before you go to the mechanic—or fixing it yourself—could save you hundreds. That's why you should splurge on your own OBD-II scanner.
Short answer: Maybe. Be absolutely certain your various other components such as transmission, brakes, and lights are working properly before operating the vehicle. That said, if your engine seems to be running rough or is otherwise abnormal-sounding, the only place you should drive it to is a local repair shop or dealer service center.
That's the biggest problem—it's hard to say without an OBD-II scanner and even then, only an expensive, pro-grade diagnostic scanner will even come close to telling you exactly what the problem is. It really could be anything from a loose wire to a faulty gas cap. As stated above, reset and ignore it at your own risk.
While the answer to that question is pretty self-explanatory, given the fact that EVs don’t have an engine to check, there are still some unique considerations to take into account when discussing. Overall, EVs require much less maintenance over the lifetime of the vehicle because they have far fewer moving parts than cars with internal-combustion engines.
However, that doesn’t mean they are maintenance- and service-free. You might not see a check engine light appear on the dashboard of your EV, but they are still subject to wear-and-tear repairs, including items such as tires and wiper blades; cabin air and other filters; brakes; windshield washer fluid; suspension components; and bulbs.
ANCEL ANCEL BD310 OBD2 Scanner Bluetooth - OBD2 Scanner Diagnostic Tool for Car - App Based OBDII Scan Tool for Android & iPhone - Check Engine Light Vehicle Code Reader MOTOPOWER MOTOPOWER MP69033 Car OBD2 Scanner Code Reader Engine Fault Code Reader Scanner CAN Diagnostic Scan Tool for All OBD II Protocol Cars Since 1996, YellowFor more than 20 years, automotive journalist Nick Kurczewski has written for dozens of print and digital publications about all aspects of the car world. Past adventures have included driving nearly 200 mph on the German autobahn and becoming a licensed Zamboni driver at an ice rink in Manhattan.
He’s driven a car powered by compressed air, investigated how to keep rodents out of engine bays, and talked his way out of a ticket while piloting a Bugatti. In his more relaxed moments, Nick loves helping people find the perfect car for their driving needs and shopping budget Austin's car fixation began at a young age and at 1:64 scale.
Eventually, Hot Wheels weren't cutting it anymore, so he developed an obsession with his father's full-sized 1965 Ford Mustang instead. Desperate to break into the automotive industry, he bartered his way into a job at a local BMW dealership by promising to stop hurling nerdy technical facts at the salesmen who came into the neighboring coffee shop where he worked.
That was also around the time when he started writing automotive reviews, news articles, and technical guides for a number of local and international publications. Now at Car and Driver, Austin brings more than 10 years of experience in the automotive industry and an all-so-common love-hate relationship with German engineering to the table.
Obdii Scanner Obd2 Scanner Reset Check Engine Light Obd2 Bluetooth Car Diagnostic Engine Diagnostic Tool Troubleshooting
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