Why is My Check Engine Light On?

Reasons Your Check Engine Light May Be On

When your dashboard lights start to pop up, it usually isn’t a good sign. While there are quite a few reasons that your check engine light might be popping up, it’s usually best to immediately go to your nearest mechanic, as it can be hard to know the extent of the problem you’re facing. When you’re in Gilmer, Tyler, or Longview, you’re going to want to trust the talented team of mechanics at Stanley Ford Gilmer, who can quickly diagnose your model. 

Ruling Issues Out

If you’re stressed about your check engine light, you’ll want to rule out some of the smaller causes first before you jump to expensive conclusions. 

• Your Oxygen Sensors Are Bad: Calculating how much air to mix with your fuel can be difficult, which is why your vehicle relies on your oxygen sensors. These measure the air-to-fuel ratio in your exhaust system before sending the data to your model’s computer so that your vehicle can properly compensate. 
• Your Gas Cap Is Loose, Damaged, or Broken: A broken or damaged gas cap can wreak havoc on your EVAP system, as you won’t be able to keep fuel vapors inside of your model. 
• Your Battery Is Old or Damaged: Your vehicle’s computer system needs electricity to continue running, so if your battery can’t seem to hold a charge, there’s a good chance that your systems won’t get any charge either. 
• Your Mass Airflow Sensor Is Having Trouble: Your airflow is important, which is why this sensor’s sole job is to measure it and send the data to your vehicle’s computer. This makes sure that you don’t see a drop in fuel efficiency and power. 

A Professional Diagnosis 

When you make your way to the mechanic, you might not know what to expect. While it can be hard to pinpoint exactly what’s giving you issues without a diagnosis, it could be:

• Your Spark Plugs Are Bad: Your spark plugs are incredibly important, as they work with your ignition coils to ignite the mixture of fuel and air in your engine. When they begin to go out, there’s no doubt that your performance will be affected.
• You Have a Vacuum Leak: Your vacuum system works hard when you’re behind the wheel, but something as small as a leak can cause a drop in both power and efficiency. As a warning, your check engine light will also appear.
• Your Catalytic Converter Is Giving Out: Your catalytic converter works by transforming the harmful compounds found in your exhaust into their less harmful variants. When it becomes damaged, you may see a drop in fuel efficiency. 
• Your Vehicle Has an EGR Valve Problem: Your EGR valve works by recirculating nitrogen oxides back to your air intake. This helps reduce your harmful emissions overall. 

Our Mechanics 

Dealing with a check engine light can be stressful, to say the least, so when you want the problem solved quickly, you’ll want to head to Stanley Ford Gilmer. Our mechanics are well-equipped and extremely knowledgeable, so you can count on them when it comes to servicing your vehicle. They’ll be able to find the root cause quickly, and you’ll be notified of any necessary repairs. You may also want to consider getting your routine service out the way, like your next brake inspection, fluid change, or windshield wiper replacement. This will make sure that you’re ready for the road ahead.