The warning lights on your car’s dashboard are intended to make sure you have early warning of a number of potentially serious problems. An illuminated warning light is never something to be ignored, but the check engine light is a particularly important one. Although it doesn’t mean you should pull the car over immediately, you should ensure that a mechanic inspects your car as soon as possible. Here are five common reasons why.
- Faulty fuel cap. A strange as it may sound, one of the most common reasons that the check engine light is lit up is a problem with the fuel cap. This could simply be that it has not been fastened properly, or that it hasn’t been fastened at all. In other cases, it may be damaged or broken. In any case, it’s comparably very cheap and easy to fix.
- Problem with oxygen sensors. The oxygen sensor in your vehicle monitors the mixture of fuel and air in your car’s combustion system. When a fault occurs, modern car computer systems will default to a ‘safe’ setting. This reduces the engine’s power while increasing the amount of fuel used. The cost of additional gas over a long period of time will far outweigh the cost of repairing this problem.
- Fault with spark plugs and wires. Spark plugs seal your car’s main combustion chamber and help the spark initiate the combustion itself. If they’re failing, they’ll misfire. Spark plugs last quite a long time but need to be replaced as soon as a fault develops to prevent serious damage to the engine.
- Catalytic convertor needs replacing. Most modern cars have catalytic convertors, which convert harmful emissions into other harmless substances. Catalytic convertors generally last a long time, but if the car is not regularly maintained, other parts can cause the catalytic convertor to fail.
- Clogged fuel injector. Fuel injectors ensure that the gas gets into the combustion chamber in your car’s engine. If they’re dirty and blocked, they won’t be able to carry out this function properly. When the fuel injectors are clogged, you’ll also notice that the car takes longer to accelerate than normal. The fuel injection system will need cleaning by a mechanic to correct this problem.
There are a host of other reasons why your check engine light may be illuminated. In all cases, it’s best not to try and work out what the problem is. Book an appointment with your service department at DCH Toyota of Oxnard first and let the experts diagnose the issue for you.
