What does my check engine light mean?

When you are driving, seeing any sort of lights come on in your instrument panel can be frustrating, especially if you aren’t sure what the cause is. When your check engine light comes on, it is important to bring your vehicle in for a diagnosis as soon as possible.

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What to do when your check engine light comes on

When your check engine light turns on, there are a variety of reasons this could be. That is why it is important to get your vehicle to a service technician right away, because it can be difficult to know how emergent the situation is. Your vehicle may help you out with this, by either staying on or blinking. If the light comes on and stays on, it is probably not a major emergency and you can get away with scheduling an appointment at your earliest convenience and taking your vehicle in. However, if your check engine light comes on and is blinking, that likely indicates a major engine misfire, so it is imperative you bring your vehicle in to our service center as soon as possible to determine what the issue is.

There are a few things you can do to try and diagnose or lessen the problem on your own as well. You could try tightening your gas cap, reducing your speed and load (like if you are towing a trailer, drop that load as soon as you are able), and getting the code read so that you know what the issue is. Most automotive shops will be able to check out your vehicle and tell you what the issue is that caused the light to come on in the first place.

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