Why did your check engine light come on?
- Top 8 reasons
- Top 8 reasons
In today’s day and age every vehicle is controlled by an onboard monitoring system that controls and monitors the functions of the vehicle for you. This system is often times a royal pain in the ass because it will trip a dash light or “check engine” light over some really silly reasons that are not detrimental to your vehicle. But, you should take the messages seriously. After all, they were designed to alert you for a reason. And, in most states you cannot SMOG or pass EPA tests if the light is present on the dash.
Over the years we have tinkered with and maintained many vehicles. We’ve found that those pesky lights can be triggered by many equipment lapses. Don’t trip! Many of the repairs can be done with basic tools and a little online research. Below you will find the most common ones that we’ve seen.
1. Oxygen Sensor Failure
2. Failing Catalytic Converter
3. Loose Fuel Cap
4. Mass Air Flow Sensor Failure
5. Faulty Ignition Coil
6. EVAP System Component Failure
7. Thermostat Failure
8. Fluid Levels Low (i.e.
Oil, Coolant, Brake, Washer)
All of these failures vary in difficulty to
repair but for the most part are straightforward for a mildly experienced home
mechanic. If you have no business opening up a toolbox we highly recommend
scheduling a visit to your favorite local mechanic to get the issue diagnosed
and repaired properly before any damage is done to your vehicle.