What Does The Check Engine Light Mean?

One day, this might happen to you, glance down at your vehicle's dashboard only to see the check engine light. You burst into a cold sweat, wondering just how badly your car's engine needs to be checked.

If your car doesn't sound like there is a monkey swinging a hammer under your hood and your vehicle is not billowing smoke, you're probably ok. The check engine light, or malfunction indication light, as it's known to the auto elite, is designed to keep the driver informed of any number of sensor failures or engine irregularities.

As automotive environmental standards became stricter throughout the 1980s, onboard engine monitoring became more and more complex. Today, a variety of sensors feed your vehicle's computer information on everything from ambient air temperature to the amount of oxygen in the car's exhaust gasses.

The vehicle's onboard computer, or engine control unit (ECU), then makes adjustments to ensure that the engine is running as efficiently, and cleanly, as possible in the given conditions.
When one of those sensors fail, or gets a strange reading, you get the dreaded amber light of doom. So what do you do?

First, save the cold sweats for your yearly review with the boss. Second, go ahead and get it checked out. You can do this in a number of ways, and it's usually free. If your car is still under warranty, take it to the dealer. If it's not, most local mechanics offer free diagnostic checkup. You'll be able to find a local mechanic on our website in the "Service Your Car" section. They're rated too, making your choice less of a shot in the dark.

Some auto parts shops offer free diagnosis as well, but this introduces a number of problems. First, they may require you to know where the data port is on your vehicle. This is a little plug that is usually tucked up under the dash that the mechanic or store employee will plug into a reader. If you don't know where this is, it might be best to take the car to a mechanic.

Most auto parts shops use generic readers that will display a numerical code. That code then has to be cross-referenced to diagnose the problem. The issue here is that most times the cross-referenced descriptions are less than helpful. You may get "fuel supply system" as the cause of your troubles. Unfortunately, the fuel supply system on most vehicles is made up of a slew of parts, and choosing to replace each and every one until you hit the trouble spot would be costly. While getting a parts store to check your code is a good place to start, getting a mechanic to translate your car's woes might be a better idea.

Occasionally, there may be a simple solution to your check engine light dilemma. Failing to tighten your gas cap all the way, not fully seating your engine oil dipstick or a loose oil fill cap can all cause the check engine light to flash. If you check all of the above and you're still stuck with a little extra amber on your dash, pay a visit to your mechanic.

If you haven't noticed any huge drop in performance when the light comes on, you can probably get away with putting off your check up for awhile. Don't take too long though, as the light may indicate the beginnings of a much more serious problem.

Even if that's not the case, not addressing the issue will inevitably lead to a failed emissions inspection and you bumming a ride from coworkers. Pull that piece of electrical tape off of the light, and get it taken care of.

Five Signs There Is No Serious Problem
Your car seems to be behaving normally
No strange noises
No smoke
No strange smell
You're getting the same gas mileage

Five Signs There Could Be A Serious Problem
A consistent rattle, knock or other unusual noise
Smoke
A severe loss of power
A serious decline in gas mileage
The vehicle does not start

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