Check engine light repair
Dakota Ridge Auto, Littleton Colorado
You’re driving down the road, you’ve got the windows down and are enjoying your favorite song on the radio without a care in the world. You slow down at a light, and all of sudden the check engine light comes on without warning and without any information to help you understand what is going on with your vehicle. Suddenly a perfect summer evening turns into a worried drive to the nearest auto repair shop in Littleton unsure if the problem is dire or just an indicator of a maintenance issue with your car or truck.
The check engine light is part of your on-board diagnostic system or OBD, and it may come on for several reasons. The computer in your car monitors your car’s performance regulating fuel mixture, ignition timing, engine and other electronic functions. When the computer finds a problem within the system that it cannot fix it turns on an indicator or check engine light to let you know there is a problem. Federal law now requires manufacturers to install more sophisticated systems that also monitor emissions.
If the light is illuminated, it may blink or remain lit depending on what type of problem you have. If you see a steady light, the problem is not severe. You should, however, schedule an appointment with the certified technician as soon as possible. Dakota Ridge Auto has ASC certified professionals you need to assess your check engine light issues and repair them.
A blinking light, on the other hand, usually means a severe problem exists. The engine may be misfiring, and fuel is entering the exhaust system causing the temperature of the catalytic converter to rise resulting in damage and an expensive repair. The computer’s in today’s vehicles are extremely technical, and when it discovers a problem, it will try to overcome the issue, and you might never even know there was a problem, to begin with as it will correct the issue without reporting it to you.
However, if the problem is mechanical in nature and cannot be fixed by your cars computer, significantly reduce your speed to lessen the load on your engine immediately. If you can’t operate your vehicle safely, or you’re far from your destination, you should consider having your vehicle towed to the nearest auto repair facility to ensure that you don’t turn an inexpensive problem into a larger, more costly repair.
When a check engine light is displaying on your car, it’s important not to ignore it. People have been known to ignore the check engine light because the car has oil, seems to be running just fine so they mistakenly think it must be a problem with the light. Sadly a lot of these situations turn into a major auto repair job when it could have been minor repair if they’d heeded the warning.
At Dakota Ridge Auto in Littleton, we have all of the diagnostic tools needed to identify any check engine light issue, call us today or drive right in if you require assistance with your vehicle, we look forward to helping you.
