Blog

What Does The Check Engine Light Mean?

The infamous yellow warning light, the check engine light, is a signal that comes from the car’s computer. When a sensor detects an error with the combustion process, it will trigger this dashboard warning signal to come on. 

How Urgent Are Check Engine Light Problems?

The answer is: it depends! You can typically get a clue on the severity of the problem from the behavior of the dashboard light itself. There are three ways that light can show up on your vehicle.

  • Continuous – If the yellow light stays on, it means there’s not a huge problem going on with your car. However, it doesn’t mean there’s nothing wrong with your car either. You can continue driving but only for a little while. You should get your car to a trusted auto repair shop for diagnostics soon.
  • Intermittent – This means that the check engine light blinks or flashes and turns off by itself. Sometimes, this simply is an error within the car’s computer. However, it can behave this way from a wiring problem.
  • Flashing – A flashing check engine light is as serious as a problem can get. In most cases, we recommend driving yourself to an auto repair shop immediately. If you don’t think you can make it ASAP, please pull over and call for roadside assistance. A flashing light usually means that the damage is severe and likely will spread if you choose to ignore it.

You might be tempted to shrug off a check engine light, but it is a terrible idea to do so. You can save yourself time and money by taking immediate action after a check engine light comes on.

When you bring your car to an auto repair shop, they will run diagnostics tests and perform inspections to identify the root cause of the problem. Our shop will only make recommendations when they are needed, and we provide accurate repairs the first time around. 

If you need check engine light repairs, please bring your car, SUV, or truck to our shop today