Check Engine Light Service -Mobile Auto Truck Repair Iowa City

Checking Engine Light Is On Help Service near Iowa City: When it comes to your check engine light, here at Mobile Auto Truck Repair Iowa City, our auto repair and service specialists know check engine light codes and diagnoses. So when your check engine light is flashing, make sure you contact our center immediately and know that your car will receive the best care, all at the right price!

When the check engine light is on, turn to Mobile Auto Truck Repair Iowa City, to check it out so our experts may diagnose the engine light codes and get the repairs you need to get back on the road – lights out and worry-free!

There are hundreds of codes that could trigger your CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. Even the most common reasons can have many possible causes.

Some top CHECK ENGINE LIGHT codes are:

• Problem with the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor or circuit.
• System Running Too Lean: An oxygen sensor detected a lean condition (too much oxygen in the exhaust)
• System Running Too Rich: The oxygen sensor detected a rich condition (or a too-high fuel to oxygen ratio)
• Cylinder misfire: A P0300 series of codes indicates a random or multiple misfire in your engine.
• Knock Sensor Circuit Malfunction: Your vehicle’s computer constantly adjusts and retimes the engine so that it doesn’t produce harmful pre-ignition detonation or knock.
• Insufficient Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR)
• Flow Catalyst System Efficiency below threshold

These are just a few of the hundreds of codes, causes and symptoms. Each has multiple fixes.

What the check engine light means

Checking Engine Light Is On Help Service near Iowa City: Sensors in your engine monitor the operation of its various systems and connect to what’s called the On-Board Diagnostic II (OBD-II) system. (Note that pre-1996 cars have an older version of the diagnostic system.) When something isn’t functioning properly, the check engine light appears to alert you.

A blinking or flashing check engine light indicates a more serious problem.

Engine lights may differ from one carmaker to the next. The light is either orange, yellow or red and is the outline of a car’s engine, sometimes along with the words check engine.

There are two types of warnings.

Check engine light on: If the symbol appears and stays on steadily, it could be a wide range of problems. It should be taken to a repair garage soon, Calkins says.

Check engine light flashing: If the symbol is blinking or flashing, this is a more serious problem. In these cases, Calkins says, you should pull over at a safe location, shut off the engine and have the car towed to a repair facility for diagnosis.

What Causes The Check Engine Light To Come On And What Should You Do?

Checking Engine Light Is On Help Service near Iowa City: Picture this scenario: You’re behind your wheel and in the middle of a long drive when the check engine light on your dashboard starts flashing.

This could definitely be an indication to a major problem prompting you to take immediate action.

You would need to visit the nearest auto repair shop and get the problem addressed. Or, if you knew about the common faults related to the check engine light coming on, you could do the troubleshooting yourself, in some cases.

The check engine light is technically known as the malfunction indicator lamp. It’s a signal from the car engine’s computer system that something is wrong with the machinery.

Prior to 1996 (this is before California and New York started to collapse financially), car manufacturers had their own engine diagnostic systems primarily to check if the vehicle was in conformance to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pollution control requirements.

Car models from 1996 and beyond are required to follow the OBD-II protocol which mandates all car manufacturers to provide a universal interface for accessing the standardized fault codes generated by the car diagnostics system.

The check engine light is usually provided in amber, orange or yellow colors. A flashing check engine light indicates a serious problem whereas a constant check engine light indicates an upcoming problem. These problems can range from a minor problem like a faulty gas cap to a major problem like engine misfire leading to a faulty catalytic converter.

Importance of the Check Engine Light

Checking Engine Light Is On Help Service near Iowa City: The car’s computer operates and monitors the car’s engine and reports any fault to the driver through the check engine light. It’s an important system of the car. The various parts of the vehicle operate at high temperature and can pose a fire hazard if faulty.

Also, this system enables the car owner to become aware of the faulty but less expensive parts of the car well in time for replacement without which the car owner may have to pay for the expensive parts which may get damaged due to the negligence of the smaller, less expensive components.

Solving check engine light problems

Checking Engine Light Is On Help Service near Iowa City: The first step is to read the code provided by the car’s computer system.

The first step is to read the check engine light code provided by the car’s computer system. This is the information that’s been logged by the sensors in your engine. It can be read with OBD II scanners or readers through a connection (OBD port) usually located under the steering column.

To read the code you have three options:

• Take your car to a mechanic and pay a diagnostic fee. Often, the fee is waived if you agree to have the necessary service performed at that garage.
• Bring your car to an auto parts store and have the code read for free. The free check engine light diagnosis is good because if the code turns out to be for something minor, you might even be able to fix it yourself.
• Buy an inexpensive scanner and read the code yourself. This is a particularly good option if you have an older car that might occasionally be showing a check engine light for minor problems. Scanners cost as little as $15, and some will wirelessly send information to your mobile phone.

Common causes of a check engine light

A number of problems can cause your check engine light to come on, but some are more common than others. To properly identify your issue, consult your mechanic or consider purchasing an OBD-II code reader.

• Gas cap is loose: Tighten the gas cap. If you’ve lost it, replace it with a new one.
• Oxygen sensor is bad:You’ll need a new sensor — but identify which one is bad first.
• Spark plugs may be fouled or failing:Replace the spark plugs.
• Spark plug wires are bad:Try replacing the spark plug wires.
• Catalytic converter is faulty:Have a mechanic inspect and possibly replace the device.
• Mass airflow sensor is bad:You’ll need a new sensor.