EdupradaThe check engine light is one of the many lights on your vehicle’s dashboard. As with the others, its function is to inform the driver of a malfunction. When you experience an engine light on, be aware that the fault could come from different parts making up the engine system.
Engine light on: what are the reasons?
The engine light appears in the form of an orange engine light. It will come on when there is an anomaly in the engine system. An illuminated check engine light can be the result of several different causes:
- A faulty injection system : this can come from the injection pump or the injectors. They are no longer able to inject the right dose of fuel for the explosion of the air and fuel mixture;
- A malfunction of the exhaust system : the air flow meter or the lambda probe (not to be confused with the temperature probe) may be involved. There is not enough air within the engine and it is not evacuated correctly following combustion;
- An engine ignition problem : these are the spark plugs or glow plugs which are no longer effective in maintaining the engine at the right temperature in order to cause combustion;
- One of the parts of the anti-pollution system is broken : the EGR valve, the particle filter and the catalyst help limit polluting emissions from the engine . If one of them is broken, your engine will pollute more than the authorized limit in terms of grams of CO2 per kilometer;
- The camshaft sensor is out of order : it allows you to control the closing and opening of the valves. When they are no longer synchronized correctly, the engine cannot breathe properly and the check engine light will come on.
If the engine light remains on when you continue your journey, the dashboard computer has placed your vehicle in degraded mode in order to avoid engine damage. The performance of your car will be significantly affected by this operating mode.
Car grazing and engine light on: how to explain it?
When the car shudders when starting and the engine light is on, the problem most certainly comes from the ignition system. We can suspect the spark plugs, the glow plugs or even the ignition coil. If the engine stalls, it is because it is having difficulty producing the combustion necessary to start the engine. You must therefore take your vehicle to a professional to have it examined and replace the incriminated parts.
Can you drive with an engine light on?
It is generally not recommended to continue driving with an engine light on . When the check engine light comes on, it indicates that there is a malfunction in your vehicle’s engine system. Ignoring this signal and continuing to drive can cause more serious problems and damage your engine.
When the check engine light comes on, it is best to take immediate action to resolve the problem. The best approach is to go to an automotive professional, such as a garage or mechanic, to diagnose and repair the cause of the malfunction.
They will be able to perform a thorough analysis using a diagnostic tool to identify the source of the problem and make the necessary repairs. This will allow you to repair your engine at a lower cost.
Continuing to drive with an engine light on can result in reduced vehicle performance, increased fuel consumption, excessive pollutant emissions and, in some cases, irreversible engine damage. It is therefore preferable to act quickly and not take risks by continuing to drive when the engine light is on.
Engine light flashing: what does it mean?
There is also a situation where the check engine light may flash instead of just staying on continuously. This manifestation informs you that you must turn off the engine very quickly. In fact, this indicates overheating of the engine which can lead to a fire.
Often, when the engine light flashes, you may see unusual smoke coming out of your hood or even smell unpleasant odors in the passenger compartment of your car.
As a general rule, this overheating is the consequence of a problem linked to the functioning of the catalyst. It is located at the level of the particle filter in the exhaust line placed at the engine outlet. Thus, its role is to transform engine fumes by making the particles contained in the exhaust gases less toxic.
How to remove a lit engine light?
If the engine light stays on or flashes on your vehicle’s dashboard, you will need to turn off the ignition of your car as quickly as possible. So, you can try restarting it to check that the check engine light is still on because sometimes this can be due to an electrical problem and not a mechanical problem .
In all cases, it will be necessary to take your car to the nearest garage with a tow truck so that a professional can carry out an auto diagnosis.
Using a diagnostic case, he will be able to detect breakdowns and malfunctions in the engine system in a few minutes. Then, he will carry out the necessary repairs to ensure the safety and reliability of your vehicle.
Engine temperature light coming on: why?
The engine temperature light is the coolant light . The latter will turn on if the fluid level is too low, which causes too high a temperature within the radiator and therefore throughout the engine system.
Indeed, without coolant, the engine cannot be cooled properly and overheating is guaranteed!
There are other causes than a lack of fluid to explain why this warning light comes on: faulty water pump, radiator leak, broken cylinder head gasket, worn injection pump gasket, etc. The entire cooling system is at fault and must be replaced quickly.
When your engine light is on, it is wise to immobilize your vehicle as quickly as possible to avoid a fire or engine failure. In order to remove the illumination of this light, you will need to go to a mechanic to carry out a complete diagnosis.