Did your car’s dashboard just show you the check engine light? That’s a warning light that can really make you panic, but there are a variety of different reasons you might be seeing it. This information from Cool Green Auto can help you to understand what might be going on with your car if you see the check engine light.
Fuel System Problems
Without fuel, your car’s engine isn’t going to get what it needs to run properly and that’s a big problem. The issues you could run into with the fuel system can be anything from the fuel pump to the fuel injectors, along with anything in between. You’re likely to hear some extra noises, like engine knocking, if the fuel system is part of the reason your check engine light is on.
Trouble with the Exhaust System
Your car’s exhaust system helps to keep your engine running well. Which means that if there’s a problem with the exhaust and it isn’t able to keep up with what the engine needs, that can directly affect how well the engine functions. If that happens, you’ll see the check engine light come on.
Transmission Issues
You might not have realized how closely the engine and the transmission work together, but they absolutely do. Also, there’s not a separate warning light in most cars for transmission issues. So, when there’s a problem in the transmission your car is most likely to show you the check engine light to get you to take your car in to find out what’s going on.
Malfunctioning Sensors
Your car’s engine and the onboard computer, or the ECM, rely on data provided by various sensors all over the car in various systems. If one or more of those sensors fail or malfunction, that means that important data doesn’t make it to the car’s ECM. Depending on the sensor, that can cause massive problems for your car’s engine.
Skipped Maintenance
Routine maintenance is boring and easy to forget, but it’s important stuff. It’s routine maintenance that helps to keep your engine running smoothly and that helps you to find problems before they disable your car completely. If you’re skipping maintenance, eventually you’re going to see the check engine light.
Cool Green Auto in Shepherdstown, WV can help you with any of your auto service needs, including figuring out what is happening with your car’s engine. Contact us right away and we’ll help you to solve the problem before it becomes permanent damage to your car’s engine.