Seeing your car’s check engine light is not a good feeling at all. Most car owners experience some panic. But Allman’s Automotive wants you to know that if you can avoid panicking, you can often solve the problem before it turns into a major issue.
Check Out the Rest of the Dashboard
Take a quick second before the panic sets in and check out the rest of the dashboard. You’re looking for other lights and any signs that you have multiple issues that might be contributing to the check engine light coming on. If you do see other warning lights, that can help you to figure out what exactly is going on. Many times, though, you’ll only have one warning light.
Look for Simple Solutions Right Then
But don’t panic yet, because the issue might be a super simple one that you can fix right away. The easiest one that you can get to as a car owner is your gas cap. This is especially important to consider if you recently got gas. Car manufacturers include a failsafe in the gas cap to make sure that it gets sealed completely. Those clicking sounds that you hear are important because they let you know that the cap is fully sealed. If there’s something wrong with the cap’s seal or if the cap isn’t fully tightened, you’ll have a check engine light.
Listen to Your Car as it Runs
If the problem isn’t the gas cap, you might be able to hear part of what the problem is as the car runs. Are you hearing any “whooshing” sounds that sound like a hose leak? Or maybe you hear more knocking and pinging than usual? You might also hear the engine misfire. All of these are big reasons for the check engine light to come on.
Don’t Ignore the Light or Hope it Will Go Away
The worst thing that you could do is to ignore the light and hope that it will go away on its own. This is your car’s onboard computer letting you know that there is something going on that is affecting your car’s performance. The problem may only be a minor one right now, like your thermostat not functioning, but eventually, that can turn into a major problem that may be a costly repair.
If your check engine light is on, definitely don’t panic. Give us a call at Allman’s Automotive in Groveland, MA right away. We can set up an appointment for diagnostic testing and help you to figure out what’s happening so we can get you back on the road.