An illuminated check engine light is always both mysterious and frustrating, letting drivers know that there is SOME SORT OF problem, however not telling you what the problem is. While some people ignore the lit up check engine light and wait for problems to manifest to determine what they are in the first place, we don’t recommend this, as you could be risking damage that you will have to pay to repair. Here’s a guide to the most common reasons for a lit check engine light, as prepared by the heavy duty towing experts here at Towing Chicago.
Oxygen Sensors
Oxygen sensors make sure that your engine is operating at the best efficiency, monitoring gasses that escape the engine. An engine needs an exact balance of fuel and air to operate efficiency, and issues with this significantly impact fuel efficiency and engine performance.
Ignition Coils
Ignition coils light the spark clubs through battery power. When they malfunction, the electrical system that powers the car’s engine likely malfunctions as well, as well as all other electrically powers components of the car.
Wire Issues / Spark Plugs
Plug and wire malfunctions may include: engine pinging, idling, power surges, power loss, engine power problems, and much more. If you ignore plug or wire issues, you can significantly damage the catalytic converter of your vehicle, which is costly to repair,
Mass Airflow Sensors
The mass airflow sensor measures how much air is coming into the engine, determining how much fuel to add into the flow. When the mass airflow sensor malfunctions, your car won’t be getting the right amount of fuel in the engine, affecting engine performance and fuel efficiency.
Evaporative Emission Control
The evaporative engine control system keeps vapors from gasoline that come from the fuel system and gas tank from rising into the air – issues with EVAP come from leaking vents, vacuum hoses, and valves.
Dirty Ports and Valves
The exhaust gas recirculation system makes your car run efficiently by monitoring emissions – and problems with this system are indicated by engine misfiring, rough car idling, and hesitation in control. Problems with exhaust gas recirculation can damage your engine performance, and are usually caused by clogged or dirty mechanisms.
Battery / Charging Issues
Most cars these days have computer based systems that monitor the voltage in the car’s battery and electric systems – if there’s issues in these areas, the check engine light will illuminate. Car batteries can degrade at a more rapid speed when the engine compartment temperature is too hot for too long.