It’s bad enough when your car’s check engine light turns on, but when you can’t figure out how to turn it off, that’s even more frustrating. Davis & Clark Auto Repair wants you to understand why the light is on in the first place so that you take the appropriate next step.
Problems with Fuel Ratios
Fuel ratios matter more than you might think for engine performance, even in the family sedan. Basically all this means is that the air, fuel, and spark mix are all correct. If the timing for the spark is off, or there’s not enough air or fuel, that’s going to cause the check engine light to turn on until the problem is corrected.
Problems with the Fuel System
One way that the fuel mix could be off, involves problems in the fuel system. That can happen in a few different ways since the fuel system isn’t just one piece. If the fuel pump, filter, or injectors have issues, that can affect how the fuel ends up, or doesn’t end up, in the engine. Even holes in the fuel lines can create issues that cause engine issues.
Trouble with the Sensors, Computer, or Both
The check engine light turns on because the car’s onboard computer, the ECM, receives information from a variety of sensors that there’s something wrong. If those sensors aren’t working properly, that means incorrect information is getting to the ECM. And if the ECM itself is failing, that can also cause issues with the check engine light.
Trouble with the Exhaust System
Your car’s engine and exhaust system work more closely with each other than you might think. After combustion happens, the exhaust system clears the way for it to all happen again, removing spent fuel and fumes. But if the exhaust system isn’t doing all of that, it’s going to end up causing engine trouble, and therefore turning on the check engine light.
Transmission Issues
The transmission is another system in the car that works hand in hand with the engine. If the transmission isn’t able to do its job, eventually that backs up into the engine. Before that happens, you’ll see the check engine light to tell you that there’s something wrong in the transmission.
Your car’s check engine light isn’t something that you can ignore. Let Davis & Clark Auto Repair in Bend, OR help you to accurately diagnose the problem. From there, we’ll be able to recommend the right fix for your car.
