Dodge Check Engine Light

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most frequently misunderstood lights or indicators in your Dodge is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the vital onboard diagnostics system, and displays in an assortment of different ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light illuminates in either an amber or red color and is part of the diagnostics system found on your car. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored car performance since the 80s and do an assortment of things for your Dodge. Some of these essential duties include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a wide range of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as hazardous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Dodge, contact Larry H. Miller Dodge Ram Peoria. Our Dodge service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing. Contact Larry H. Miller Dodge Ram Peoria today!

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Dodge will ordinarily shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. For example, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will promptly turn itself off. Again, if your catalytic converter is working perfectly, and you did a lot of stop-and-go driving, that may have turned on the check engine light due to the high usage of the converter. In most cases, your Dodge light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Larry H. Miller Dodge Ram Peoria so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

Dodge Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your Dodge starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention immediately and your Dodge should be brought in expeditiously. A flashing light reveals that the problem is very serious and if not taken care of immediately may result in major and significant damage to the vehicle. This blinking light normally reveals a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can rapidly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an costly and extensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can absolutely be the cause. A damaged, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is consistently flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Larry H. Miller Dodge Ram Peoria immediately by calling 6234007471. If the problem is totally ignored or you continue to drive, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a exceptionally costly repair.

How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?

The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not perfectly tightened to a more serious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it good to get the proper code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is generally between $88 and $111. The good news, Larry H. Miller Dodge Ram Peoria offers completely free multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help determine the cause of your check engine light.

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

If you check engine light is flashing, we endorse that you pull over and contact Larry H. Miller Dodge Ram Peoria to help determine if your car is secure to drive in or if we endorse a tow truck. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is usually difficult to predict how many miles you can be secure in driving with the warning light on. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced.

Is it safe to drive your Dodge with the check engine light on?

This question is not tremendously simple because it all depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be safe to drive. This is generally indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the car, it could be an indication of a more serious problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is suggested to service your Dodge instantly. Call the experts at Larry H. Miller Dodge Ram Peoria by dialing 6234007471 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your Dodge to our certified mechanics as in the near future as potential.

Dodge Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless potential causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are many common causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other mostly common reasons for a Check Engine Light are dirty mass airflow sensor, broken emissions control part, damaged oxygen sensor, broken head gasket, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, or damaged spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Dodge Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and absolutely repair it as needed to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Dodge issue was totally fixed.

Every Dodge was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the car on its important systems. The quick sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending essential data to the electronic control unit. If the electronic control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light illuminates telling you that there is a problem. Nevertheless, sadly that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what precisely is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Larry H. Miller Dodge Ram Peoria provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Immensely Qualified Service professional.

Check Engine Light Service Dodge

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Dodge and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Dodge owners, your heart sinks drastically because you may have absolutely idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the cost of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep, serene breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t mean you have to pull the vehicle over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your Dodge checked instantly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major, major damage to pricey engine components.

When your Dodge 's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t correct, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is ordinarily labeled “check engine” or “service engine soon”, or the light may be nothing more than a picture of an engine, or a picture of the engine with the word “check.”

When the light turns on, the ECM stores an engine code or “trouble code” in its memory that can promptly identify the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is read with an electronic scan tool that is used by our Dodge auto repair mechanics at Larry H. Miller Dodge Ram Peoria. There are still a number of essentially inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you pick that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced professional to determine the specifically correct issue and repair it.

Dodge Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, especially to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminate, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear right away. If you hear the term, diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), these are just another name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, again known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can accurately represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you advantageous knowledge about your car and will again allow that essential Check Engine Light to do what it is absolutely supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, evident and useful car symptoms do not constantly accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of conceivable OBD codes, there are again hundreds of conceivable reasons for the light, including:

• Computer output circuit issues
• Ignition system faults
• Fuel and air metering systems problems
• Emissions controls issues
• Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
• Bad Spark Plugs
• O2 Sensor
• Transmission issues
• Old Battery

This is why it is vital for someone who does not have a lot of prevalent automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue right away. Call Larry H. Miller Dodge Ram Peoria at 6234007471 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out promptly by a proficient certified Dodge mechanic.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Dodge?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could likewise be a warning of a meaningful problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and costly repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady and continuous glow ordinarily means something less serious but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in meaningful trouble and useful service is necessary instantly. If your check engine light is flashing in your Dodge, we extremely advise not to drive the car and schedule Dodge service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Dodge is what determines how much fuel is needed to run your engine efficiently by measuring the amount of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to certain changes, like altitude. If your Dodge is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden rapid change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a important sign of a defective mass airflow sensor.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Dodge is every important. Without a vehicle battery, your vehicle won’t start, light up the road in front, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s vehicle batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't absolutely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Dodge you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns more immediately and your car will be less efficient when it comes to fuel economy. So what happens if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A defective sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause serious damage to your catalytic converter and your Dodge 's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the absolutely correct mix of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A defective O2 sensor can again cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your Dodge. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mix in the combustion chamber of your car. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run smooth. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or old, you will experience a conspicuous poor performance and reduced power. In some extreme cases, your engine will have trouble starting or continuing to run. Worn spark plugs and plug wires can cause clogged catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, leading to more costly repairs.
• Your Dodge has a vacuum leak. Every Dodge has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system again helps lower adverse emissions by routing the fumes as gasoline evaporates through the engine. If you notice that your RPM is high in idle or randomly surges, a vacuum leak could be the cause. Over time, vacuum hoses can dry out and crack, particularly if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Dodge ’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is normally caused by repeatedly neglected maintenance, which is why Larry H. Miller Dodge Ram Peoria offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Dodge service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your Dodge will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your vehicle may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause other delicate problems from overheating.
• One of the most common and frequent cause is that your Dodge gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Dodge serves different purposes. It prevents dangerous gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. What happens if you have a defective fuel cap? If your gas cap is old or has a ruptured seal, you can lose fuel through evaporation which will result in more trips to the pump and be more expensive. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't costly. If your check engine light turns on quickly after you put gas in your Dodge, first thing you should check is to make sure the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your Dodge if it’s not installed perfectly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the car from starting. If these issues sound familiar, bring your to Dodge and have our team of skilled certified mechanics assure that your aftermarket items were installed properly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, particularly aftermarket parts and accessories, or utilizing OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could help you save considerably from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.