Your Check Engine Light

Have you ever been driving down the road and noticed your Check Engine light come on? It might startle you and make you wonder what’s up with your vehicle. Nothing feels even slightly off. So what’s going on? Well, there are several reasons why the light will turn on. There might really be nothing wrong, but it’s worth a check.

Sometimes the Check Engine light will come on if your gas cap isn’t secured correctly. If you had just stopped for gas, you may have put it on a little loose or crooked. The car is letting you know by turning on the light. There is a sensor under the gas cap that lets you know when the cap isn’t on right. Without the cap, air can get into the gas tank causing your car’s engine to burn it much more quickly than it should. If you fix the cap, the light should go back off.

If that’s not it, it might just be time for your scheduled maintenance. A lot of cars are equipped with timers on their lights that will go off about 200 miles before you should go get their next oil change. It gives you enough time to schedule an appointment and have the maintenance completed before the mileage goes over what your car’s manufacturer suggests.

Hopefully that’s the only reason your Check Engine light came on. Of course, if you know your gas cap is on securely and you just had an oil change, there may be something else wrong. Don’t hesitate having your car checked out or you could have an unexpected break down. It might be an easy fix even at the service center. If you ignore it, it could turn into something bigger. Don’t wait to find out or it could end up costing you much more than you bargained for.

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