5 Reasons Your Check Engine Light May Be On 

Your car’s check engine light is on… now what? Don’t panic! Most likely, your engine isn’t completely failing, it could even be something as simple as a loose gas cap. Unfortunately, the check engine light itself doesn’t explain the issue, you’ll need to come by a trusted mechanic to get a diagnostic, like us here at Ice Cold Air on 410 S Dale Mabry! 

We know you’re curious though, so we’re here to tell you the 5 most common reasons your check engine light might be on! 

  1. A Loose or Missing Gas Cap

This is a surprisingly common reason for your check engine light to come on. If your gas cap is loose or missing, it can throw off the pressure in your fuel system and trigger the check engine light.  

  1. Faulty Oxygen Sensor

The oxygen sensor monitors the amount of unburned oxygen in your exhaust and sends that information to the computer. If the oxygen sensor is faulty, it can cause the engine to run “lean” or “rich”.

A rich engine has too much fuel and not enough air,

 while a lean engine has too much air and not enough fuel. 

The proper balance is essential for the engine to work properly.

 

  1. Catalytic Converter Issues

The catalytic converter is responsible for converting harmful emissions into less harmful emissions. If it fails, it can cause an increase in emissions and trigger the check engine light. 

  1. Spark plug or Ignition Coil Failure

 The spark plugs ignite the air/fuel mixture in the cylinders. If they are fouled or damaged, it can cause misfires and trigger the check engine light to turn on.

The ignition coils provide the spark plugs with the high voltage needed to ignite the air/fuel mixture. If they fail, it can also cause misfires and trigger the check engine light.

  1. Mass Airflow Sensor Failure

The mass airflow sensor measures the amount of airflow entering the engine. This is extremely important to the operation of the engine, and if it fails, it can cause the engine to run lean or rich and trigger the check engine light.

Visit Ice Cold Air Today at 410 S. Dale Mabry HWY 

These are just a few of the reasons your check engine light may be on, so it’s always best to bring your car into a trusted mechanic for a diagnostic.  

Here at Ice Cold Air, we’re always happy to help, so give us a call today and let us take a look! We’ll have you back on the road in no time!