You are on your way to work. Thank goodness it’s Friday. You have weekend plans. You’re heading to the lake to go fishing. You can’t wait. Suddenly, you hear a ding and a dashboard light comes on. You look down and see that it’s your Check Engine light. You don’t notice anything different about your car. It’s running just fine. Darn it! You want to go fishing! What should you do? You should bring your vehicle into Mechanic One Auto Repair & European Auto Repair right away. Here’s why.
There Is Something Wrong
Bottom line: Your check engine light does not come on without a reason why. It’s rare for a check engine warning light to illuminate without cause. This does not mean you should panic. The reason why the light came on could be something simple and easy to fix, but if it isn’t, you want to address the issue quickly; otherwise, you will cause additional damage to your vehicle which will increase your repair bill. The check engine light is a warning light, meaning take action before a part or system fails.
What Could Be Wrong?
From simple to complex, a check engine warning light will come on if your gas cap is too loose or if your catalytic converter is about to die. It will also illuminate if your mass airflow or oxygen sensors are on the fritz. Another common reason why a check engine light comes on is if your spark plugs wires or the spark plugs themselves have issues. Now you understand why you shouldn’t ignore your check engine light. If your catalytic converter is the reason for the warning, you need to get it fixed right away.
Take Action
The sooner you take action the better. You can stave off a system failure with a replacement part. If the part isn’t replaced, the entire system might fail. Once the check engine light comes on, if you don’t notice any changes in how your vehicle is performing, drive to the nearest auto mechanic. If you do notice a change in handling or strange sounds or smells, pull over to safety and call for a tow. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to automobile trouble, as driving could be dangerous.
Mechanic One Auto Repair & European Auto Repair in Canton, MI, has the diagnostic equipment to determine why your vehicle’s check engine light came on. You’ll find our shop at 42605 Joy Road in Canton and you can call us at 734-237-6953 if you have any questions or concerns.
