The check engine light is one of the most common problems—and complaints—from the Wisconsin drivers that come into our shop. “Why is that annoying light on? Is it going to cost a lot of money?” Unfortunately, we can’t tell you if it’s an O2 sensor or faulty spark plugs in a blog post, but we can give you four easy steps to find out and get rid of that dashboard warning light:
- Note whether the light is yellow or red. For most warning dashboard lights, there are two colors: red and yellow. Just like stoplights, a yellow light means to take caution, a red light means immediate action is needed. If your car has a red light on the dashboard, call Tire-rifik immediately. You need to get your car checked by a technician. A yellow light indicates that the car needs to be checked, but not at that moment. Don’t wait too long, though, as a yellow light left unchecked is a light that can indicate engine failure soon.
- Schedule an appointment. If the light is yellow and your car is due for an oil appointment, ask your mechanic to check your car. If it’s not due for maintenance soon, schedule an appointment so a mechanic can hook your car to a computer and determine the problem.
- Ask questions. What exactly is the problem? How long would you recommend before the problem is fixed? What is the cost of repairs? Can this problem damage other parts of my car? We’ll give you an example of this last question: one of our friends had a truck with spark plugs that needed to be replaced (and the check engine light came on). Unfortunately, she waited too long to replace the spark plugs, plugging up the catalytic converter (which had to be replaced) and costing far more than the cost of the initial spark plug replacement.
- Get it fixed. Don’t procrastinate and don’t ignore the check engine light. Schedule an appointment. Yes, we’ve all heard stories of drivers who went thousands of miles with a check engine light with no problem. However, that doesn’t mean you will be as lucky. You don’t want to end up waiting for a Tire-rifik tow truck on the side of the road, or stranded at home when you are supposed to be at work.
Are you really busy right now? Schedule an appointment online so you can get a diagnosis and estimate. The initial appointment won’t take long, and there’s good news after the repairs are made. You’ll be back on the road without that “Check Engine” light bothering you.