Sunday, June 8, 2014

The Meaning Behind Check Engine Lights

Whenever I think of the check engine light on my car, I think of the green light featured in F.Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby; the check engine light is basically this ominous metaphor with significant meaning that people keep telling me I can't ignore but I'm just not sure what that meaning is. I know I'm not the only one out there who feels the same way. That is why I have done my research.

First off, the check engine light is telling you to do one thing: check the engine. For what, you ask? Check the engine for any signs of distress or anything unusual such as a wet engine, a blown gasket head, worn out spark plugs or even faulty oxygen sensors. However, it could mean that there is a serious problem with your engine. That is why it is best to acknowledge this indicator and bring your vehicle to the auto shop as soon as possible. The light does not mean that you immediately have to pull your car over, but you should take care of the problem during your next available free time.

The check engine light is part of you car's onboard diagnostics system (OBD), which monitors your vehicle's performance. When the OBD finds a problem in the electronic control system that it cannot correct, the computer in your car turns on the check engine light to alert you. If the light is flashing, that means there is more urgency to the problem and you should take steps to immediately get the problem solved.

When you take your car to a technician, they will connect your vehicle's computer system to a diagnostic scan tool to find the problem. This provides the technician with troubleshooting codes which indicate why the check engine light went off in the first place. With the codes, the technician can analyze the following data: the idle speed, throttle response, engine temperature, fuel system pressure, exhaust emission level and others. Once the problem is fixed, the technician will reset the OBD and tell you how to best fix the issue.

The best way to avoid the ominous check engine light is to keep your vehicle up to date. Regularly change the oil and other fluids as well as conduct any other maintenance services as they begin to emerge. The worst thing to do is to let multiple maintenance services build up onto one another until the car can't function. The trick to avoiding the check engine light is to keep your car as healthy as you keep yourself.

For more information, contact European Exchange Inc. at (201) 880-6633 or visit 240 Lodi Street, Hackensack NJ, 07601.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Samantha_Cartaino

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