6 Reasons to Consider When Your Check Engine Light Comes On
The appearance of the check engine light on the dashboard is an unwelcome moment that many of us dread. It’s an anxiety building moment when you go over in your head every issue that might pop up and how much this may cost you. Your Check Engine Light will pop up yellow if it’s in need of service but still safe enough to drive on over to a service center. However if your engine light pops up and it’s red, pulling over and arranging for your vehicle to be towed to a service center is the ideal choice. It might cost a bit more, but driving with a red CEL (Check Engine Light) could result in severe engine damage and extremely unsafe driving conditions. It might not be what you had in mind, but getting your vehicle checked and serviced no matter what color the CEL is means you’re keeping you and other drivers around you safe by having your engine checked over. Here’s a helpful list of what might be going on, and some signs you can check for when this ominous light pops up. When you need your next engine service, visit us here at Nate Wade Subaru and have our skilled technicians take a look at your ride here in Salt Lake City, UT.
5. Check the Mass Air Sensor
Nowadays having a computer inside your ride to ensure everything runs smoothly and efficiently is the norm. The computer operates by reading a wide range of codes for your sensors. Codes from these sensors are often to blame for the CEL coming on, and your engine’s air intake sensor is a common one that needs attention the higher your mileage is on your vehicle. The MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor reads how much air is entering the engine and relays it to the computer. Something minor like an expired engine air filter can trip a code for this sensor and other times the MAF trips itself when there’s an issue. No matter what caused it, it’s a good idea to not drive for long after the sensor is tripped without having your vehicle checked.
2. System Fault with the Ignition
The modern design of Subaru engines, including the elite BOXER® engines, are an advanced feat of engineering with a sophisticated ignition system. There’s a surprising amount that goes into just making sure each spark plug fires properly and with precision. With so many working components there’s loads of reasons your ignition system can turn on the CEL, from ignition coils to wires, the spark plugs themselves and beyond. Since your engine could die as a result of this issue, ignition problems usually show up as a red check engine light.