3 Things That May Be Triggering Your Check Engine Light

When your check engine light comes on, you need to pay attention. Your check engine light is basically a built-in warning light that lets you know when something is amiss and needs to be fixed with your vehicle. You should not ignore this light when it is activated. There are lots of reasons why your check engine light may come on, but there are a few reasons that are more common than others.

#1 Oxygen Sensor Has Malfunctioned

One of the most common reasons that check engine lights are activated is faulty oxygen sensors. Your vehicle has multiple oxygen sensors in it. The oxygen sensor lets your engine know how much oxygen to mix with the fuel in order to get the best fuel consumption.

When your oxygen sensor malfunctions, you will not be going the same amount of miles per gallon as you did before. The change can be dramatic.

This is a serious issue with your car. If you fail to fix the oxygen sensor that has malfunctioned, you are going to end up paying a lot more for gas until you get it fixed. This is not a very expensive repair, but it does generally cost a couple hundred of dollars and can take a couple of hours to complete.

#2 Catalytic Converter Has Malfunctioned

Another reason why your check engine light may be activated is because the catalytic converter has malfunctioned. This is a more serious repair that generally costs around a thousand dollars to fix. However, the cost often ends up being more because catalytic converters usually only fail when there is another issue with your vehicle.

Oftentimes, there is a bigger issue with your engine when the catalytic converter sets off your check engine light. You'll want to contact an auto service, like Norco Auto Tech, for more help if this is the problem.

#3 Bad Spark Plugs

Finally, one simple reasons your check engine light may be activated is because the spark plugs have gone bad. It is really easy to fix the spark plugs in your vehicle. You can change them out yourself and they don't cost that much to replace. This is a very affordable issue to fix and it is something that you want to fix right away.

A bad spark plug can cause your engine to not fire correctly. Bad spark plugs can also have a negative impact on your gas mileage as well.

When your check engine light comes on, take it to your mechanic. They can let you know what is causing your light to be activated. The issue could cost a couple of dollars or a thousand dollars to fix; the only way you will know is if you take your vehicle to the mechanic.