Who doesn’t dread when they see the “check engine” light flashing on the dashboard? We all know that it is a clean message of warning sent to us by the car system, that there is something wrong with any or many components of the engine department.

In other words, the “check engine” light is basically a signal that the onboard diagnostics system of the car generates, when it detects any malfunctioning component in the engine section of the vehicle. It could include the ignition, the emissions, the fuel or the exhaust systems. It could also be  triggered by as simple as a gas cap loosening down or an oxygen sensor at fault. It can be a worn out spark plug or a faulty catalytic converter, but it can be as serious as some major engine problems as well. So, the point in all this is that once you see this light flashing on your dashboard, you cannot afford to ignore it.

Explaining the “Check Engine” Light

When we experienced this “check engine” light issue, we took our car immediately to our nearby center of Chevrolet check engine light Saint Maries, where they explained, all the probabilities that can trigger on the “check engine” light.

The mechanics explained that the check engine light which typically shines either in yellow or orange color light should come on only for a few seconds whenever the engine is ignited. It will turn on with other warning lights and disappear once you start driving the vehicle. But if it stays on, it is a sure sign of a problem related to any part of the engine. If the check engine light keeps flashing or blinking instead of staying illuminated steadily, it is indicative of a more serious problem that requires immediate action to be taken on.

What to Do Next

If the engine light on the dashboard stays illuminated without blinking or flashing, you can yourself follow some simple steps to fic the issues before rushing up to a mechanic,

• Tighten up the gas cap. Sometimes even replacing a worn gas cap can solve the issue.
• Restarting the engine several times after some intervals and see if the light goes off.
• Topping the engine oil or refilling it after a flush.
• Topping up the coolant to its recommended level.
• Check and replace the Spark plug, if you have one in spare.

But even after following these steps do not resolve the issue, the next thing you must do, is taking your vehicle right away to an experienced mechanic of a reputed auto repair center who specialize in repairing the engine section. One such exemplary center we know near us is the Saint Maries Chevrolet CEL center.

By taking the help of an auto technician your vehicle will be diagnosed the right way. It was clear from the discussion we had with the experts of the above mentioned repair center, that by ignoring a flashing light of “check engine” message will invariably increase the risks of damaging the engine beyond repair that can cost you several thousands of money, while a timely checking can save it all.