Why did the “check engine” warning light go on in your car?

An engine warning light, i.e., the one with the check engine: inscription or a characteristic engine pictogram, sometimes with the inscription “check” or “check engine” inside, glowing orange, yellow, or red—when this warning light is on it is a sign that something bad may be happening to the drive unit. Prolonged driving with the check engine warning light on can be very expensive. Information box Undiagnosed errors can lead to serious engine failures after some time, thus immobilizing the car.

 

What does the engine warning light in the car look like?

The motor warning light may have several versions. It can be an icon in the form of a “check engine” inscription, an engine outline with the inscription “check” or “check engine” inside, or the icon itself without any inscription. It comes in two versions when it comes to the color.

The yellow check engine light (or orange) indicates a fault related to the engine that allows further movement. Worse, if it constantly glows red—then it is absolutely necessary to stop moving the car and take it to the workshop on the trailer.

 

Flashing vs. static “check engine” icon – what to do?

Flashing of the check engine warning light when starting and extinguishing the engine is completely normal—provided that the warning light goes off immediately after starting the engine. Did you know that? The engine light responds to the indications of the electronic sensors in the car.

Therefore, the constantly burning check engine warning light may indicate a serious failure that has already occurred or is about to occur. Certainly, if the engine warning light is on, it is a signal that something disturbing is happening. What to do in such case? Is it possible to drive with the engine warning light on?

Let us emphasize that red warning lights, including the check engine, are designed to warn about dangers and serious failures. The red, static check engine light is a signal to stop the car immediately, turn off the engine, put the car on the trailer and have it brought to the workshop for diagnosis. Such an icon is a clear signal that things are going very badly here and now.

Yellow or orange lights indicate a malfunction and a possible hazard, but not an immediate one. This also means a necessity for a quick visit to the workshop, but you can risk driving the car to the workshop yourself – especially if the warning has not caused a negative impact on the car’s operation.

A flashing engine light, in turn, is often a symptom of improper fuel dosage, as well as significant wear or failure of glow plugs or spark plugs as well as problems with the lambda probe in gasoline engines. In some cases, a flashing check engine warning light while driving signals that the exhaust gas recirculation system is blocked.

 

Possible causes of the engine warning light activation

The check engine indicator light may go on due to a number of factors. Below we described the most common causes:

• Damage to the engine: oil leakage or other issues with the engine performance, e.g., too high rpm, power drop, difficulties manifested in the form of uneven operation of the engine—all this may result in the ignition of the engine warning light. The correct operation of the unit is ensured by the electronic motor controller and as a result of its operation the warning light may go on.
• Damaged sensor: the check engine warning light is an element of the self-diagnostic system, so it depends on the indications of the sensors – it can be a sensor in the exhaust system (e.g. a lambda probe), which in the event of a failure gives false readings, which in turn causes the check engine warning light to light up. The sensors are also located in the drive system, so they immediately detect irregularities within the motor unit.
• Fuel system malfunction: Fuel system problems such as leaks, low fuel pressure, faulty fuel pump or contaminants in the system, as well as poor fuel quality, may result in the Check Engine warning light going on.
• Ignition system problems: Failures in the ignition system, such as a faulty ignition system, faulty ignition coil, or blown spark plug, may cause the warning light to light up.
• Issue with the exhaust emission system: a flashing check engine often indicates problems with the exhaust emission control system. This may be due to catalytic converter damage, faulty exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system, damage to the lambda probe (incorrect signal is a common error in gasoline engines) or other emission reduction related components, e.g. damage to the diesel particulate filter (DPF).
• Faulty control unit: Failure of the engine control unit or other vehicle modules may cause the engine warning light to go on.
• Damaged electrical systems: concerns with the electrical system of the car, such as short circuits, too low voltage in the electrical system, defects in wires or damaged connectors, are also the reason the check engine light may light up.
• Issues caused by the LPG system are a common cause of the engine warning light going on and a harbinger of a more serious failure. LPG systems, especially if they are not regularly serviced and have, for example, clogged gas filters, may adversely affect engine operation and cause the check engine to ignite.

 

How to turn off the lit icon?

The check engine warning light on the dashboard illuminates when the car’s diagnostic system detects any deviation from the norm. Important, remember (exclamation mark) What to do after detecting irregularities when the warning light is already on? Is it possible to delete the check engine?

The orange check engine light can simply be cleared as an error code when the car is connected to a device with the appropriate software. It’s best to do it at a service point that where it can be determined whether the error shown by the car’s diagnostics is serious or not – in the case of the orange light, it may be a slightly significant indication of the sensor.

The truth will be discovered by the diagnostic tester after connecting it to the car interface. After erasing a minor error in the controller memory after restarting the engine, there will be no trace of the flashing icon and you can continue driving. However, in vehicle diagnostics, the second stage is important as well, i.e., elimination of the reason for displaying the check engine icon.

Deleting the error that appeared on the dashboard as a result of an actual car fault (especially if it concerns the red icon) is a serious mistake, because it does not solve the problem. Just like driving for a long time with the check engine icon permanently lit. Unfortunately, when dealing with a used car, sometimes the previous owner of the car did not care about the repair, but only deleted the errors.

Only quick troubleshooting is a guarantee of continued driving and trouble-free, continued operation of the vehicle without major problems. Otherwise, continuing to drive with the red check engine icon may end up immobilizing the car, and then the driver will have no choice but to call for roadside assistance.

 

What is the risk of ignoring an ignited engine icon?

A red engine light usually indicates a more serious malfunction. Therefore, ignoring it can result in serious damage to the car. Continued driving with the red check engine icon lit in the diesel engine with a turbocharger results in the engine switching to emergency mode, which manifests itself in lower power.

 

Don’t ignore the check engine icon!

Driving with the engine light on can be not only expensive, but above all dangerous. Therefore, the check engine icon should not be ignored. In the best case, it may be a minor error or the need to service an unregulated LPG installation. In the worst one, especially if the engine switches to fail-safe mode, it is a serious failure that can cost you the more, the longer you postpone the visit to the service.

Much depends on what color the icon is. Red indicates a major malfunction, while orange or yellow indicates a minor one. Regardless of the color, the matter should not be ignored.