Things
You Auto Know About your vehicle's Check Engine Light
We at Mike's
Auto Service realize your car is an investment and we want to
keep you safe and your vehicle running for many miles. We provide
our ASE Certified Technicians the tools and equipment to diagnose
your vehicle as accurately as possible.
We hope
the information and examples contained in this article will
help you understand the significance of the check engine light
so you can make an informed decision regarding the repair of
your vehicle.
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle
is equipped with a sophisticate On-Board Diagnostic
(OBD) system. This is what has turned on your Check
Engine Light, or MIL (Malfunction Indicator Lamp).
Our technicians
at Mike's Auto Service are well equipped and trained, so that
in most cases, they will be able to diagnose and repair problems
quickly and accurately. However, there may be more than one
problem present, even though only one "code"
appears in your computer.
The OBD
system performs a series of ongoing "self-tests" to
determine whether all systems are working as designed. Once
a failure occurs, subsequent tests are temporarily turned off.
This means that once we fix the problem that caused the original
code to set, we may discover other problems that could not be
detected until the first problem was solved. This is especially
likely if you have been driving with the Check Engine
LIght (MIL) on for more than a few days.
Some of
the OBD self-tests require certain specific
conditions to occur before they can be run. Some, for example,
may require that the engine not be started for at least eight
hours since the last trip, and that when it is started, the
outside temperature must be warmer than 15F. Others require
that the fuel tank be between one-half and three-quarters full.
Most require that the vehicle be driven for several minutes
at a steady speed of more than 50 mph. There are many other
requirements for each self-test, and all must be met before
those tests will be run. Additionally, some tests must be run
more than once before they will register a failure.
When it's
not practical for us to keep your car and drive it so extensively
we must rely on you to do your normal driving and if the MIL
illuminates, to being the vehicle back for further diagnostics.
(Each of the OBD self-test will run eventually during normal
driving.)
When you
pick your car up after it has been repaired, your receipt will
include the specific codes present in your computer at this
time. That way, you can have confidence that any future problems
are not related to the same cause.
Some Commonly Asked
Questions...
My check engine
light is on can't you just turn it off?
Why does it take so long to find what is wrong with my car?
In a word,
you want a diagnosis. You want your technician to listen to
your description of the problem, run some tests, make some checks,
test drive, announce a prognosis and follow it with a cure.
While it
is true that today's vehicles are equipped with computers, digital
dashboards, oxygen sensors and more, there is still a lot of
old fashioned patience that goes into repairing a car. And to
a large extent, a timely diagnosis starts with the motorist.
Is it important,
when checking-in your vehicle for repair, to take the time to
explain to the service writer the vehicle symptoms. Sometimes
just a few extra minutes to communicate the full extent of the
problem can save a lot of time on the part of the technician.
For example,
if you bring your car in because of a recurring problem tell
the service advisor what previously was done to correct the
problem. Just as it's helpful for your doctor to know your full
medical history, previous vehicle repair information will assist
the technician to make an accurate diagnosis.
A difficult
situation for you the customer and for the technician is an
intermittent failure. That's when a problem unpredictably comes
and goes. These are difficult problems to pin point and to identify
the correct repair takes time and skill. A history of previous
repairs can be useful when diagnosing an intermittent failure.
Mike's Auto Service does maintain a complete record of repair
and service for each vehicle.
Finally,
it's important to remember that cars are a lot like people.
The flu, left untreated can lead to something more serious.
One needed repair, gone unchecked, can lead to another, often
larger and perhaps more expensive problem. So don't be impatient
if your tech makes a diagnosis, then digs a little deeper. If
he uncovers a second problem, and recommends a separate repair,
be grateful. Remember a responsible repair shop has one goal:
to fix it right the first time.
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