Is Your Check Engine Light On? Ignoring It Won’t Make It Go Away

You hop in your car to drive to work and as soon as you turn your car on, something horrible happens. Your check engine light comes on.

For most car owners, the very unwelcomed check engine light means a trip to the mechanic. But it’s important to remember that just because your check engine light is on, doesn’t mean your Japanese engine import is toast. Luckily, most cases are not that serious and can be fairly simple to fix. Others however, require immediate attention and sometimes can be quite expensive. Because of this, it’s important to get your vehicle to a mechanic for a code scanning as soon as possible. So before you panic and go out to get another Japanese engine import to hopefully fix the problem, you should be aware of some common causes of the dreaded check engine light.

Oxygen Sensor – Your vehicle’s oxygen sensor helps monitor how much fuel is burned. This sensor is important because a faulty sensor provides incorrect data to the computer and causes a reduction in gas mileage. Over time, oil ash covers the sensors and decreases its ability to change the oxygen and fuel mixture. Fortunately, the code the scanner gives you can tell you exactly which sensor needs replacing. It’s important to remember that not replacing a faulty sensor can eventually lead to more serious and expensive problems.

Catalytic Convertor – The catalytic converter is a crucial component in your vehicle. It reduces exhaust gases by converting carbon monoxide and other materials into safe compounds. If your catalytic convertor is what’s making your check engine light come on, you’ll most likely experience a reduction in gas mileage and trouble accelerating. Unfortunately, catalytic convertor failure is related to other issues and can be quite expensive to replace.

Gas Cap – While a gas cap may not seem like a vital part of your vehicle, it can disrupt the entire fuel system when it’s loose or cracked. When this happens, it can cause a decrease in gas mileage as well as an increase in emissions. Before buying a new cap, try re-tightening the cap to see if that makes the light go off. If not, you can buy a new very inexpensive cap.

Mass Airflow Sensor – The mass airflow sensor is responsible for controlling the amount of fuel based on the air coming through to the engine. Not only can a faulty MAF sensor decrease gas mileage, but it can also increase harmful emissions and cause the car to stall more regularly. In order to prevent the airflow sensor from failing, you should ensure your air filter is replaced at least once a year. While your car can run with a faulty MAF sensor, you should do your best to get it replaced as soon as possible.

So while it may be tempting to just ignore the check engine light, (if you ignore it long enough, it’ll just go off, right?) it’s in your best interest to get it checked out right away. If your car has a Japanese engine import, you should always look into used Japanese engines for sale in your area to be ready if you should need a replacement. Hopefully, your check engine light is on for a very minor reason, but if not, you should visit a trusted mechanic. With PwC predicting an expected 107 million vehicles to be manufactured worldwide in 2020, there should be no shortage of qualified mechanics.