Check Engine Light Meaning

Here are the 10 most common issues that trigger it.

Check engine light meaning.

This light is the centerpiece of your vehicle s on board diagnostics system obd. Found on the instrument panel of most automobiles it usually bears the legend engine check engine service engine soon maintenance required emmiss maint or a pictogram of an engine and when illuminated it is typically an amber or red color. A check engine light or malfunction indicator lamp mil is a tell tale that a computerized engine management system uses to indicate a malfunction. A blinking light or in some cars a red light instead of a yellow or orange.

The check engine light is an irritation for many drivers but it gives you essential information about your car and shouldn t be ignored. If the check engine light illuminates it will either blink or remain constantly illuminated depending on the problem. The orange check engine light is a car s way of telling you something is wrong. Since the 1980s many vehicles have been built to be run by the engine computer unit ecu which controls vehicle s drivetrain and auxiliary systems based on input from the vehicle s sensors this computer will make adjustments to your vehicle s performance to keep your ride running smoothly.

Head to an auto parts store and have them run a diagnostic to find the cause of the check. The first thing you should do if the check engine light is flashing or is constant on your dashboard is to read the trouble code memory.