Lots of European car owners get understandably nervous if the check engine light comes on. Jackson Auto Repair knows why that’s a scary thing to see, but it’s equally scary for you to find a way to manually turn that light off. Here is some information about why you shouldn’t do that and what you should do instead.
The Warning Is There to Tell You Something
The biggest thing to know about the check engine light is that it’s communicating to you that there’s a problem. That problem might fall into any number of categories, which is why the check engine light can be both confusing and scary for owners of European cars. Ignoring the light is always a bad idea because these engine problems never just fix themselves.
You Might Be Able to Resolve the Problem Yourself
Some of the issues that cause the check engine light to come on are ones that you can do something about. The very easiest is to ensure that your gas cap is securely tightened. An unsealed gas cap potentially contaminates the fuel and can cause gas to vaporize. You should also check any other dash lights because sometimes there’s something else going on that also causes the check engine light to come on.
You Can Also Check Your Car’s Owner’s Manual
Definitely check your car’s owner’s manual for information regarding the check engine light. For your particular European car, there may be more information that can help you to understand what’s happening with your car. What you don’t want to do is to try to manually turn off the light without doing anything else.
Ultimately, You Should Always Find out What the Light Is Telling You
The best thing to do any time your check engine light comes on is to take your car to a trusted mechanic who specializes in European cars. There’s a lot of misinformation that engine light codes tell you exactly what’s happening with the car, but that’s not completely accurate. The code narrows down possibilities, but an experienced technician still needs to do some testing and verifying to determine the exact issue.
Are you having trouble with the check engine light on your European car? Don’t wait to see if the light turns off on its own. Contact us today at Jackson Auto Repair in Jackson, TN. We can do a proper evaluation and determine exactly what your European car needs.