{"id":603,"date":"2019-10-17T16:42:55","date_gmt":"2019-10-17T16:42:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/?p=603"},"modified":"2019-10-17T16:42:55","modified_gmt":"2019-10-17T16:42:55","slug":"do-i-have-to-repair-a-check-engine-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/do-i-have-to-repair-a-check-engine-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Do I Have to Repair a Check Engine Light?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When that check engine light comes on, the panic starts to\nset in. \u201cHow much is this going to cost me?\u201d is the only thought that runs\nthrough your head until you take your vehicle to a mechanic for an inspection.\nBut while you wait for the diagnosis, there is no need to worry prematurely; not\nall check engine light warnings are serious. In fact, some are so minor, car\nowners ask themselves whether or not it\u2019s even worth fixing. On the other hand,\nsome are so easy to fix, you can manage it on your own, and at no cost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">If your check engine light is on, continue reading to learn\nwhy it might have illuminated and what your options are for repair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"544\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Check-Engine-Light-Repair-Indianapolis-e1571330493876.jpg\" alt=\"Indianapolis Check Engine Light Repair\" class=\"wp-image-604\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Check-Engine-Light-Repair-Indianapolis-e1571330493876.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Check-Engine-Light-Repair-Indianapolis-e1571330493876-300x181.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Check-Engine-Light-Repair-Indianapolis-e1571330493876-768x464.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption>Indianapolis Check Engine Light Repair 317-475-1846<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Check Engine Light Warnings<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>A check engine light is also referred to as a malfunctioning\nindicator lamp (MIL). They are designed to detect mechanical and electrical\nissues within a vehicle, and then illuminate upon detection. Once your check\nengine light comes on, your first step is to get a diagnostic reading. You can purchase\na check engine light code reader online or at your local auto supply store,\nhowever, it is better to have it done by a trained mechanic who can help you understand\nthe issue and your options for repair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Minor Automotive Issues<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of the most common causes for a check engine light to illuminate\nare somewhat minor problems. For example, a top cause is a loose or open gas\ncap. Simply forgetting to close your gas cap can cause your check engine light\nto illuminate, so be sure to always check this first before heading to your\nlocal auto shop. Another common cause for a check engine light to come on is\nlow tire pressure. Not all vehicle\u2019s are designed with a malfunctioning\nindicator lamp that will detect this issue, but most newer models do. Simply\ntend to your tire as needed, and the check engine light will turn off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Moderate to Major Automotive Issues<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>The check engine light is also designed to detect more\nserious issues with your vehicle. If the minor causes are not applicable to your\nsituation, it could be a moderate to major automotive issue. Some of the most\ncommon moderate to major issues detected by a malfunctioning indicator lamp\ninclude:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your vehicle needs a new oxygen (o<sub>2<\/sub>) sensor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your vehicle needs a new mass airflow sensor (MAF). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your vehicle needs new spark plugs or plug wires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The catalytic converter is damaged or defective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">To Repair or Not to Repair<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important to talk to your trusted Indianapolis mechanic\nfor advice on car care and automotive repair. If your check engine light came\non due to a minor issue, you won\u2019t need auto repair service. However, if it\ncame on due to something more serious, the issue must be repaired or corrected\nin order to safety and efficiency of your vehicle. Even if you feel that your\ncar is operating just fine, you should still have it inspected, as some\nproblems can start small and worsen, overtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Need an Auto Mechanic?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Call Northeast Auto Service at 317-475-1846<\/strong> for professional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/services\/check-engine-light.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Indianapolis check engine light services (opens in a new tab)\">Indianapolis check engine light services<\/a> you can trust. Our ASE certified car mechanics provide a wide range of automotive services for all make and model vehicles, foreign and domestic. Schedule a free inspection and estimate, anytime. Don\u2019t forget to ask us about our auto repair coupons and discounts!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Indianapolis-Automotive-Service-Coupon-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-583\"\/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When that check engine light comes on, the panic starts to set in. \u201cHow much is this going to cost me?\u201d is the only thought that runs through your head until you take your vehicle to a mechanic for an &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/do-i-have-to-repair-a-check-engine-light\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":604,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[319,1,173,336,120,277],"tags":[360,362,361,358,201,357,59],"class_list":["post-603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-auto-electrical-service","category-uncategorized","category-car-care","category-car-engine-repair","category-cars","category-mechanic-advice","tag-check-engine-light-causes","tag-check-engine-light-code-reader","tag-check-engine-light-ignore","tag-check-engine-light-service-indianapolis","tag-engine-repair-indianapolis","tag-indianapolis-check-engine-light-repair","tag-indianapolis-mechanic"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=603"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/603\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":605,"href":"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/603\/revisions\/605"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.autorepairindy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}