What Do You Do When the Check Engine Light Comes On?

You have likely found yourself on the Colorado roads at one time or another, happily running errands in your tricked out car, when you look down at the dashboard and notice that the check engine light has come on. If you are like most people, you did not directly drive it to an auto repair shop in Fort Collins, CO; but rather, you noticed that the car was still moving, not overheating or making any weird noises, so you just kept driving.

Of course, you were probably worried, but as long as your car was running you weren’t that worried. You were not worried enough to take it in to an auto repair shop in Fort Collins, CO the very next day to see why the light came on. “I’ll get to it,” you told yourself. And you put it off. Sometime later when you were standing by the side of the road and smoke was billowing out from under your hood while you waited for a tow truck to come and haul you and your car to a auto repair shop in Fort Collins, CO, you regretted all the procrastination, right?

The check engine light can actually signify several different kinds of problems, and may not mean that you will wind up stranded by the side of the road, but you get the point. In most instances, the light comes on because the computerized diagnostic system inside your vehicles is alerting you that there is a problem, but the problem isn’t that serious. Yet, even problems that are not that serious can become serious if they are neglected, so it’s always a good idea not to procrastinate, and take your car in as soon as you can.

It could mean there is a serious problem with your exhaust system, or your lubrication system (when was the last time you had an oil change?) or even something as innocuous as not having your gas cap on tight enough. Some vehicles are more sensitive than others depending on when the car was manufactured (the more recent, the more sensitive). But there is no way of knowing how serious the problem is or even if the problem is the failure of the light itself unless you take your car in to an auto repair technician in Fort Collins, CO to check it out.

A repair technician will usually use special equipment to check your system and find out why the light came on for free, especially if you are going to have the shop make any repairs. Some shops may bill you if you just want the diagnostics but plan to have the car repaired elsewhere.