Pull over right away and cut the engine if your truck’s check engine light starts to blank. This is a sign that there is something seriously wrong with the engine. If you continue to drive your truck, you could damage the engine beyond repair.
If the check engine light turns on and remains steady, you still have a problem that requires immediate attention. Drive your truck straight to our auto repair shop so we can run a diagnostic test to determine why you have received a check engine warning.
The Chip and Sensors
Your truck is equipped with a main computer chip and sensors in every system. These computer parts talk with each other to keep the truck running efficiently and reliably. The main computer chip helps with the truck’s operation by, for example, firing the spark plugs in each cylinder. It also maintains the balance between the air and fuel in the combustion chamber.
The system sensors report to the main computer chip while the engine is running and the truck is in motion. Generally, the report is that everything is okay. If something goes wrong, however, such as a problem with your antilock brake system, the main computer chip will try to repair the issue. If it can’t, it will turn on the ABS light.
The ABS light is just one light that is directly associated with a specific system. The reason why the check engine light turns on is that there is a problem that does not have a warning light to cover it. The check engine light is a catch-all for various problems with your truck.
Running a Diagnostic Test
When you bring your truck to our auto repair shop, we will run a diagnostic test to determine the exact problem. The data that is downloaded from the test includes the error codes that the main computer chip received from the system sensors. This saves us a tremendous amount of time diagnosing your truck’s problem and also shaves money off your repair bill.
The Test Results
Once we review the error codes, we will know exactly what your truck needs. This enables us to create an estimate quickly and easily. The check engine light comes on because
- There’s a problem with the catalytic converter
- There’s a problem with the EVAP control system
- There’s a problem with the fuel system
- There’s a problem with the mass airflow or oxygen sensor
- There’s a problem with the spark plugs
- There’s a problem with the transmission
Do not worry. We can repair any of these problems. Call us today to set up a diagnostic test for your truck.