CAR QUIZ
Do you know what to do if your "Service
Engine Soon" light clicks on?
From www.ase.com
Twenty-five years ago, the only dashboard
warning lights you had to worry about were
the ominous red “Oil” and “Battery”
sirens. Today’s dashboards are a smorgasbord
of rainbow colors with indicators for everything
from anti-skid controls to airbag circuit
warnings.
The
most common of these is the amber “Service
Engine Soon” light, and many consumers
aren’t certain what it means or what
to do when the light clicks on. Here’s
a short quiz to help guide you the next
time the light brightens your dashscape:
1.
If my “Service Engine Soon” light
comes on while I’m driving, I should:
a.
Drive immediately to a place where it’s
safe to park, shut the vehicle off and call
a tow truck.
b. Continue
on my way but seek service as soon as I have
a reasonable opportunity.
c. Disregard
it. The light is an overzealous warning system.
Answer:
B. The “Service Engine Soon”
light is triggered when the vehicle’s
computers detect that a component or circuit
in the vehicle is no longer operating within
specification. The light may sometimes be
paired with a drivability problem, such
as hesitation, misfiring or stalling. This
obviously requires attention sooner rather
than later. In other cases, the vehicle
may continue to drive normally for a while
because the computer system adjusts for
the problem, often resulting in lower fuel
economy, higher emissions and reduced peak
performance.
2.
How many components does my vehicle computer
monitor that can trigger the “Check
Engine” light?
a.
25
b.
500
c.
1,500 Answer:
C. All 1996 and newer (and some
1994 and 1995) vehicles are equipped with
On-Board Diagnostics II. The job of the
OBD-II system is to monitor hundreds of
functions within the engine control, powertrain
and vehicle body control systems, as well
as the communication between them. Any time
a problem is detected that could increase
emissions levels, the light is illuminated.
This is the only way your vehicle can tell
you something’s amiss. If you resolve
a problem that triggers the light one month
and the light returns in six months, it’s
not unusual for the cause to be a separate,
unrelated issue.
3.
True or False: My “Service Engine
Soon” light sometimes will turn on
and off because of a “computer glitch”.
Answer:
False. The vehicle monitoring system
is extremely reliable and stable. Before
your vehicle’s Engine Control Module
(ECM a.k.a. primary computer) triggers the
light, it monitors the suspect circuit for
a set number of vehicle starts and stops
to protect against false alarms.
In
some cases, the light may seem to turn on
and off at random. This is because the suspect
component is performing up to standards
at times and then falling below on other
occasions. Just as your ECM watches a component
before triggering the light, it turns off
the light if the suspect part performs as
intended for a length of time. Once a faulty
part degrades completely, your light will
stay on until the part is replaced.
4.
True or False: I filled up my gas tank two
days ago and now my “Service Engine
Soon” light is on. I’ve heard
that a loose gas cap can trigger the light.
Is this true?
Answer:
True. If you have a loose or missing
gas cap, fumes from your gas tank are escaping
into the atmosphere and your computer detects
a leak and increased emissions. On some
vehicles, you can properly install the gas
cap and the light will turn off. (This may
take some time, depending on your driving
habits. A service technician can confirm
the light is on due to a gas cap issue and
reset the system at minimal cost.) Other
vehicles require the assistance of a service
technician to reset the light.
Our
goal at Harrell & Beverly Transmissions
is to give our customers the best information
possible so they can make the best decisions
possible. If your check engine light is
on, the time is now to have it properly
evaluated and diagnosed. Give us a call
at 407-322-8415 to set up an appointment
or check us out on the web at www.harrellandbeverly.com
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