What Steps Should You Take as Soon as You See the Check Engine Light?

If you’ve never seen the check engine light pop on, you might get pretty scared the first time you do see it. It’s not a light you want to see, for sure, and Reiff Diesel Services knows that it can be intimidating. Here’s what you need to know.

Look and Listen for Changes

The check engine light can definitely be startling, but take a second and see what else you can figure out. Listen to the vehicle as it runs and see if you can detect anything that’s different than usual. Sometimes a sound can give you clues you can use. You should also scan the rest of the dashboard. What other lights are on? If there aren’t any, you may not be able to narrow down the cause of the check engine light on your own. But you can at least start to take some proactive steps.

Think Back a Second

What else has changed or been done lately? Did you just have a service performed at the shop and now you’re seeing the check engine light? Sometimes there’s something small that’s related to how the engine performs that just needs to be tweaked or adjusted. Also, if you’re overdue for any particular services or maintenance, this can be the vehicle’s way to prompt you into acting sooner rather than later. It doesn’t always mean your engine is about to die right now.

Don’t Wait to Take Your Vehicle in to the Shop

If you’re tempted to try something yourself to just reset the light or make it turn off on its own, that’s a bad idea. Sure, sometimes the fix is as simple as undoing the gas cap and reseating it and making sure that it seals completely. But that’s not always the answer if there’s something more going on. It’s worth the time and the effort to take the vehicle in to the shop and have an experienced auto technician take a closer look at what might be causing the check engine light to come on. That gives you peace of mind.

You don’t have to deal with the check engine light alone. Call Reiff Diesel Services in Newburg, PA today and make an appointment for us to inspect your vehicle for you. We’ll accurately diagnose the trouble and let you know why the light came on in the first place so you can put a real solution in place.