2012 Chevy Colorado Check Engine Light

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2012 Chevy Colorado?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as palpable as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a draconian problem that could cause draconian damage to your engine and come with a imposing repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A consistent glow generally means something less draconian but a blinking check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in draconian trouble and service is needed shortly. If your check engine light is blinking in your 2012 Chevy Colorado, we very advocate not to drive the vehicle and schedule Chevy service immediately. Below is a list of the most affable reasons your check engine light can come on:

• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your 2012 Chevy Colorado. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or departed, you will experience poor performance and reduced power. In some extreme cases, your engine will have trouble starting or continuing to run. Worn spark plugs and plug wires can cause clogged catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, principal to more expensive repairs.
• The battery is poor or dead. The battery in your 2012 Chevy Colorado is every visible. Without a vehicle battery, your vehicle won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s vehicle batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't absolutely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Chevy you drive, but check our existing service coupons and specials.
• Your 2012 Chevy Colorado has a vacuum leak. Every Chevy Colorado has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps cut harmful emissions by routing the fumes as gasoline evaporates through the engine. If you notice that your RPM is high in idle or randomly surges, a vacuum leak could be the cause. Over time, vacuum hoses can dry out and crack, exceptionally if they’re exposed to extraordinary heat or extreme bitter.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Chevy Colorado is what determines how much fuel is needed to run your engine efficiently by measuring the payment of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to confident changes, like altitude. If your Chevy Colorado is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a abrupt change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2012 Chevy Colorado’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is usually caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Chevy service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2012 Chevy Colorado will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your vehicle may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause other problems from overheating.
• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, respectable as the O2 sensor, measures the payment of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less equitable when it comes to fuel economy. So what happens if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A faulty sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause damage to your catalytic converter and your 2012 Chevy Colorado's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to indicate the right mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A bad O2 sensor can also cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.
• One of the most acknowledged and frequent cause is that your 2012 Chevy Colorado gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2012 Chevy Colorado serves multiple purposes. It prevents gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. What happens if you have a bad fuel cap? If your gas cap is departed or has a ruptured seal, you can lose fuel through evaporation which will result in more trips to the pump. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't expensive. If your check engine light turns on immediately after you put gas in your 2012 Chevy Colorado, first thing you should check is to make hopeful the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak havoc on your 2012 Chevy Colorado if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even avert the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound acknowledged, bring your Colorado to Chevy and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, exceptionally aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.

2012 Chevy Colorado Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear right away. If you hear the term, diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), these are just additional name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, also common as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Colorado. There are hundreds of definite codes that your check engine light can mean. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you convenient knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is absolutely supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, convenient and cooperative vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of possible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of possible reasons for the light, including:

• Fuel and air metering systems problems
• Computer output circuit issues
• Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
• Bad Spark Plugs
• O2 Sensor
• Transmission issues
• Ignition system faults
• Old Battery
• Emissions controls issues

This is why it is important for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a exacting concern, you risk damaging your car extra by not repairing the issue right away. Call Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis at 3176435230 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out expeditiously by a certified Chevy mechanic.

Check Engine Light Service 2012 Chevy Colorado

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Chevy Colorado and today, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Chevy owners, your heart sinks a little because you have little idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the cost of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t represent you have to pull the car over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your 2012 Chevy Colorado checked as soon as achievable. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major wear and tear to expensive engine components.

When your 2012 Chevy Colorado's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t exact, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is typically labeled “check engine” or “service engine soon”, or the light may be nothing more than a picture of an engine, or a picture of the engine with the word “check.”

When the light turns on, the ECM stores an engine code or “trouble code” in its memory that identifies as the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is read with an electronic scan tool that is used by our Chevy auto repair mechanics at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis. There are also a number of rather inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you choose that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an professional expert to indicate the issue and repair it.

2012 Chevy Colorado Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your 2012 Chevy Colorado starts flashing, that means that the problem needs swift attention and your Chevy should be brought in immediately. A flashing light indicates that the problem is applicable and if not taken care of immediately may result in large wear and tear to the vehicle. This blinking light usually hints a exacting engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can shortly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is probable, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can entirely be the cause. A bad, common or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is ignored or you continue to drive, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a very expensive repair. If your check engine light is glaring, please contact our team of automotive experts at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis suddenly by calling 3176435230.

How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?

The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not perfectly tightened to a more persuasive failure like a harmful catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it correct to get the handy code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is consistently between $88 and $111. The correct news, Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to aid read the cause of your check engine light.

Is it safe to drive your 2012 Chevy Colorado with the check engine light on?

This question is not excessively conspicuous because it each depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be safe to travel to work. This is naturally indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the vehicle, it could be an indication of a more persuasive problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a persuasive issue and it is recommended to service your Chevy Colorado instantly. Call the experts at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis by dialing 3176435230 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2012 Chevy to our certified mechanics as soon as reasonable.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most frequently misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2012 Chevy Colorado is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in various distinctive ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light lights up in either an amber or red color and is part of the diagnostics system found on your vehicle. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored vehicle performance since the 80s and do a class of things for your 2012 Chevy Colorado. Some of these include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a mixture of odd things. It can be as easy as your gas cap being loose or as alarming as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2012 Chevy Colorado, contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis. Our Chevy service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or audit why your check engine light is flashing. Contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis today!

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how bountiful miles you can commute with the warning light on. It could be anything from a detrimental sensor to plug wires needing to be changed. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. If you check engine light is shining, we advocate that you pull over and contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis to help represent if your vehicle is consistent to commute in or if we advocate a tow truck.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2012 Chevy Colorado will naturally shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. For example, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will turn itself off. Likewise, if your catalytic converter is going pragmatic, and you did a lot of stop-and-go driving, that may have turned on the check engine light due to the high usage of the converter. In most cases, your 2012 Chevy Colorado light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

2012 Chevy Colorado Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are many room causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are many daily causes including something as authentic as a loose gas cap. Substitute daily reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen sensor, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty emissions control part, faulty head gasket, or defective spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Chevy Certified Mechanics and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as needed to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Chevy issue was fixed.

Every 2012 Chevy Colorado was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its paramount systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control squad. If the electronic control squad detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light illuminates telling you that there is a problem. However, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what actually is guilty nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Tremendously Qualified Service professional.