What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most constantly misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2016 Chevrolet 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 brightens 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 assortment of things for your 2016 Chevrolet Colorado. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, controlling engine speed, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a collection of diverse things. It can be as common as your gas cap being loose or as relentless as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2016 Chevrolet Colorado, contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis. Our Chevrolet service department can assist you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or investigate why your check engine light is flashing. Contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis today!
2016 Chevrolet Colorado Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are countless possible causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are copious popular causes including something as pure as a loose gas cap. Alternative popular reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, damaged oxygen sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, dirty mass airflow sensor, 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 Chevrolet Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as necessary to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Chevrolet issue was fixed.
Every 2016 Chevrolet 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 exciting systems. The sensors are generally detecting conditions while sending data to the technical control team. If the technical control team 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 exactly is liable 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 Greatly Qualified Service skilled.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2016 Chevrolet Colorado?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as coherent as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a relentless problem that could cause relentless damage to your engine and come with a large repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow typically means something less relentless but a flashing check engine light expresses that your vehicle’s engine is in relentless trouble and service is needed promptly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2016 Chevrolet Colorado, we hugely endorse not to drive the vehicle and schedule Chevrolet service today. Below is a list of the most effortless reasons your check engine light can come on:
- One of the most acknowledged and frequent cause is that your 2016 Chevrolet Colorado gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2016 Chevrolet 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 detrimental fuel cap? If your gas cap is old 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 pricey. If your check engine light turns on urgently after you put gas in your 2016 Chevrolet Colorado, first thing you should check is to make sure the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Chevrolet Colorado is what determines how much fuel is fundamental 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 unmistakable changes, like altitude. If your Chevrolet Colorado is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a detrimental mass airflow sensor.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or contrasting item can wreak havoc on your 2016 Chevrolet Colorado if it’s not installed correctly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can ditch the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prohibit the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound commonplace, bring your Colorado to Chevrolet and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might estimate a microscopic bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
- Your catalytic converter is detrimental or going detrimental. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2016 Chevrolet Colorado’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's perform is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is regularly caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with each Chevrolet service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2016 Chevrolet Colorado will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your car may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause contrasting problems from overheating.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, acknowledged 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 functional 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 2016 Chevrolet Colorado's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to pick the right mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A detrimental O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
- Your 2016 Chevrolet Colorado has a vacuum leak. Each Chevrolet Colorado has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps cut detrimental 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, especially if they’re exposed to persuasive heat or extreme bleak.
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2016 Chevrolet Colorado is each crucial. Without a car battery, your car won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s car batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't genuinely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Chevrolet you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are fundamental for your 2016 Chevrolet 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 detrimental or old, 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, big to more pricey repairs.
Check Engine Light Service 2016 Chevrolet Colorado
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Chevrolet Colorado and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Chevrolet 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 value of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t mean 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 2016 Chevrolet Colorado checked as soon as possible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to expensive engine components.
When your 2016 Chevrolet 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 small, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is often 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 audit tool that is used by our Chevrolet auto repair mechanics at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis. There are also a number of comparatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you designate that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced technical to designate the issue and repair it.
2016 Chevrolet Colorado Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that scant 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 another name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, also acknowledged as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Colorado. There are hundreds of divergent codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a scant patience, tackling astonishing diagnostics will give you natural knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, clear and convenient vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of feasible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of feasible reasons for the light, including:
- Bad Spark Plugs
- O2 Sensor
- Ignition system faults
- Old Battery
- Emissions controls issues
- Transmission issues
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Computer output circuit issues
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
This is why it is important for someone who does not have plentiful of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a critical concern, you risk damaging your automobile additional by not repairing the issue right away. Call Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis at 3176435230 now or schedule your check engine light service online today! When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out hastily by a certified Chevrolet mechanic.
How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?
The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis to help read if your vehicle is capable to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is necessary to predict how innumerable miles you can drive with the warning light on.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2016 Chevrolet Colorado will usually 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 practical, 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 2016 Chevrolet 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.
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 properly tightened to a more relentless failure like a harmful catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it excellent to get the realistic code reading and diagnosis. The middle cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is constantly between $88 and $111. The excellent news, Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help mean the cause of your check engine light.
2016 Chevrolet Colorado Check Engine Light
A flashing light implies that the problem is relentless and if not taken care of expeditiously may result in large damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2016 Chevrolet Colorado starts flashing, that means that the problem needs quick attention and your Chevrolet should be brought in expeditiously. This shining light mostly illustrates a scrupulous engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be discarded into the exhaust system. There it can instantly surge the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can specifically be the cause. A bad, long-established 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 flashing, please contact our company of automotive specialists at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis immediately by calling 3176435230.
Is it safe to drive your 2016 Chevrolet Colorado with the check engine light on?
If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a efficient issue and it is recommended to service your Chevrolet Colorado immediately. This question is not very real because it all 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 drive. This is commonly indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the car, it could be an indication of a more efficient problem. Call the experts at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis by dialing 3176435230 so you can describe the issues. Or cut down your speed and deliver your 2016 Chevrolet to our certified mechanics as soon as relevant.