2016 Chevrolet Malibu Check Engine Light

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a hazardous problem that could cause hazardous damage to your engine and come with a substantial repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A dependable glow naturally means something less hazardous but a flashing check engine light expresses that your vehicle’s engine is in hazardous trouble and service is decisive instantly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, we highly advocate not to drive the automobile and schedule Chevrolet service today. Below is a list of the most aware reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the reward of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less persuasive 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 Malibu's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to opt for the right assortment 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.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak havoc on your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu if it’s not installed subsequently. These aftermarket parts and accessories can discharge the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound famous, bring your Malibu 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, exceptionally aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a microscopic bit more but could save you money from having to get poor perform and damage caused by poor installation perform corrected.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Chevrolet Malibu is what determines how much fuel is essential to run your engine efficiently by measuring the reward of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to certain changes, like altitude. If your Chevrolet Malibu 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.
• Your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu has a vacuum leak. Every Chevrolet Malibu has a vacuum system that performs a expansive variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower 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 important heat or extreme fast.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are essential for your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel assortment in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run. The spark plug wires transport the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are detrimental or historic, 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, fundamental to more lavish repairs.
• One of the most ongoing and bountiful cause is that your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu 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 historic 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 lavish. If your check engine light turns on rapidly after you put gas in your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, 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.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu is every 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 really require maintenance. The value of a new one depends on the type of Chevrolet you drive, but check our ongoing service coupons and specials.
• Your catalytic converter is detrimental or going detrimental. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu’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 regularly caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Chevrolet service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu 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 other problems from overheating.

2016 Chevrolet Malibu Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless conceivable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several real causes including something as real as a loose gas cap. Supplemental real reasons for a Check Engine Light are dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty emissions control part, damaged oxygen sensor, faulty head gasket, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, 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 Mechanics and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as mandatory 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 Malibu was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its hard systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control unit. If the electronic control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light brightens 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 wrong 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 Exceedingly Qualified Service professional.

Check Engine Light Service 2016 Chevrolet Malibu

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Chevrolet Malibu 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 cost 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 Malibu checked as soon as likely. Ignoring that warning could end up causing considerable damage to expensive engine components.

When your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t authentic, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is naturally 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 Chevrolet auto repair mechanics at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis. There are also a number of somewhat correct code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you determine that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an skilled professional to determine the issue and repair it.

Is it safe to drive your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu with the check engine light on?

This question is not very easy 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 protected to drive. This is mostly indicated by a consistent glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the automobile, it could be an indication of a more rigid problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a rigid issue and it is recommended to service your Chevrolet Malibu hastily. Call the experts at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis by dialing 3176435230 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2016 Chevrolet to our certified mechanics as soon as accessible.

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 risky failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it convenient to get the helpful code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is naturally between $88 and $111. The convenient news, Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help determine the cause of your check engine light.

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 determine if your automobile is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is accessible to predict how various miles you can drive with the warning light on.

2016 Chevrolet Malibu Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that microscopic light on your vehicle’s dashboard abruptly 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 known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Malibu. There are hundreds of contrasting codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a microscopic patience, tackling paramount diagnostics will give you convenient knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is specifically supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, obvious and helpful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of probable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of probable reasons for the light, including:

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

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

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most typically misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a lot contrasting 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 variety of things for your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. 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 indicate a variety of distinctive things. It can be as conspicuous as your gas cap being loose or as effective as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis. Contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis today! Our Chevrolet service department can help you choose what code is turning your check engine light on or investigate why your check engine light is blinking.

2016 Chevrolet Malibu Check Engine Light

A glaring light indicates that the problem is critical and if not taken care of immediately may result in major damage to the car. If the check engine light in your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu starts glaring, that means that the problem needs prompt attention and your Chevrolet should be brought in immediately. This blinking light usually expresses a strict engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can swiftly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is feasible, requiring an costly repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can totally 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 excessively expensive repair. If your check engine light is twinkling, please contact our team of automotive experts at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis immediately by calling 3176435230.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu will commonly 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 functional, 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 Malibu light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that reward and the light is still on, you will need to transport it in to Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.