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 accurately tightened to a more rigid failure like a harmful catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it nice to get the suitable code reading and diagnosis. The intermediate cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is commonly between $88 and $111. The nice news, Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help select the cause of your check engine light.
2018 Chevrolet Malibu Check Engine Light
If the check engine light in your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu starts glaring, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Chevrolet should be brought in now. A glaring light indicates that the problem is efficient and if not taken care of now may result in big damage to the vehicle. This twinkling light usually implies a exacting engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can quickly expand the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where wear and tear is potential, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can absolutely be the cause. A detrimental, departed 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 especially fancy repair. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive mentors at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis shortly by calling 3176435230.
Check Engine Light Service 2018 Chevrolet Malibu
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Chevrolet Malibu and promptly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Chevrolet owners, your heart sinks a tiny because you have tiny 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 advocate 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 2018 Chevrolet Malibu checked as soon as likely. Ignoring that warning could end up causing extraordinary damage to expensive engine components.
When your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the mechanical control system that it can’t decent, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is continuously 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 electrical scan tool that is used by our Chevrolet auto repair technicians at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis. There are also a number of relatively 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 skilled trained to opt for the issue and repair it.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as pure as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a persuasive problem that could cause persuasive 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 common glow typically means something fewer persuasive but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in persuasive trouble and service is mandatory immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, we tremendously endorse not to drive the vehicle and schedule Chevrolet service at this moment. Below is a list of the most natural reasons your check engine light can come on:
- One of the most easy and many cause is that your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2018 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 harmful fuel cap? If your gas cap is traditional 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 hastily after you put gas in your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, initial 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 catalytic converter is harmful or going harmful. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's work 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 Chevrolet service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2018 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 various problems from overheating.
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu is every basic. 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 lot decades ago, and they don't absolutely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Chevrolet you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
- Your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu has a vacuum leak. Every Chevrolet Malibu has a vacuum system that performs a wide 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 arid out and crack, chiefly if they’re exposed to extraordinary heat or extreme frigid.
- Issues with all aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or various item can wreak havoc on your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket components and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even stop the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound aware, bring your Malibu to Chevrolet and have our unit of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed properly and aren't causing all issue. Getting accessories, chiefly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM components initial place might cost a small bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work 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 basic to run your engine efficiently by measuring the amount of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to actual 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 harmful mass airflow sensor.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, aware as the O2 sensor, measures the amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less favorable 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 2018 Chevrolet Malibu'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 harmful O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are basic for your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. 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 harmful or traditional, 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, first-rate to more expensive repairs.
2018 Chevrolet Malibu Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are many feasible causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several present causes including something as apparent as a loose gas cap. Other present reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty head gasket, damaged oxygen sensor, 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 Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as basic 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 2018 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 crucial systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending data to the mechanical control unit. If the mechanical control unit 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 definitely is mistaken 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 Highly Qualified Service technical.
2018 Chevrolet Malibu 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 another name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, also routine as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Malibu. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you correct knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is genuinely supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, discrete and helpful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of convenient OBD codes, there are also hundreds of convenient reasons for the light, including:
- Old Battery
- Computer output circuit issues
- Transmission issues
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Emissions controls issues
- O2 Sensor
- Ignition system faults
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
This is why it is big 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 risky concern, you risk aggressive your car supplemental 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 shortly by a certified Chevrolet mechanic.
Is it safe to drive your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu with the check engine light on?
If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a draconian issue and it is recommended to service your Chevrolet Malibu instantly. This question is not particularly simple 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 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 draconian problem. Call the experts at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis by dialing 3176435230 so you can describe the issues. Or lower your speed and bring your 2018 Chevrolet to our certified mechanics as soon as feasible.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most frequently misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in divergent diversified ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light flashes 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 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. Some of these include controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can represent a variety of contrasting things. It can be as prevalent as your gas cap being loose or as rigorous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis. Contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis today! Our Chevrolet service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or scan why your check engine light is flashing.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2018 Chevrolet Malibu will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is serviced. 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 few 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 2018 Chevrolet Malibu 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 transport it in to Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.
How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?
Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is troublesome to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis to aid suggest if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. 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.