Is it safe to drive your 2019 Chevy Malibu with the check engine light on?
If the check engine light is blinking, this means that there is a unhealthy issue and it is recommended to service your Chevy Malibu shortly. This question is not very accepted 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 dependable 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 unhealthy problem. Call the experts at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis by dialing 3176435230 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2019 Chevy to our certified mechanics as soon as correct.
2019 Chevy 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 lights up, 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 common as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Malibu. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can imply. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling critical diagnostics will give you accessible 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, straightforward and helpful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of attainable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of attainable reasons for the light, including:
- Computer output circuit issues
- Transmission issues
- Old Battery
- Ignition system faults
- O2 Sensor
- Emissions controls issues
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
This is why it is vital for someone who does not have bountiful of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis at 3176435230 at this moment or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a astonishing concern, you risk damaging your vehicle supplemental by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out abruptly by a certified Chevy technician.
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 appropriately tightened to a more hazardous failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it marvelous to get the fitting code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is continuously between $88 and $111. The marvelous news, Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help hint the cause of your check engine light.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2019 Chevy Malibu?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as authentic 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 colossal repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A dependable glow frequently means something less hazardous but a flashing check engine light expresses that your vehicle’s engine is in hazardous trouble and service is essential straightaway. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2019 Chevy Malibu, we tremendously recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Chevy service today. Below is a list of the most traditional reasons your check engine light can come on:
- Your 2019 Chevy Malibu has a vacuum leak. Every Chevy Malibu has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower damaging 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, especially if they’re exposed to imposing heat or extreme chilled.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or extra item can wreak havoc on your 2019 Chevy Malibu if it’s not installed correctly. These aftermarket factors and accessories can discharge the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound prevalent, bring your Malibu to Chevy 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 factors earliest place might estimate a small bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are basic for your 2019 Chevy Malibu. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel variety 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, first-rate to more expensive repairs.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Chevy 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 authentic changes, like altitude. If your Chevy Malibu is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a precipitous change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, acknowledged 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 pragmatic 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 2019 Chevy Malibu's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the right variety of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A bad O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
- One of the most straightforward and countless cause is that your 2019 Chevy Malibu gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2019 Chevy 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 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 2019 Chevy Malibu, earliest 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 2019 Chevy Malibu is every innate. 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 estimate of a new one depends on the type of Chevy you commute, but check our current service coupons and specials.
- Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2019 Chevy 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 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 serviced, your 2019 Chevy 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 extra problems from overheating.
2019 Chevy Malibu Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are bountiful possible causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are frequent commonplace causes including something as logical as a loose gas cap. Additional commonplace reasons for a Check Engine Light are dirty mass airflow sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen 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 Technicians 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 revamped.
Every 2019 Chevy 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 mostly detecting conditions while sending data to the electrical control department. If the electrical control department 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 inaccurate 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 professional.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most constantly misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2019 Chevy Malibu is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few different ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light illuminates 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 2019 Chevy Malibu. Some of these include ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of various things. It can be as realistic as your gas cap being loose or as relentless as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2019 Chevy Malibu, contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis. Our Chevy service department can assist you learn what code is turning your check engine light on or analyze why your check engine light is flashing. Contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis today!
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2019 Chevy Malibu will ordinarily 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 cooperative, 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 2019 Chevy Malibu light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you commute 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.
Check Engine Light Service 2019 Chevy Malibu
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Chevy Malibu and instantly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Chevy owners, your heart sinks a microscopic because you have microscopic idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the rate 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 2019 Chevy Malibu checked as soon as likely. Ignoring that warning could end up causing enormous damage to expensive engine components.
When your 2019 Chevy Malibu's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electrical control system that it can’t accurate, 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 observe tool that is used by our Chevy auto repair mechanics at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you prefer that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced professional to mean the issue and repair it.
2019 Chevy Malibu Check Engine Light
If the check engine light in your 2019 Chevy Malibu starts flashing, that means that the problem needs sudden attention and your Chevy should be brought in expeditiously. A flashing light indicates that the problem is hazardous and if not taken care of expeditiously may result in major damage to the vehicle. This glaring light usually indicates a rigid engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can urgently raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is conceivable, requiring an fancy repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can precisely be the cause. A bad, classic or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive consultants at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis urgently by calling 3176435230. 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.
How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?
The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy subsequently. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is laborious to predict how several miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is flashing, we advocate that you pull over and contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis to help pick if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we advocate a tow truck. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced.