2020 Chevrolet Malibu Check Engine Light
A flashing light hints that the problem is hazardous and if not taken care of urgently may result in broad damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2020 Chevrolet Malibu starts flashing, that means that the problem needs urgent attention and your Chevrolet should be brought in urgently. This blinking light frequently hints a exacting 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 potential, requiring an pricey repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can fully 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 unit of automotive consultants at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis abruptly 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 very fancy repair.
Is it safe to drive your 2020 Chevrolet Malibu with the check engine light on?
This question is not exceedingly easy 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 protected to drive. This is typically indicated by a persistent 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 big problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a big issue and it is recommended to service your Chevrolet Malibu immediately. Call the specialists at Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis by dialing 3176435230 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2020 Chevrolet to our certified mechanics as soon as correct.
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 many miles you can commute with the warning light on. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. If you check engine light is flashing, we express that you pull over and contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis to help determine if your vehicle is strong to commute in or if we express a tow truck. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as plain as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a productive problem that could cause productive damage to your engine and come with a generous repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A dependable glow typically means something less productive but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in productive trouble and service is essential hastily. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2020 Chevrolet Malibu, we exceptionally endorse not to drive the car and schedule Chevrolet service now. Below is a list of the most cordial 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 amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your automobile will be less convenient 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 2020 Chevrolet Malibu's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the right assortment 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.
- Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2020 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 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 2020 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 further problems from overheating.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or further item can wreak havoc on your 2020 Chevrolet Malibu if it’s not installed perfectly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even impede the automobile from starting. If these issues sound aware, 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, especially 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.
- 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 needed 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 certain changes, like altitude. If your Chevrolet Malibu is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a immediate change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel assortment in the combustion chamber of your automobile. 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 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, considerable to more pricey repairs.
- One of the most prevailing and copious cause is that your 2020 Chevrolet Malibu gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2020 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 bad 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 immediately after you put gas in your 2020 Chevrolet Malibu, 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.
- Your 2020 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 dry out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to exciting heat or extreme agile.
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2020 Chevrolet Malibu is every exciting. 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 absolutely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Chevrolet you travel to work, but check our typical service coupons and specials.
Check Engine Light Service 2020 Chevrolet Malibu
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Chevrolet Malibu and quickly, a yellow light lights up 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 2020 Chevrolet Malibu checked as soon as feasible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing considerable damage to expensive engine parts.
When your 2020 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 decent, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is generally 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 choose that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced trained to read the issue and repair it.
2020 Chevrolet Malibu Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that tiny 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 additional 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 substitute codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a tiny patience, tackling necessary diagnostics will give you agreeable knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is truly supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, discernable and practical vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of conceivable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of conceivable reasons for the light, including:
- Transmission issues
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Ignition system faults
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Old Battery
- Emissions controls issues
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Computer output circuit issues
- O2 Sensor
This is why it is perilous 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 swiftly by a certified Chevrolet mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a memorable concern, you risk damaging your car additional 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 frequently misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2020 Chevrolet 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 2020 Chevrolet 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 collection of different things. It can be as commonplace as your gas cap being loose or as relentless as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2020 Chevrolet Malibu, contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis. Our Chevrolet service department can aid you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is shining. Contact Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis today!
2020 Chevrolet Malibu Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are several ability causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several natural causes encompassing something as prevailing as a loose gas cap. Other natural reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, faulty head gasket, dirty mass airflow sensor, 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 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 2020 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 equitable 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 illuminates telling you that there is a problem. However, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what precisely 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 Very Qualified Service experienced.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2020 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 accessible, 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 2020 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 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 appropriately tightened to a more strict failure like a destructive catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it positive to get the accurate code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is consistently between $88 and $111. The positive news, Bill Estes Chevy Indianapolis offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help learn the cause of your check engine light.