The Service Engine Soon Light or also known as the Check Engine Light is simply an on-board diagnostic system that monitors your car for any problems. Modern vehicles are equipped with hundreds, sometimes thousands of different sensors. All these sensors receive and send back information to your on-board computer. When one of these sensors fail, or notice a problem in your vehicle, they will usually turn the light on. This does not necessarily mean that you need to pull over right away and have your car towed.

Service Engine Soon Light

If the light is on solid, and isn’t flashing, you are okay to schedule an appointment with your mechanic. If the light is indeed flashing, it is a good idea to pull over and call a tow truck. A flashing check engine light or service engine soon light means that there is a serious failure somewhere in your vehicle, and driving any longer than necessary could cause catastrophic damage to the car.

The Check Engine Light Is On What Do I Do?

If you aren’t whatsoever mechanically inclined, I would recommend taking the car to a mechanic to have it diagnosed. You may be able to perform the repair yourself once the mechanic finds out the problem, but cars these days are very hard to diagnose in the first place. You don’t want to end up paying hundreds of dollars replacing parts that turn out to be fine.

If you are comfortable with electronic components, and familiar with auto repair, you can definitely diagnose and repair whatever problem you may have with just a few tools. The first thing you want to do is get the Service Engine Soon Light or Check Engine Light code that your computer stores pulled from the vehicle. In order to get that code you will need a Diagnostic Scan Tool. You can purchase one for as little as $40 here at our Diagnostic Scan Tool Store.

Another option is to take your car to a repair shop and have them run a diagnostic on the Light. Keep in mind the repair shop will usually charge between $75 and $125 to do this for you.

The last option would be to take your car to a National Auto Parts store where they will usually pull the code for you for free. This service does not include a diagnosis, so you will have to come back to a site like this one, find your code listed on our DTC CODES page. You can then identify what part you need to replace and fix it yourself using a Car Repair Manual

Fix Your Service Engine Soon Light Correctly

Remember that even if you have the Service Engine Soon Light or Check Engine Light Codes cleared from the vehicle, you may still have an issue unresolved. Unless you replace the needed parts required, the Light will come back on.

Choose your Make from the menu on the right and read some common repairs for Service Engine Soon Lights on your vehicle.

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Helpful Resources

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The premier OBD-II trouble codes resource site. We offer extended information on trouble codes including troubleshooting tips, symptoms, and possible solutions