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So, your
'Check Engine'
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So, your 'Check Engine' light is on....  is that serious?

Chances are, if you drive a modern vehicle with an On-Board-Diagnostics (OBD) system you are familiar with the myriad of indicators and warning lamps on your dash. These may range from oil warnings, ABS, headlight/tail light indicators, and that pesky check engine light. More than likely you have also had one of these indicators on at one time or another when the car was “running fine.” Making sense of these indicators and how to respond is crucial to ensuring maximum performance from your vehicle.

The question asked time and time again is: “What do I do when this light is on?” and “Is it actually important?” The answer to the latter is quite simple: of course it’s important! The question of what to do is slightly more complex. Putting a perfectly running vehicle on the first tow truck and towing it to the dealer for nothing more than a light may result in nothing more than a hefty diagnostics fee. Ignoring that pesky “Check Engine” light or your other indicators, however, can lead to serious damages to your vehicles engine and drivetrain.

In older OBD systems, the indicator lights would only come on when an actual failure had occurred. This usually indicated a vehicle that was not fit for normal use and travel. The check engine light in newer OBD-II vehicles is much more complex. Today’s engine control systems or ECM (sometimes referred to a powertrain control module or PCM) have the ability to recognize degradation of a component or system and warn the driver of potential issues before the vehicle becomes unsafe to drive.

The ability to properly diagnose your vehicle OBD system and determine the cause for the indicator light can lead to significant savings, and ensure you are getting the most out of your vehicle. Simple hand held scanners will allow you to read the basic diagnostics codes and the simple fault description. For more detailed information and the ability to monitor your entire diagnostics system there is PC based software such as PCMscan or ScanXL which when coupled with an OBD scan tool such as the ELMScan 5 or Mongoose J2534 cables will allow you to fully diagnose your vehicle. For those that what a constant update on their vehicles status, the DashDAQ and DashHAWK systems will allow the user to monitor, log, and test the vehicles air, fuel and related systems in real time.

By reading your vehicles trouble codes you can tell whether you simply need to clean your MAF sensor, replace an EGR valve, or if you may have a more severe engine problem. The ability to read a vehicles diagnostics system as important to the professional mechanic as it is to the DIY garage warrior. Understanding of your vehicles OBD system is one of the most critical steps in properly diagnosing and repairing your vehicle.

This article has been adapted from Magnaflow Bulletin TB-80008 March 12, 2009

MSD DashHawk Vehicle Information Display (PN 13100)
MSD DashHawk
The DashDAQ OBD - Cabin Mounted Diagnostic, GPS* & CarPC System
DashDAQ XL
Kiwi MPG Meter, Trip Computer, Engine Check Scan Tool, OBD2 OBDII Gauge
Kiwi Wifi iPhone Scan Tool
The ElmScan 5 with USB - Includes OBD2 Diagnostic Software! ElmScan 5 Bluetooth OBD-II Scan Tool

Palmer Performance Engineering, Inc. the industry leader in vehicle OBD-II diagnostic and communications software
PCMSCAN™   |   ScanXL™   |   Dash Command™

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Quadzilla Performance Technologies - Diesel & Gas Tuners, Intakes & Filters

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