You’re on your way home from work and all you can think about is the delicious dinner you are about to make yourself. You’ve had a long day and just need to get through the commute.
And then, the check engine light comes on. What are you supposed to do next?
It doesn’t need to ruin your day when the check engine lights come on! It could be almost anything with the car, just warning you to go get it checked out. But don’t wait the 9 days the average person waits to get it checked out.
Here are a few steps for what to do after your check engine light comes on.
1. Check the Gas Cap
Before you freak out, you’ll want to check out the more simple things on your car. The first is the gas cap.
Make sure that the gas cap is not loose or cracked. If it is not on all of the way, make sure to fix it. And if it doesn’t happen to be damaged, you should fix it right away.
2. Check for Low Oil Pressure or Overheating
If it is too hot outside and you’ve been driving for a while, or if you are towing something large, your engine may start to overheat. If this is the case, you’ll want to pull over right away and give it a rest.
3. Take It to an Auto Store
The good news is that if your check engine light comes on, you also don’t need to panic! If you want to know the check engine light meaning, you can take it to most local auto stores where they can run a short and quick test to see what code they get from your engine.
They can also give you some next steps depending on why the light is on.
4. Reset the Light
There is usually a code for each individual car if the auto store says it is not something to worry about. You can then turn off the light yourself.
Just do a quick Google search to find this!
5. Time to Fix It
If it’s not the gas cap, it’s not overheating, and the auto store tells you to take it to a mechanic, then it’s time to take it to a mechanic.
You may need Land Rover parts.
Either way, the mechanic will know how to fix a check engine light, but you will most likely need an appointment for them to fully diagnose the problem. This could take some time, so be sure to ask them how long it will take so you can plan accordingly.
Once the problem is fixed, you can get back on the road with peace of mind!
Steps to Take When Your Check Engine Light Comes On
When your check engine light comes on, the worst thing you can do is panic. Calmly pull over and take your time checking the gas cap. You can also look up your nearest auto store to get it there as quickly as possible.
Worst case, schedule an appointment with a mechanic to get the issue fixed!
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