Check Engine Light On?
There seems to be a lot of confusion as to what to do when the check
engine light in your Subaru comes on. The check engine light often referred to
in literature as the MIL for
"malfunction indicator light", comes on when there is something going
on with the vehicle that would keep it from passing an emission test. As a
matter of fact, it is actually the computer in your car that does the emissions
test.
There are many things that will cause the check engine light to come on but it
doesn't exactly mean that there is something wrong with the engine. For
instance, running the engine low on oil does not turn the check engine light on
until the low oil level causes some other malfunction such as a valve timing
solenoid (that is operated by oil pressure) to malfunction. Letting the engine
oil level get this low is very bad for the engine and is either an indication
that it has
been too long between oil changes or there is an issue, such as a leak, causing
the engine to use oil.
When the check engine light does come on the cruise control light will blink
indicating that the cruise control has been disabled and the vehicle's dynamic
stability control light will come on indicating that it also has been disabled.
There is no reason to panic and it is okay to keep driving the car.
Many of the things that turn the check engine light on cause no drivability
issues at all, the check engine light is the only indication there is a
problem. Some of the things that turn the check engine light on, such as a
knock sensor or Oxygen sensor, may cause subtle drivability issues and
certainly will affect fuel mileage. The bottom line is that in these
situations, although it is okay to drive the car, the check engine light should
not be ignored.
If the check engine light is flashing it means that one or more of the engine's
cylinders are misfiring. It should be obvious to the operator that something is
wrong with the car and when this is happening the car should not be driven any
further than necessary or damage to the catalytic converter will occur.
What we ask you to do here at Quirk Subaru Bangor ME is, please call the Quirk Subaru Service Department at 1-800-281-1960 or click here to schedule an online appointment so we can help you protect your investment.
