What Does It Mean When You See A Flashing Check Engine?
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| What Does It Mean When You See A Flashing Check Engine? |
Drivers may not see a flashing check engine light unless there is a problem with the car's engine. Since this is a rare thing, not everyone knows what a flashing check engine light means. This article can help you learn what you need to know about the check engine blinker.
You may be wondering why the check engine light is flashing. It's rare to see the check engine light flicker compared to other car symbols that light up on the dash display. The cause can be alarming, but as long as you take immediate action on noticing the warning signs, there is nothing to fear.
There can be several reasons why the check engine light is flashing. When you see the check engine light blink, here is a guide to help you understand why and what to do.
Overview:-
Whenever you start the car, the check engine light always stays on and turns off in 6 seconds when there is no problem. When something goes wrong, your car's electronic engine management system (EMS) activates the check engine light.
The Check Engine Light is a warning symbol that illuminates when a fault or error is detected in the engine component or in system management. Typically, you may see 2 warning light variations between solid and blinking depending on the problem. A steady check engine light indicates a minor problem, while a flashing check engine light indicates a serious problem.
The last thing you want to see on your car dash display is a flashing check engine light.
You should never ignore the flashing signal, as it indicates a serious problem with your car's engine. The experience may be painful for you, but irreversible damage can still be prevented.
If the check engine light is flashing, avoid driving long distances as this can cause further damage to your vehicle. In extreme cases, you and other passengers in your car and other people on the road put yourself at risk of potential danger such as a fire.
Stopping and calling the Tor service is the smartest response you can make when faced with an incident like this.
Why is the check engine light blinking?
Your car's Electronic Engine Management System (EMS) consists of an Engine Control Unit (ECU) and various subsystems and sensors that collect, analyze, and process the data necessary to calculate and distribute the fuel-air mixture required for The ignition. In the event a malfunction is detected, the Check Engine Light will come on to alert you of the problem.
When the light is on, the ECU stores fault codes that can be read and interpreted using built-in diagnostics, like the Dinan OBD2 scan tool, for example. Your mechanic can use these generated fault codes to help determine the repairs and parts that need to be repaired to resolve the problem.
There are many reasons why the check engine light is flashing. You may want to check and diagnose your car for the following problems:
- Ignition problem
- Faulty Oxygen Sensor
- Crankshaft and Injector Issue
- Engine Control Unit defect
- Exhaust Issue
- Bad Coils/Spark plugs
- An issue with Exhaust Gas Recirculation
- Damage to Catalytic Converter
- Faulty or Loose Gas/Fuel Cap
- Faulty Mass Airflow (MAF) Sensor
In most cases, a flashing Check Engine Light indicates a possible engine misfire. A misfire occurs when a cylinder does not supply the correct amount of power to the engine to keep the car running properly.
In some cases, a misfire occurs when the engine is pouring unburned fuel into your vehicle's exhaust system. Excessive amounts of unburned fuel can cause the catalytic converter to rapidly rise in temperature, resulting in overheating.
This catalytic converter is responsible for separating polluting gases and converting them into safe gases that are released into the air in a harmless way. When the catalytic converter is compromised, it leads to slow engine performance and possible engine stall.
Why is your engine Misfiring?
Here are three commonly known reasons why your engine misfires:
- Ignition Problems
This is the most common cause of an engine misfire. The spark plug and ignition coil are more likely to cause misfires as these parts wear out and fail over time. They cause problems like improper ignition timing and spark plugs that do not provide a spark to the cylinders. A fault in the ignition system is the least expensive to repair when the engine is broken.
- Fuel Mixture Issues
A problem with the fuel mixture can cause your engine to run too lean or too rich. The engine stalls when the fuel/air mixture is too light. When there is a high concentration of the air-fuel mixture, the fuel in the ignition chamber ignites with too much air or too little fuel, causing the engine to run on less fuel than it needs. This can lead to problems starting the car, slowing down, and even causing a gunshot through the cylinder head.
The engine is considered rich when there is too much fuel and too little air. The richer fuel mixture generates more energy due to more fuel. This can degrade the catalytic converter by clogging it with sediment of excess burned fuel. Too much running in the fuel mixture can lead to a rotten egg smell in the exhaust, poor fuel efficiency, and a strong vibration odor that can be felt when the car is idling.
- Low Compression
Low compression due to low power and low speed is another reason for engine misfire. Low compression occurs when cylinders are not producing the proper amount of pressure. A blown head gasket creates this problem because it causes gas to flow out of the cylinder due to the gap between the cylinder and the cylinder head.
A problem with the pistons that drive your car's motion can also be a source of compression loss. When your engine overheats, it can burn holes in the pistons, making them a place for gas to leak.
There are a number of problems that can cause an engine to fail. It is recommended to keep your engine under control by taking an OBD reading. When problems exist, this reading helps identify the location of the problem or which cylinder is causing the misfire by using the fault codes generated.
Improperly performed engine modification and tuning can affect the performance of the engine and its components. There are many state-of-the-art auto-tuning tools and accessories that can help you achieve the best balance in performance and emissions.
What to do When the Check Engine Light is on?
As mentioned above, when your check engine light is flashing, the smartest thing to do is stop as soon as possible and contact a towing service to take you to the nearest mechanic.
However, it is technically possible to continue driving, but only for a short distance when the check engine light is on. Do not take the risk of driving when the check engine light is flashing, as it can cause serious damage for which you will have to pay high repair costs.
If you want to avoid such a scenario, it would be best to get something that can help you check and diagnose your car and engine in no time. An OBD reader or a comprehensive diagnostic tool like Pulsar can help you with this task. It is now more accessible and easy to configure with your laptop using an EDGE cable and other OBD reader accessories.
Be careful not to panic when you see the check engine light blink. Play it safe and let a professional mechanic do the diagnosis and repair.