Is it safe to drive your 2012 Ford Mustang with the check engine light on?
If the check engine light is shining, this means that there is a productive issue and it is recommended to service your Ford Mustang immediately. This question is not very authentic because it any depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be safe to drive. This is customarily indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the automobile, it could be an indication of a more climactic problem. Call the experts at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg by dialing 3177903264 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and transport your 2012 Ford to our certified mechanics as soon as feasible.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2012 Ford Mustang will consistently shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. For example, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will turn itself off. Likewise, if your catalytic converter is going functional, and you did a lot of stop-and-go driving, that may have turned on the check engine light due to the high usage of the converter. In most cases, your 2012 Ford Mustang light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you travel to work over that fee and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.
How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?
The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not perfectly tightened to a more threatening failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it advantageous to get the relevant code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is customarily between $88 and $111. The advantageous news, Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help imply the cause of your check engine light.
2012 Ford Mustang Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear prudent away. If you hear the term, diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), these are just another name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, also admitted as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Mustang. There are hundreds of contrasting codes that your check engine light can determine. While that sounds daunting, with a few patience, tackling prime diagnostics will give you apt knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is certainly supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, visible and apt vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of likely OBD codes, there are also hundreds of likely reasons for the light, including:
- Transmission issues
- Computer output circuit issues
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Ignition system faults
- Old Battery
- O2 Sensor
- Emissions controls issues
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Bad Spark Plugs
This is why it is fundamental for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg at 3177903264 at this moment or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a rare concern, you risk bad your car further by not repairing the issue honest away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a certified Ford mechanic.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2012 Ford Mustang?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as easy as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a stern problem that could cause stern damage to your engine and come with a large repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow continually means something less stern but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in stern trouble and service is basic hastily. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2012 Ford Mustang, we highly hint not to drive the vehicle and schedule Ford service today. Below is a list of the most easy reasons your check engine light can come on:
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford Mustang is what determines how much fuel is basic to run your engine efficiently by measuring the amount of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to individual changes, like altitude. If your Ford Mustang is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2012 Ford Mustang is every troublesome. Without a car battery, your car won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s car batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't genuinely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Ford you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are basic for your 2012 Ford Mustang. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or former, you will experience meager performance and reduced power. In a few extreme cases, your engine will have trouble starting or continuing to run. Worn spark plugs and plug wires can cause clogged catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, main to more expensive repairs.
- Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2012 Ford Mustang’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is frequently caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Ford service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2012 Ford Mustang will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your car may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause distinct problems from overheating.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or distinct item can wreak havoc on your 2012 Ford Mustang if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket elements and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound aware, bring your Mustang to Ford and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed well and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, highly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM elements authentic place might cost a little bit more but could save you money from having to get meager work and damage caused by meager installation work corrected.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, admitted as the O2 sensor, measures the amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less correct when it comes to fuel economy. So what happens if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A faulty sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause damage to your catalytic converter and your 2012 Ford Mustang's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to designate the correct mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A bad O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
- One of the most admitted and frequent cause is that your 2012 Ford Mustang gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2012 Ford Mustang serves multiple purposes. It prevents gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. What happens if you have a bad fuel cap? If your gas cap is former or has a ruptured seal, you can lose fuel through evaporation which will result in more trips to the pump. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't expensive. If your check engine light turns on now after you put gas in your 2012 Ford Mustang, authentic thing you should check is to make convinced the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
- Your 2012 Ford Mustang has a vacuum leak. Every Ford Mustang has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps reduce harmful emissions by routing the fumes as gasoline evaporates through the engine. If you notice that your RPM is high in idle or randomly surges, a vacuum leak could be the cause. Over time, vacuum hoses can arid out and crack, highly if they’re exposed to important heat or extreme brisk.
2012 Ford Mustang Check Engine Light
A flashing light indicates that the problem is rigid and if not taken care of immediately may result in giant damage to the automobile. If the check engine light in your 2012 Ford Mustang starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Ford should be transported in immediately. This blinking light usually indicates a strict engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be drained into the exhaust system. There it can expeditiously raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is attainable, requiring an expensive repair. A Few owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can entirely be the cause. A damaging, former or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is ignored or you continue to drive, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a very lavish repair. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive advisors at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg urgently by calling 3177903264.
How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?
Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is critical to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is flashing, we advocate that you pull over and contact Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg to help indicate if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we advocate a tow truck. It could be anything from a harmful sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly.
2012 Ford Mustang Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are countless probable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are innumerable ongoing causes comprising something as conspicuous as a loose gas cap. Further ongoing reasons for a Check Engine Light are dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty head gasket, damaged oxygen sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty emissions control part, or defective spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Ford Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as essential to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Ford issue was revamped.
Every 2012 Ford Mustang was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the car on its crucial systems. The sensors are commonly detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control unit. If the electronic control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light lights up telling you that there is a problem. However, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what specifically is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Exceedingly Qualified Service gifted.
Check Engine Light Service 2012 Ford Mustang
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Ford Mustang and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Ford owners, your heart sinks a tiny because you have tiny idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the cost of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t mean you have to pull the car over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your 2012 Ford Mustang checked as soon as possible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing large break to expensive engine components.
When your 2012 Ford Mustang's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t real, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is consistently labeled “check engine” or “service engine soon”, or the light may be nothing more than a picture of an engine, or a picture of the engine with the word “check.”
When the light turns on, the ECM stores an engine code or “trouble code” in its memory that identifies as the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is read with an electronic audit tool that is used by our Ford auto repair technicians at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg. There are also a number of comparatively cheap code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you prefer that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced licensed to indicate the issue and repair it.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most frequently misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2012 Ford Mustang is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few different ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light illuminates in either an amber or red color and is part of the diagnostics system found on your vehicle. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored vehicle performance since the 80s and do a variety of things for your 2012 Ford Mustang. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can indicate a assortment of extra things. It can be as classic as your gas cap being loose or as critical as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2012 Ford Mustang, contact Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg. Contact Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg today! Our Ford service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing.