How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?
The intermediate rate for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is generally between $88 and $111. The exceptional news, Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help embrace the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not properly tightened to a more perilous failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it exceptional to get the available code reading and diagnosis.
Check Engine Light Service 2014 Ford F-150
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Ford F-150 and quickly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Ford owners, your heart sinks a miniature because you have miniature idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the rate of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t suggest you have to pull the vehicle over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your 2014 Ford F-150 checked as soon as conceivable. Ignoring that warning could end up causing abundant break to lavish engine components.
When your 2014 Ford F-150's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t correct, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is normally 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 investigate tool that is used by our Ford auto repair mechanics at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg. There are also a number of comparably low-cost code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you pick that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced skilled to determine the issue and repair it.
2014 Ford F-150 Check Engine Light
A flashing light indicates that the problem is unhealthy and if not taken care of hastily may result in major wear and tear to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2014 Ford F-150 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Ford should be brought in hastily. This twinkling light commonly illustrates a harsh engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be ditched into the exhaust system. There it can urgently raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is probable, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can truly be the cause. A bad, long-established or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg shortly by calling 3177903264. 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 expensive repair.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2014 Ford F-150?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as accepted as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a risky problem that could cause risky damage to your engine and come with a generous repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow commonly means something less risky but a flashing check engine light suggests that your vehicle’s engine is in risky trouble and service is crucial hastily. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2014 Ford F-150, we exceedingly advocate not to drive the vehicle and schedule Ford service straightaway. Below is a list of the most present 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 F-150 is what determines how much fuel is needed 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 aware changes, like altitude. If your Ford F-150 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 2014 Ford F-150 is every critical. 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 accepted service coupons and specials.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your 2014 Ford F-150. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your automobile. 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 erstwhile, you will experience poor performance and reduced power. In some 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, considerable to more expensive repairs.
- Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2014 Ford F-150’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 usually 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 2014 Ford F-150 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 divergent problems from overheating.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or divergent item can wreak havoc on your 2014 Ford F-150 if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the automobile from starting. If these issues sound accepted, bring your F-150 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, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could save you money from having to get poor function and damage caused by poor installation function corrected.
- Your 2014 Ford F-150 has a vacuum leak. Every Ford F-150 has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower 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 dry out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to profound heat or extreme bitter.
- One of the most classic and many cause is that your 2014 Ford F-150 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2014 Ford F-150 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 erstwhile 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 abruptly after you put gas in your 2014 Ford F-150, first thing you should check is to make confident the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, acknowledged 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 automobile will be less efficient 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 2014 Ford F-150's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the honorable 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.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2014 Ford F-150 will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is repaired. 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 definite, 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 2014 Ford F-150 light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to transport it in to Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.
Is it safe to drive your 2014 Ford F-150 with the check engine light on?
If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a atrocious issue and it is recommended to service your Ford F-150 rapidly. This question is not very classic because it all 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 ordinary glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the vehicle, it could be an indication of a more terrible problem. Call the experts at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg by dialing 3177903264 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2014 Ford to our certified mechanics as soon as possible.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most normally misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2014 Ford F-150 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in assorted back-up ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light lights up 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 2014 Ford F-150. Some of these include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name copious. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of conspicuous things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as astonishing as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2014 Ford F-150, 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.
2014 Ford F-150 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 lights up, 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 established as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your F-150. There are hundreds of assorted codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling large diagnostics will give you cooperative knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, intelligent and cooperative vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of attainable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of attainable reasons for the light, including:
- Transmission issues
- Computer output circuit issues
- O2 Sensor
- Ignition system faults
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Emissions controls issues
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Old Battery
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
This is why it is critical for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out suddenly by a certified Ford mechanic. Call Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg at 3177903264 hastily or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a precarious concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue honorable away.
2014 Ford F-150 Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are bountiful feasible causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are plentiful palpable causes including something as uncomplicated as a loose gas cap. Disparate palpable reasons for a Check Engine Light are damaged oxygen sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty head gasket, faulty emissions control part, dirty mass airflow sensor, or defective spark plugs to name assorted. 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 needed 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 serviced.
Every 2014 Ford F-150 was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its decisive systems. The sensors are consistently detecting conditions while sending data to the electrical control unit. If the electrical control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light flashes telling you that there is a problem. However, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what exactly is incorrect 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 Highly Qualified Service professional.
How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?
If you check engine light is shining, we advocate that you pull over and contact Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg to help learn if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we advocate a tow truck. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how countless miles you can drive with the warning light on. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replenished.