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What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most typically misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2016 Ford Fusion is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a bit assorted 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 2016 Ford Fusion. 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 mean a variety of diversified things. It can be as cordial as your gas cap being loose or as critical as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2016 Ford Fusion, 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 inspect why your check engine light is blinking.

Check Engine Light Service 2016 Ford Fusion

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Ford Fusion and immediately, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Ford owners, your heart sinks a microscopic because you have microscopic 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 2016 Ford Fusion checked as soon as convenient. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to expensive engine components.

When your 2016 Ford Fusion's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t right, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is commonly 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 professional analyze tool that is used by our Ford auto repair mechanics at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg. There are also a number of comparatively low-priced 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 trained experienced to pick the issue and repair it.

Is it safe to drive your 2016 Ford Fusion with the check engine light on?

This question is not extraordinarily classic 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 generally indicated by a persistent 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 serious problem. If the check engine light is twinkling, this means that there is a serious issue and it is recommended to service your Ford Fusion abruptly. Call the advisors at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg by dialing 3177903264 so you can describe the issues. Or lessen your speed and bring your 2016 Ford to our certified technicians as soon as viable.

2016 Ford Fusion Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is forceful and if not taken care of urgently may result in major damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2016 Ford Fusion starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Ford should be brought in urgently. This shining light ordinarily indicates a rigorous engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can swiftly expand 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 actually be the cause. A bad, aged 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 pricey repair. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg quickly by calling 3177903264.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2016 Ford Fusion will usually 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 favorable, 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 2016 Ford Fusion light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that payment 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 many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

Since any check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how bountiful miles you can drive with the warning light on. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. It could be anything from a harmful sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. If you check engine light is flashing, we endorse that you pull over and contact Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg to help represent if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we endorse a tow truck.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2016 Ford Fusion?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as straightforward as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a precarious problem that could cause precarious 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 frequently means something less precarious but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in precarious trouble and service is necessary hastily. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2016 Ford Fusion, we highly advocate not to drive the vehicle and schedule Ford service now. Below is a list of the most familiar reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2016 Ford Fusion is every important. 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 various decades ago, and they don't absolutely require maintenance. The cost of a new one depends on the type of Ford you drive, but check our present service coupons and specials.
  • Your 2016 Ford Fusion has a vacuum leak. Every Ford Fusion has a vacuum system that performs a expansive variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps cut down 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, chiefly if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme bitter.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford Fusion is what determines how much fuel is imperative 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 correct changes, like altitude. If your Ford Fusion 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.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2016 Ford Fusion’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 mostly 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 2016 Ford Fusion 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 different problems from overheating.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known 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 compelling 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 break to your catalytic converter and your 2016 Ford Fusion's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to learn the noble 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.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or different item can wreak havoc on your 2016 Ford Fusion if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can ditch the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even impede the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound known, bring your Fusion to Ford and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, chiefly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might estimate a little bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and break caused by poor installation work corrected.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are imperative for your 2016 Ford Fusion. 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 old, 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 break to ignition coils and O2 sensors, finest to more expensive repairs.
  • One of the most normal and frequent cause is that your 2016 Ford Fusion gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2016 Ford Fusion 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 old 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 2016 Ford Fusion, first thing you should check is to make courageous the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.

2016 Ford Fusion Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are copious attainable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several commonplace causes including something as uncomplicated as a loose gas cap. Other commonplace reasons for a Check Engine Light are damaged oxygen sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty emissions control part, faulty head gasket, 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 decisive 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 fixed.

Every 2016 Ford Fusion was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its meaningful systems. The sensors are continuously 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 illuminates 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 erroneous 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 Incredibly Qualified Service trained.

2016 Ford Fusion Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that small 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 acknowledged as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Fusion. There are hundreds of discrete codes that your check engine light can indicate. While that sounds daunting, with a small patience, tackling principal diagnostics will give you awesome knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is totally supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, explicit and cooperative vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of convenient OBD codes, there are also hundreds of convenient reasons for the light, including:

  • Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
  • O2 Sensor
  • Bad Spark Plugs
  • Ignition system faults
  • Emissions controls issues
  • Old Battery
  • Fuel and air metering systems problems
  • Transmission issues
  • Computer output circuit issues

This is why it is awesome 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 expeditiously by a certified Ford mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a rigorous concern, you risk damaging your car supplemental by not repairing the issue humane away. Call Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg at 3177903264 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!

How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?

The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is naturally between $88 and $111. The convenient news, Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help elect for the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not well tightened to a more hazardous failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it convenient to get the essential code reading and diagnosis.