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2017 Ford Explorer Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that miniature light on your vehicle’s dashboard urgently flashes, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear correct 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 Explorer. There are hundreds of exact codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a miniature patience, tackling prime diagnostics will give you nice 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, accessible and basic vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of factual OBD codes, there are also hundreds of factual reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is concerned for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a exacting concern, you risk harmful your car additional by not repairing the issue honest away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out instantly by a certified Ford mechanic. Call Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg at 3177903264 instantly or schedule your check engine light service online today!

2017 Ford Explorer Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your 2017 Ford Explorer starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Ford should be transported in swiftly. A flashing light indicates that the problem is threatening and if not taken care of swiftly may result in major damage to the automobile. This blinking light usually indicates a scrupulous engine misfire allowing unused fuel to be discharged into the exhaust system. There it can promptly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where break is feasible, requiring an costly repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can certainly be the cause. A destructive, departed 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 2017 Ford Explorer?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as active as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a perilous problem that could cause perilous damage to your engine and come with a enormous repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A instinctive glow normally means something fewer perilous but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in perilous trouble and service is needed suddenly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2017 Ford Explorer, we exceedingly endorse not to drive the vehicle and schedule Ford service today. Below is a list of the most natural reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • One of the most present and several cause is that your 2017 Ford Explorer gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2017 Ford Explorer 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 instantly after you put gas in your 2017 Ford Explorer, initial thing you should check is to make sure the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2017 Ford Explorer is every vital. 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 several decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Ford you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2017 Ford Explorer’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 2017 Ford Explorer 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 further problems from overheating.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or further item can wreak havoc on your 2017 Ford Explorer if it’s not installed appropriately. These aftermarket parts and accessories can discard the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound aware, bring your Explorer to Ford and have our squad of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed perfectly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts initial place might cost a miniature bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be interchanged. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the payment of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less practical 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 2017 Ford Explorer's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to represent the polite variety 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.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be interchanged. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford Explorer is what determines how much fuel is needed to run your engine efficiently by measuring the payment of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to genuine changes, like altitude. If your Ford Explorer is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a hasty change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your 2017 Ford Explorer. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel variety 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 poor performance and reduced power. In several 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 2017 Ford Explorer has a vacuum leak. Every Ford Explorer 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 parched out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to imposing heat or extreme cold.

Check Engine Light Service 2017 Ford Explorer

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Ford Explorer and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Ford owners, your heart sinks some because you have little 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 represent 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 2017 Ford Explorer checked as soon as possible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing fundamental damage to expensive engine elements.

When your 2017 Ford Explorer'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 customarily 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 inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you choose that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced mechanical to read the issue and repair it.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most generally misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2017 Ford Explorer is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in some 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 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 2017 Ford Explorer. Some of these include controlling engine speed, ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can represent a variety of different things. It can be as accepted as your gas cap being loose or as strict as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2017 Ford Explorer, 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 analyze why your check engine light is twinkling.

Is it safe to drive your 2017 Ford Explorer with the check engine light on?

If the check engine light is glaring, this means that there is a hazardous issue and it is recommended to service your Ford Explorer swiftly. This question is not very pure 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 typically indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the car, it could be an indication of a more significant 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 2017 Ford to our certified mechanics as soon as adequate.

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is troublesome to predict how frequent miles you can commute with the warning light on. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy appropriately. If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg to help determine if your vehicle is admissible to commute in or if we recommend a tow truck.

2017 Ford Explorer Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are copious ability causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several coherent causes encompassing something as logical as a loose gas cap. Alternative coherent reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty head gasket, damaged oxygen sensor, faulty emissions control part, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, dirty mass airflow sensor, 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 Mechanics 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 2017 Ford Explorer 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 continually detecting conditions while sending data to the electrical control department. If the electrical control department 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 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 Extremely Qualified Service skilled.

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 well tightened to a more precarious failure like a combative catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it confident to get the satisfactory code reading and diagnosis. The central cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is frequently between $88 and $111. The confident news, Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help suggest the cause of your check engine light.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2017 Ford Explorer 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 persistent, 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 2017 Ford Explorer 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 bring it in to Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.