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Is it safe to drive your 2020 Ford Explorer with the check engine light on?

This question is not very straightforward 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 travel to work. This is consistently indicated by a dependable 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 draconian problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a draconian issue and it is recommended to service your Ford Explorer shortly. Call the experts at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg by dialing 3177903264 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2020 Ford to our certified mechanics as soon as ability.

2020 Ford Explorer Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless attainable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are countless modern causes including something as prevalent as a loose gas cap. Alternative modern reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen sensor, dirty mass airflow sensor, 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 fundamental 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 2020 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 hard systems. The sensors are continually 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 illuminates telling you that there is a problem. However, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what totally is guilty 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 Tremendously Qualified Service professional.

2020 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 suddenly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear honest 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 distinctive codes that your check engine light can mean. While that sounds daunting, with a few patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you comfortable knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is genuinely supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, clear-cut and basic vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of potential OBD codes, there are also hundreds of potential reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is imperative 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 relentless concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue proper away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a certified Ford mechanic. Call Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg at 3177903264 now or schedule your check engine light service online today!

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2020 Ford Explorer 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 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 2020 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.

2020 Ford Explorer Check Engine Light

A glaring light illustrates that the problem is important and if not taken care of swiftly may result in big wear and tear to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2020 Ford Explorer starts glaring, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Ford should be brought in swiftly. This blinking light usually suggests a strict engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can hastily improve the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is achievable, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can precisely be the cause. A detrimental, traditional or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our department of automotive experts at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg straightaway by calling 3177903264. If the problem is ignored or you continue to commute, 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 2020 Ford Explorer?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as authentic as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a dangerous problem that could cause dangerous damage to your engine and come with a big repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A persistent glow normally means something less dangerous but a glaring check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in dangerous trouble and service is decisive immediately. If your check engine light is glaring in your 2020 Ford Explorer, we remarkably recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Ford service straightaway. Below is a list of the most traditional reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replenished. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford Explorer is what determines how much fuel is paramount 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 attentive changes, like altitude. If your Ford Explorer 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.
  • One of the most normal and plentiful cause is that your 2020 Ford Explorer gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2020 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 traditional 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 at this moment after you put gas in your 2020 Ford Explorer, authentic 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.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are paramount for your 2020 Ford Explorer. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel assortment in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run. The spark plug wires transport the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or traditional, you will experience meager performance and reduced power. In assorted extreme cases, your engine will have trouble starting or continuing to run. Worn spark plugs and plug wires can cause clogged catalytic converter or wear and tear to ignition coils and O2 sensors, best to more expensive repairs.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2020 Ford Explorer is every awesome. 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 assorted decades ago, and they don't totally 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 2020 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 2020 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 back-up problems from overheating.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or back-up item can wreak havoc on your 2020 Ford Explorer if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can ditch the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even hinder the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound conscious, bring your Explorer to Ford and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, hugely aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts authentic place might price a tiny bit more but could save you money from having to get meager work and wear and tear caused by meager installation work corrected.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replenished. 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 vehicle 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 wear and tear to your catalytic converter and your 2020 Ford Explorer's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to imply the feasible assortment 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 2020 Ford Explorer has a vacuum leak. Every Ford Explorer has a vacuum system that performs a expansive 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, hugely if they’re exposed to important heat or extreme abrupt.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most commonly misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2020 Ford Explorer is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few countless 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 class of things for your 2020 Ford Explorer. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name several. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of disparate things. It can be as plain as your gas cap being loose or as relentless as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2020 Ford Explorer, contact Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg. 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. Contact Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg today!

Check Engine Light Service 2020 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 a bit 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 value of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t express 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 2020 Ford Explorer checked as soon as fair. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to expensive engine components.

When your 2020 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 ready, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is continuously 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 diagnose tool that is used by our Ford auto repair mechanics at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you select that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an trained licensed to determine the issue and repair it.

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 accordingly tightened to a more hazardous failure like a detrimental catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it impressive to get the careful code reading and diagnosis. The average value for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is often between $88 and $111. The impressive news, Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help recommend the cause of your check engine light.

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

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