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Is it safe to drive your Ford F-250 with the check engine light on?

This question is not very authentic 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 automobile, it could be an indication of a more relentless problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a relentless issue and it is recommended to service your Ford F-250 hastily. Call the veterans at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg by dialing 3177903264 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and transport your Ford to our certified mechanics as soon as achievable.

Check Engine Light Service Ford F-250

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Ford F-250 and quickly, a yellow light brightens on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Ford owners, your heart sinks a little 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 Ford F-250 checked as soon as acceptable. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to expensive engine components.

When your Ford F-250's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t proper, 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 scan 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 elect for that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an competent competent to represent the issue and repair it.

Ford F-250 Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that tiny light on your vehicle’s dashboard quickly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear right 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 known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your F-250. There are hundreds of numerous codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a tiny patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you functional knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is strictly supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, disparate and vital vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of feasible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of feasible reasons for the light, including:

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

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

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Ford F-250 will customarily 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 factual, 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 Ford F-250 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.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Ford F-250?

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 hazardous problem that could cause hazardous damage to your engine and come with a intense repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow customarily means something less hazardous but a flashing check engine light hints that your vehicle’s engine is in hazardous trouble and service is basic immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your Ford F-250, we extraordinarily endorse not to drive the vehicle and schedule Ford service immediately. Below is a list of the most ongoing reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are decisive for your Ford F-250. 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 damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, major to more pricey repairs.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Ford F-250’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 fixed, your Ford F-250 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 disparate problems from overheating.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or disparate item can wreak havoc on your Ford F-250 if it’s not installed perfectly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound accepted, bring your F-250 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, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might value a little 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 replaced. The Oxygen sensor, prevailing 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 possible 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 Ford F-250's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to illustrate the polite 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.
  • Your Ford F-250 has a vacuum leak. Every Ford F-250 has a vacuum system that performs a expanded fluctuate of functions. The vacuum system also helps lessen bad 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 persuasive heat or extreme crisp.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford F-250 is what determines how much fuel is decisive 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 possible changes, like altitude. If your Ford F-250 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.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Ford F-250 is every competent. 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 absolutely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Ford you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
  • One of the most prevailing and frequent cause is that your Ford F-250 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Ford F-250 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 pricey. If your check engine light turns on suddenly after you put gas in your Ford F-250, first 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.

Ford F-250 Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are copious possible causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several normal causes including something as plain as a loose gas cap. Substitute normal reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, faulty head gasket, dirty mass airflow sensor, damaged oxygen sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, or defective spark plugs to name bountiful. 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 basic 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 Ford F-250 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 company. If the electronic control company 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 unsound 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.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most customarily misunderstood lights or indicators in your Ford F-250 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in assorted 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 fluctuate of things for your Ford F-250. 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 definite things. It can be as confident as your gas cap being loose or as unhealthy as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Ford F-250, contact Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg. 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 flashing. Contact Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg today!

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 accurately tightened to a more strict failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it awesome to get the nice code reading and diagnosis. The middle cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is ordinarily between $88 and $111. The awesome news, Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to assist find out the cause of your check engine light.

Ford F-250 Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your Ford F-250 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Ford should be brought in straightaway. A flashing light implies that the problem is noteworthy and if not taken care of straightaway may result in major damage to the vehicle. This blinking light usually indicates a scrupulous engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be deposited into the exhaust system. There it can expeditiously raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can exactly be the cause. A aggressive, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is glaring, please contact our unit of automotive experts at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg instantly 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 highly fancy repair.

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

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 troublesome to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is shining, we recommend that you pull over and contact Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg to help pick 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 replaced.