How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?
The central cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is consistently between $88 and $111. The imposing news, Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help find out 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 risky failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it imposing to get the convenient code reading and diagnosis.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Ford Mustang?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as prevalent as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a unhealthy problem that could cause unhealthy 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 consistent glow customarily means something less unhealthy but a blinking check engine light suggests that your vehicle’s engine is in unhealthy trouble and service is fundamental abruptly. If your check engine light is blinking in your Ford Mustang, we greatly recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Ford service at this moment. Below is a list of the most current reasons your check engine light can come on:
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your Ford Mustang. 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 classic, 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, extensive to more costly repairs.
- Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Ford Mustang’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 Ford Mustang 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.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford Mustang 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 accurate changes, like altitude. If your Ford Mustang is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a abrupt change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or back-up item can wreak havoc on your Ford Mustang if it’s not installed well. These aftermarket parts and accessories can dump the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even avoid the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound prevalent, bring your Mustang to Ford and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed appropriately and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts earliest place might cost a tiny bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
- The battery is poor or dead. The battery in your Ford Mustang 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 a few decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The cost of a new one depends on the type of Ford you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
- Your Ford Mustang has a vacuum leak. Every Ford Mustang has a vacuum system that performs a roomy variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps cut 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 dehydrated out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme chilled.
- One of the most essential and copious cause is that your Ford Mustang gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Ford Mustang 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 classic 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 costly. If your check engine light turns on instantly after you put gas in your Ford Mustang, earliest thing you should check is to make convinced 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, 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 satisfactory 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 Mustang's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to mean the honest 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.
Ford Mustang 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 illuminates, 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 familiar as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Mustang. There are hundreds of disparate codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling crucial diagnostics will give you beneficial 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 excellent vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of compelling OBD codes, there are also hundreds of compelling reasons for the light, including:
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Computer output circuit issues
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Emissions controls issues
- Ignition system faults
- Old Battery
- O2 Sensor
- Transmission issues
This is why it is bizarre for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg at 3177903264 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a hazardous concern, you risk damaging your car other by not repairing the issue noble away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out instantly by a certified Ford mechanic.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your Ford Mustang 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 acceptable, and you did assorted 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 Mustang 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.
Check Engine Light Service Ford Mustang
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Ford Mustang and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Ford owners, your heart sinks a small because you have small 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 Ford Mustang checked as soon as conceivable. Ignoring that warning could end up causing large damage to fancy engine components.
When your Ford Mustang's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t apt, 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 audit tool that is used by our Ford auto repair mechanics at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg. There are also a number of relatively economical code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you opt for that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced technical to indicate the issue and repair it.
Ford Mustang Check Engine Light
If the check engine light in your Ford Mustang starts flashing, that means that the problem needs prompt attention and your Ford should be brought in quickly. A flashing light hints that the problem is perilous and if not taken care of quickly may result in profound damage to the car. This blinking light frequently indicates a strict engine misfire allowing unused fuel to be drained into the exhaust system. There it can abruptly enhance the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is viable, requiring an expensive repair. A Few owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can exactly be the cause. A bad, old 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 lavish repair. If your check engine light is shining, please contact our department of automotive experts at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg urgently by calling 3177903264.
Is it safe to drive your Ford Mustang with the check engine light on?
This question is not greatly natural 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 protected 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 vehicle, it could be an indication of a more efficient problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a efficient issue and it is recommended to service your Ford Mustang urgently. Call the experts at Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg by dialing 3177903264 so you can describe the issues. Or lessen your speed and bring your Ford to our certified technicians as soon as likely.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most mostly misunderstood lights or indicators in your Ford Mustang 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 variety of things for your Ford Mustang. Some of these include ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, and implementing stability control, just to name assorted. With that being said, the check engine light can represent a variety of different things. It can be as pure as your gas cap being loose or as relentless as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Ford Mustang, 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 blinking.
Ford Mustang Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are bountiful capability causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several sane causes including something as sane as a loose gas cap. Explicit sane reasons for a Check Engine Light are dirty mass airflow sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen sensor, faulty head gasket, faulty emissions control part, or defective spark plugs to name a bit. 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 imperative 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 Mustang was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the automobile on its vital systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending data to the computerized control squad. If the computerized control squad 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 wrong 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 Largely Qualified Service professional.
How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?
If you check engine light is flashing, we advocate that you pull over and contact Bill Estes Ford Brownsburg to help represent if your vehicle is safe to commute in or if we advocate a tow truck. Since all check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how bountiful 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 accordingly.