If your check engine light has come on, it means something is wrong with one or more of the systems your engine needs to function. The cause could be something as simple as a loose gas cap or as complicated as a failed catalytic converter.
VIP’s Certified Automotive Professionals will find the cause of your check engine light. They’ll begin by scanning your vehicle’s On-Board Diagnostics System. If that doesn’t reveal the issue, they’ll run additional testing and diagnostics to pinpoint it. Once it is, you will be informed about any necessary steps that may be needed in order to get your vehicle back on the road as soon as possible.
Sometimes you can easily resolve a check engine light yourself, while at others, an automotive professional’s help will be needed.
If your check engine light comes on, pull over and see if your gas cap is loose. If it is, tighten it. If this doesn’t clear the check engine light in a few miles, bring your vehicle to your mechanic at your earliest convenience.
If the check engine light remains continuously lit and your vehicle is experiencing significant performance issues, there is likely an issue with a crucial part of your engine system or emissions control systems. Pull over, stop the engine, and arrange to have your vehicle towed to a repair shop to prevent further engine damage.
If your check engine light steadily blinks when you are accelerating, your vehicle’s emission control system is experiencing failure and causing the engine to misfire to the extent that your catalytic converter is being seriously damaged with every blink and could eventually catch fire. Pull over immediately and have your vehicle towed to a repair shop.
5 Most Frequent Causes of a Check Engine Light
The following are common check engine light causes:
At VIP we understand what your car means to you. All of our employees, from our customer service representatives to our world-class ASE-certified master technicians believe in getting the job done right. We walk you through the work to be done before we begin, including live-feed reviews of your vehicle and copies of your multipoint inspection sent straight to your phone.
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Your check engine light can mean a lot of things, but it’s a sign that there’s an issue you should get checked out sooner rather than later. It could be anything from a loose gas cap to something more serious. The only way to know for sure is to have the check engine light code scanned. Stop by any VIP location and we’ll read the code for free.
Whether it’s safe to drive with your check engine light on depends on what it’s doing. A steady light is usually okay to drive on, but don’t ignore it — stop into any VIP location and we’ll run a diagnostic to find out what’s going on. A flashing light means pull over when it’s safe and call us or have your vehicle towed in. Driving on a flashing check engine light can cause serious damage.
A steady light is an issue, but one you can get checked soon. A flashing light is urgent and you shouldn’t drive your vehicle in case it causes serious damage. Either way, you can always turn to VIP and we’ll let you know exactly what’s going on.
Your check engine light can turn off on its own sometimes, but that doesn’t mean the problem is gone. The code is still stored in your vehicle’s system, and if the underlying issue isn’t addressed it will likely come back.
The cost of resolving a check engine light issue depends on the cause. At VIP, we offer free code scans to tell you the codes, but we can also dive deeper and do diagnostics to give you a quote on what it will take to fix the issue.
All-Season tires are versatile and suitable for warm and cool climates, but not recommended for extreme hot or cold weather conditions because of specific rubber components.
Like their name suggests, all-weather tires are versatile and can perform well in a variety of weather conditions and can be severe snow-rated.
With bigger treads than traditional all-season tires, all-terrain tires allow for both on and off-roading capabilities.
Winter tires are manufactured to perform well in snow, ice, sleet and other cold weather conditions. Winter tires are typically soft, with an intricate grooved tread pattern — made for holding compacted snow and creating traction — and are severe snow-rated.
All-Season
All-Weather
All-Terrain
Winter