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Is it safe to drive your Nissan with the check engine light on?

This question is not highly accepted 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 array in the performance of the car, it could be an indication of a more risky problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a risky issue and it is recommended to service your Nissan abruptly. Call the experts at Nalley Nissan of Cumming by dialing 7706290287 so you can describe the issues. Or lessen your speed and bring your Nissan to our certified mechanics as soon as functional.

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 properly tightened to a more compelling failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it fantastic to get the suitable code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is usually between $88 and $111. The fantastic news, Nalley Nissan of Cumming offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help asset the cause of your check engine light.

Nissan Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless potential causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several common causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other common reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty head gasket, faulty emissions control part, damaged oxygen sensor, 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 Nissan Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as needed to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Nissan issue was fixed.

Every Nissan was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its crucial 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 exactly is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Nalley Nissan of Cumming 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 could cause the check engine light to come on in a Nissan?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a serious problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow typically means something less serious but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in serious trouble and service is needed immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your Nissan, we highly recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Nissan service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • One of the most daily and copious cause is that your Nissan gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Nissan 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 classical 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 promptly after you put gas in your Nissan, first thing you should check is to make satisfied 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, noted 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 effective when it comes to fuel economy.
  • Your Nissan has a vacuum leak. Every Nissan 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 dry out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to imposing heat or extreme cold.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are decisive for your Nissan. 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 classical, you will experience poor performance and reduced power. In a bit 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, finest to more expensive repairs.
  • Issues with all aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or supplemental item can wreak havoc on your Nissan if it’s not installed accurately. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even impede the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound favorite, bring your to Nissan and have our team of certified technicians ensure that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing all issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a bit bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and wear and tear caused by poor installation work corrected.
    • 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 Nissan 's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to indicate 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 mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Nissan 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 definite changes, like altitude. If your Nissan is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a chilly change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Nissan ’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 Nalley Nissan of Cumming offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Nissan service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your Nissan 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 supplemental problems from overheating.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Nissan is every essential. 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 truly require maintenance. The cost of a new one depends on the type of Nissan you travel to work, but check our current service coupons and specials.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Nissan 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 Nissan 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 Nalley Nissan of Cumming so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

Nissan Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your Nissan starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Nissan should be brought in suddenly. A flashing light expresses that the problem is curious and if not taken care of suddenly may result in major break to the vehicle. This blinking light usually indicates a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can quickly 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 absolutely be the cause. A bad, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive veterans at Nalley Nissan of Cumming abruptly by calling 7706290287. 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 extraordinarily expensive repair.

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

Since each check engine code has its retain level of severity, it is hard 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. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. If you check engine light is flashing, we endorse that you pull over and contact Nalley Nissan of Cumming to assist represent if your car is active to drive in or if we endorse a tow truck.

Nissan 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 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. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you useful 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, obvious and helpful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of possible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of possible reasons for the light, including:

  • Computer output circuit issues
  • Old Battery
  • Fuel and air metering systems problems
  • Bad Spark Plugs
  • Emissions controls issues
  • O2 Sensor
  • Ignition system faults
  • Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
  • Transmission issues
This is why it is important for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Nalley Nissan of Cumming at 7706290287 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a certified Nissan mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a relentless concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue polite away.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most commonly misunderstood lights or indicators in your Nissan is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few 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 Nissan. Some of these include controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as serious as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Nissan, contact Nalley Nissan of Cumming. Our Nissan service department can help you learn what code is turning your check engine light on or investigate why your check engine light is glaring. Contact Nalley Nissan of Cumming today!

Check Engine Light Service Nissan

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Nissan and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Nissan 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 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 Nissan checked as soon as possible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to expensive engine components.

When your Nissan '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 typically 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 Nissan auto repair mechanics at Nalley Nissan of Cumming. There are also a number of relatively 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 professional to determine the issue and repair it.