Engine Repair: Is Your Check Engine Light Glowing?

The average car on the road today is almost 11 years old, and even though cars are built to last longer, all that wear and tear takes a toll. In fact, 80 percent of vehicles are in need of some form of engine service or engine repair right now. If you've been ignoring that "check engine" light on your dash, you're not alone. According to CarMD.com (which tracks repair trends on cars up to 10 years old), more than 9 million US drivers have ignored their car's "check engine" light for three months or more.

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Ignoring that message, and any corresponding engine service, could wind up costing you a bundle down the road. The light is alerting you to a problem with the car's engine or related systems. A blinking "check engine" light indicates there's a more severe problem that is doing mechanical damage to your car and should not be ignored. When this occurs, the best thing to do is limit driving and have the problem diagnosed by an engine repair techecnician as soon as possible.

Virtually all vehicles manufactured since 1996 are equipped with a "check engine" light, which is part of an on-board diagnostics system that constantly checks information from the engine to the transmission sensors to emissions-related problems. It covers about 80% of the systems on most cars, light trucks, SUVs and minivans.

Common failures that could cause the "check engine" light to glow are:

• Oxygen sensor, which monitors the amount of unburned oxygen in the exhaust and tells your car's computer when there is either too much, or not enough fuel.

• Mass air flow sensor, which calculates the amount of air coming into the car and determines how much fuel to shoot into the engine.

• Spark plugs, which are responsible for igniting a car's air/fuel ratio. When they fail, they can cause an engine "misfire," reduce your gas mileage, and ultimately ruin your car's catalytic converter.

Turn the light off! Prevent car problems by having the proper engine service and maintenance performed on schedule!

Looking for quality engine repair? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Rum River Automotive by calling (763) 389-3811, or go on-line at http://www.rumriverauto.com for more information about engine service, other repairs and maintenance, and vehicle detailing. Since 1997, our auto repair shop has served vehicle owners in Princeton, MN and in the surrounding areas of Milaca and Zimmerman, MN.