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What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One day you may see a mysterious light pop up on your dashboard. It may be yellow or red. Many people choose to ignore the auto repair or oil change lights until one day their vehicle is dead on the road. It’s important that you pay attention to what your check engine light is telling you. While it can be an unpleasant feeling to learn that you need auto repair services, it’s best to bring your car or truck to Alpine Automotive immediately, before you need to hire our towing services.

Engine lights may involve something as minor as a loose gas cap, or something costly, such as a bad catalytic converter. It’s important that you visit Alpine Automotive to get it checked out now.

A check engine light is formally known as an MIL (Malfunction Indicator Lamp). This is a sign from your vehicle’s computer that something has gone wrong. Generally, there is a minimal charge at Alpine Automotive to determine what’s wrong, but it’s best to visit our auto repair shop, as delays can add considerably to the costs if you wait for your vehicle to break down first.

Did you know that many people attempt to diagnose the problem themselves? They buy diagnostic tools, then they simply turn off the light. However, the light will just turn right back on.

These lights can vary in color depending on the manufacturer of your vehicle. They may be orange, red, yellow, or amber. If the light is steady, it may not be serious—yet. But once it starts flashing on and off, this can be a sign that there is a more serious problem under your hood.

You never want to ignore your check engine light. Even if you think you can’t afford an expensive repair, you should at least figure out what it’s about by booking an appointment at Alpine Automotive. We’ll help figure out if it’s something that needs to immediately be fixed.

It could be as simple as an oil change. Don’t forget to also have your timing belt and wheel alignment checked while you’re here. We look forward to meeting you soon.