Ford Explorer Check Engine Light

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most generally misunderstood lights or indicators in your Ford Explorer is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the important onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a wide range of 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 wide range of things for your Ford Explorer. Some of these essential duties include shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, ignition timing, and implementing cohesion control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a wide range of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as unpredictable as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Ford Explorer, contact Larry H. Miller Ford Lincoln Draper. 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 flashing. Contact Larry H. Miller Ford Lincoln Draper today!

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

This question is not very simple 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 ordinarily indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the car, it could be an indication of a more serious problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is suggested to service your Ford Explorer expeditiously. Call the experts at Larry H. Miller Ford Lincoln Draper by dialing 3854255592 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your Ford to our certified mechanics as soon as possible.

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 Larry H. Miller Ford Lincoln Draper to support determine if your car is safe to drive in or if we advocate a tow truck. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is ordinarily difficult to predict how multiple miles you can be safe in driving with the warning light on. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Ford Explorer?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Again, the check engine light could again be a warning of an essential problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and pricey repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady and continuous glow ordinarily means something less serious but a flashing check engine light signifies that your vehicle’s engine is in serious trouble and helpful service is required quickly. If your check engine light is flashing in your Ford Explorer, we very propose not to drive the vehicle and schedule Ford service today. Below is a list of the most regular reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Your Ford Explorer has a vacuum leak. Each Ford Explorer has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system likewise 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 intense heat or extreme cold.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford Explorer is what determines how much fuel is required 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 certain changes, like altitude. If your Ford Explorer is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden rapid change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a crucial sign of a faulty mass airflow sensor.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your Ford Explorer if it’s not installed perfectly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even limit the car from starting. If these issues sound familiar, bring your Explorer to Ford and have our team of accomplished certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or utilizing OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could assist you save considerably from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
• 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 more instantly and your car will be less efficient when it comes to fuel economy. So what results if I don’t change your O2 sensor? A faulty sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause significant damage to your catalytic converter and your Ford Explorer's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the precisely appropriate mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A faulty O2 sensor can likewise cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.
• One of the most regular and frequent cause is that your Ford Explorer gas cap is loose, broken or missing. The gas cap for your Ford Explorer serves numerous purposes. It prevents unpredictable gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps cultivate pressure within the fuel tank. What results if you have a faulty fuel cap? If your gas cap is old or has a ruptured seal, you can lose fuel through evaporation which will result in more trips to the pump and be more expensive. Luckily, to change a gas cap isn't costly. If your check engine light turns on expeditiously after you put gas in your Ford Explorer, first thing you should check is to make sure the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Ford Explorer is each important. Without a vehicle battery, your vehicle won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s vehicle batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Ford you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Ford Explorer’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A broken catalytic converter is frequently caused by invariably neglected maintenance, which is why Larry H. Miller Ford Lincoln Draper offers a free multi-point inspection with each Ford service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your Ford Explorer will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your vehicle may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause other delicate problems from overheating.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are required for your Ford Explorer. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your car. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run smooth. 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 old, you will undergo a noticeable poor performance and decreased power. In some extreme cases, your engine will have trouble starting or continuing to run. Worn spark plugs and plug wires can cause obstructed catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, leading to more costly repairs.

Ford Explorer Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is very serious and if not taken care of swiftly may result in significant and significant damage to the car. If the check engine light in your Ford Explorer starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention swiftly and your Ford should be brought in expeditiously. This blinking light ordinarily reveals a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can immediately raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an pricey and major repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can explicitly be the cause. A damaged, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is totally 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 costly repair. If your check engine light is always flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Larry H. Miller Ford Lincoln Draper expeditiously by calling 3854255592.

Ford Explorer 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 various typical causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other usually typical reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty emissions control part, dirty mass airflow sensor, damaged oxygen sensor, faulty head gasket, or defective spark plugs to name a few. 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 totally repair it as necessary to restore factory specifications. When this occurs, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Ford issue was entirely fixed.

Every Ford Explorer 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 rapid sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending important 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. Nevertheless, unfortunately 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; Larry H. Miller Ford Lincoln Draper provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Very Certified Service professional.

Ford Explorer Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, particularly to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminate, 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 Explorer. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can accurately represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you advantageous knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that vital Check Engine Light to do what it is genuinely supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, apparent and useful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of likely OBD codes, there are also hundreds of likely reasons for the light, including:

• Ignition system faults
• Computer output circuit issues
• Fuel and air metering systems problems
• Emissions controls issues
• Old Battery
• Bad Spark Plugs
• Transmission issues
• O2 Sensor
• Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap

This is why it is essential for someone who does not have a lot of predominant automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a skillful certified Ford mechanic. Call Larry H. Miller Ford Lincoln Draper at 3854255592 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your vehicle further by not repairing the issue right away.

How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?

The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is ordinarily between $88 and $111. The good news, Larry H. Miller Ford Lincoln Draper offers entirely free multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help determine the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not correctly tightened to a more serious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it good to get the proper code reading and diagnosis.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Ford Explorer will frequently shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. For instance, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will expeditiously turn itself off. Also, if your catalytic converter is working accurately, 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 Ford Explorer 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 Larry H. Miller Ford Lincoln Draper so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

Check Engine Light Service Ford Explorer

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Ford Explorer and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Ford owners, your heart sinks extremely because you may have definitely 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, tranquil 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 advised that you get your Ford Explorer checked promptly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing extensive, extensive damage to expensive engine components.

When your Ford Explorer'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 usually 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 can instantly identify 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 Ford auto repair mechanics at Larry H. Miller Ford Lincoln Draper. There are likewise a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you pick 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 explicitly correct issue and repair it.