Is It Safe to Drive Your Car With the Check Engine Light On?
A check engine light can be scary and annoying at the same time. It signals that there’s something potentially dangerous happening under the hood of your car, but it won’t tell you exactly what it is.
It can be tempting to ignore the light and brush off the possibility that a repair is needed, but that’s not the best idea. Your car has warning lights for a reason, and they shouldn’t ever be ignored.
But is it safe to keep driving when the check engine light comes on? The reasons for a check engine light can vary from minor (loose gas cap) to major (overheating engine), so it’s up to you to be an educated driver and understand the best next step to take if your check engine light comes on. Here are some guidelines to help you make the best decision.
Read: What All the Symbols on Your Dashboard Mean
What to Do When the Check Engine Light Comes On
What’s definitely not safe to do is panic when you see your check engine light come on. Remain calm and assess the situation to determine your next step. It’s best to pull over to a safe area to walk through this quick assessment. Once pulled over, ask yourself these questions to determine if it is safe to drive your car with the check engine light on.
Did I recently pump gas? A loose gas cap can trigger your check engine light. Checking to see if your gas cap is tight is an easy troubleshooting step, although the light may not reset immediately.
Did the car jolt or vibrate? This could be caused by your spark plugs going out. If your car is making odd physical movements making it difficult to drive, it’s best to call for a tow truck and schedule a visit for repair as soon as possible.
Did I hear any strange noises as the light came on? This is a sign you should stop driving and have your car looked at by a mechanic as soon as possible. Use your best judgment on whether to call a tow truck or drive yourself to a nearby repair shop.
Is the light flashing? In many vehicles, there are two types of check engine lights—a solid light and a flashing light. A flashing light indicates a more serious problem like an overheating engine or engine misfires, which can cause irreversible damage. If the check engine light is flashing, you should stop, turn off the car, and call for assistance.
Does my check engine light have different color options? Be familiar with your vehicle. Some cars have a yellow check engine light that indicates a non-emergency problem that should be addressed soon and a red check engine light that indicates that you need to pull over immediately.
If the way the car drives didn’t change, the check engine light isn’t flashing, and you don’t notice any unusual sounds or smells, you can continue driving a moderate distance (preferably back home or to your local Virginia Tire & Auto).
(Need to call a tow? Virginia Tire & Auto offers up to $200 in complimentary roadside assistance coverage for 365 days after your most recent service. Learn more.)
Read: Common Car Noises and What They Mean
Safety Risks When Driving with a Check Engine Light On
A serious engine issue can make you a hazard on the road.
While major issues are less common, it’s possible that your check engine light came on because your engine is misfiring or overheating.
Misfires can be spark-related, fuel-related, or mechanical in nature. At the very least, misfires can impact your mileage and ability to accelerate. If this is an issue, you could be a hazard on a busy road or a steep incline. Even more dangerous, a repeated engine misfiring issue can cause damage to your catalytic converter, severe vibrations, and even backfiring.
An overheating car can escalate quickly.
If your car begins overheating, this can quickly escalate to a potentially dangerous situation for you and those in your car, as well as others on the road. It’s always important not to panic, but to pull over as soon as possible to a safe area and turn off the vehicle.
Read: What Happens When a Car Overheats?
What happens when you drive with your check engine light on?
What happens to your car when you drive with the check engine light depends on the reason the check engine light is on! Sometimes nothing will happen to your vehicle if you complete your trip before you take the car to the shop. This is especially true if the issue ends up being a loose gas cap.
But if your vehicle is experiencing some of the other common reasons for a check engine light to come on, you could be worsening the damage and increasing your repair bill if you keep driving.
Mileage deficiencies: If your check engine light was triggered by your oxygen sensor or mass airflow sensor (MAF), you may experience decreased gas mileage over time.
Emissions: A malfunctioning oxygen sensor and MAF can also increase your car’s emissions. You may not immediately notice it, but it will likely be an issue during your next Virginia emissions inspection.
Spark plug damage: If your spark plugs triggered the sensor, it’s important to prevent further damage by having them replaced as soon as possible. If they weren’t already to blame, by ignoring other problems, they could be the ones to suffer.
Catalytic converter: Fingers crossed this didn’t trigger your check engine light, but it can be on the receiving end of a domino effect if items go unchecked. Issues with your catalytic converter can be costly and even cause irreversible damage to your car.
Maybe you have a story or two in your back pocket about a time when the check engine light came on mysteriously and then disappeared with no other symptoms. There’s no guarantee that will happen this time, so go ahead and schedule an visit for a vehicle diagnostic to get to the bottom of any issues signaled by the check engine light.
Our ASE Certified Technicians will use a code reader to pull any “trouble codes” causing the light to come on, thoroughly test the vehicle to determine the true cause of your vehicle’s problem and provide a recommendation for repair.
Will you need repairs if the check engine light turns on?
You won’t necessarily need repairs every time that your check engine light comes on. Sometimes all you need to do is tighten your gas cap and that’s that. Most of the time, however, the check engine light is an indicator that there is a serious problem with your car that needs to be addressed.
Regardless of the issue, the first step is to take your car in to get diagnosed by a professional car care expert. Trained mechanics can read your car’s onboard diagnostics system and use their knowledge and training to determine what, if any, repairs will be needed.
Don’t Ignore the Warnings
Now that you’re armed with more knowledge and troubleshooting tactics, you be the judge. Is it safe to drive your car with the check engine light on?
At Virginia Tire & Auto, we want to provide you with the right car knowledge so you can be an informed driver and car owner. If your check engine light comes on, stop in one of our locations to talk with a professional mechanic or schedule a visit online to get your vehicle serviced.