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In your automotive life, few things are quite so dreaded as the orange glow of a “check engine” light. What does it all mean? Do I need to take my car in right away? My car doesn’t feel any different than it did just a couple of days ago! The truth is, a check engine light can turn on for literally dozens of different reasons, some major, some minor. Here are the five most common reasons that a check engine light turns on, each of which might require a visit to us here at Avondale Nissan.

Your oxygen sensor has gone out. The oxygen sensor in your vehicle has a pretty important job: measuring the unburned oxygen in your car’s exhaust system to discern how much fuel should be burned. A faulty oxygen sensor forces your car to burn more fuel than usual, potentially damaging your spark plugs in the process.

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Your gas cap is either loose, missing or broken. We generally don’t think of a gas cap as anything more than a stopper on your gas tank, but it actually has a pretty important function. It keeps your gas from evaporating, it seals the tank, and it maintains the proper pressure in the tank. That last one is what might set off the check engine light, making this easily the cheapest fix on this list.
Your catalytic converter has given up the ghost. Your cat converter is an essential component, since it converts the super-dangerous carbon monoxide into the not-as-dangerous carbon dioxide. If yours isn’t working right, you’ll likely notice a sizeable dip in performance. And, if you ever have to take an emissions test, you’ll likely fail that sucker.
The mass airflow (MAF) sensor has stopped working. An MAF sensor does exactly what its name indicates; it measures the amount of air getting to your engine, thus dictating how much fuel it should burn. If this goes out, then you’ll experience a reduction in power or burn more fuel, and possibly both.
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Your spark plugs/wires need replacing. Spark plugs, as you’re likely aware, are critically important to your car’s performance. They ignite the crucial fuel/air mix that makes your car go, so if they’re out, you can end up with a clogged cat converter, limited performance and undoubtedly, a lit check engine light.
As you can see, there are many varied causes that could make your check engine light flip on. However, none of these causes are minor enough for you to ignore the light outright. To answer any questions you might have regarding your dashboard lights, visit Avondale Nissan today!