These tips can help you determine whether your vehicle has a loose gas cap or serious engine problems"

 

WHAT THE LIGHT MEANS

The "check engine" light is part of your car's so-called onboard diagnostics (OBD) system. Since the 1980s, computers increasingly have controlled and monitored vehicle performance, regulating such variables as engine speed (RPM), fuel mixture, and ignition timing. In some cars, the computer also tells the automatic transmission when to shift.

When it finds a problem in the electronic-control system that it can't correct, the computer turns on a yellow warning indicator that's labeled "check engine," "service engine soon" or "check powertrain." Or the light may be nothing more than a picture of an engine, known as the International Check Engine Symbol, perhaps with the word "Check."

In addition to turning on the light, the computer stores a "trouble code" in its memory that identifies the source of the problem, such as a malfunctioning sensor or a misfiring engine. The code can be read with an electronic scan tool or a diagnostic computer, standard equipment in auto repair shops.

Manufacturers originally used the OBD system to help technicians pinpoint and troubleshoot malfunctions. But the systems now are required under federal laws governing automotive emissions. Although larger trucks have been exempt from the requirement, that quickly is changing.

WHAT TO DO

If your "check engine" light illuminates don't react like one Connecticut motorist, who simply poured an extra quart of engine oil into her vehicle. Although extreme situations, such as low oil pressure or an overheating engine, might trigger a "check engine" light, your dashboard has other lights and gauges to warn you about those problems and probably a lot sooner.

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