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 Honda Boise to help determine if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we advocate a tow truck. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is usually 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. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced.
Is it safe to drive your Honda HR-V with the check engine light on?
If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is recommended to service your Honda HR-V immediately. 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 typically indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the vehicle, it could be an indication of a more serious problem. Call the experts at Larry H. Miller Honda Boise by dialing 2085100463 so you can describe the issues. Or decrease your speed and bring your Honda to our certified mechanics as soon as possible.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Honda HR-V?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Still, the check engine light could still be a warning of a serious problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and expensive repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady and continuous glow generally means something less serious but a flashing check engine light signifies that your vehicle’s engine is in meaningful trouble and useful service is required quickly. If your check engine light is flashing in your Honda HR-V, we very advise not to drive the car and schedule Honda service today. Below is a list of the most typical reasons your check engine light can come on:
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are necessary for your Honda HR-V. 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 expensive repairs.
- 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 immediately and your car will be less efficient when it comes to fuel economy. So what hits if I don’t change your O2 sensor? A damaged sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause meaningful damage to your catalytic converter and your Honda HR-V's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the specifically correct mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A damaged O2 sensor can again cause a car to fail an emissions test.
- Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Honda HR-V’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 usually caused by constantly neglected maintenance, which is why Larry H. Miller Honda Boise offers a complimentary multi-point examination with every Honda service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your Honda HR-V will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your car may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause other delicate problems from overheating.
- Your Honda HR-V has a vacuum leak. Every Honda HR-V has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system again helps lower unhealthy 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.
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Honda HR-V is every important. Without a car battery, your car won’t start, light up the road in front, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s car batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't genuinely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Honda you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Honda HR-V is what determines how much fuel is necessary 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 Honda HR-V is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden speedy replace in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a vital sign of a damaged mass airflow sensor.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your Honda HR-V if it’s not installed correctly. These aftermarket components and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the car from starting. If these issues sound familiar, bring your HR-V to Honda and have our team of talented certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed perfectly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or utilizing OEM components first place might cost a little bit more but could support you save considerably from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
- One of the most common and frequent cause is that your Honda HR-V gas cap is loose, broken or missing. The gas cap for your Honda HR-V serves various purposes. It prevents unpredictable gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. What hits if you have a damaged 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 pricey. Luckily, to change a gas cap isn't expensive. If your check engine light turns on quickly after you put gas in your Honda HR-V, 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.
Honda HR-V Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, exceptionally 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, likewise known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your HR-V. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can properly represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you advantageous knowledge about your vehicle and will likewise allow that essential Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, evident and useful vehicle symptoms do not repeatedly accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of imaginable OBD codes, there are likewise hundreds of imaginable reasons for the light, including:
- Old Battery
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Computer output circuit issues
- Emissions controls issues
- O2 Sensor
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Ignition system faults
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Transmission issues
This is why it is essential for someone who does not have a lot of prevailing automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out rapidly by a skillful certified Honda mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue right away. Call Larry H. Miller Honda Boise at 2085100463 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!
How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?
The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is generally between $88 and $111. The good news, Larry H. Miller Honda Boise offers totally 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.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most usually misunderstood lights or indicators in your Honda HR-V is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the essential onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a variety 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 variety of things for your Honda HR-V. Some of these essential duties include controlling engine speed, ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing security control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean an assortment 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 Honda HR-V, contact Larry H. Miller Honda Boise . Our Honda 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 Honda Boise today!
Check Engine Light Service Honda HR-V
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Honda HR-V and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Honda owners, your heart sinks drastically because you may have exactly 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, calm 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 Honda HR-V checked promptly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major, extensive damage to expensive engine components.
When your Honda HR-V's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t appropriate, 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 swiftly 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 Honda auto repair mechanics at Larry H. Miller Honda Boise. There are again a number of comparatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you choose 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 definitely correct issue and repair it.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your Honda HR-V 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 promptly 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 Honda HR-V 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 Honda Boise so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.
Honda HR-V 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 different regular causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other often regular reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, dirty mass airflow sensor, damaged emissions control part, damaged head gasket, damaged oxygen sensor, or broken spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Honda Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and entirely repair it as necessary to restore factory specifications. When this hits, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Honda issue was totally fixed.
Every Honda HR-V was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the car on its critical systems. The quick sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending essential 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. Nonetheless, sadly 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 Honda Boise 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 Qualified Service professional.
Honda HR-V Check Engine Light
A flashing light signifies that the problem is very serious and if not taken care of immediately may result in extensive and serious damage to the car. If the check engine light in your Honda HR-V starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention immediately and your Honda should be brought in promptly. This blinking light normally signifies a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can rapidly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an costly and major repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can definitely 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 pricey repair. If your check engine light is constantly flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Larry H. Miller Honda Boise immediately by calling 2085100463.
