Check Engine Light Service Honda Odyssey
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Honda Odyssey 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 absolutely 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, serene 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 suggested that you get your Honda Odyssey checked immediately. Ignoring that warning could end up causing extensive, major damage to costly engine parts.
When your Honda Odyssey'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 typically 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 immediately 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 also 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 appropriate issue and repair it.
Honda Odyssey 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 typical causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other often typical reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, broken oxygen sensor, faulty head gasket, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, dirty mass airflow sensor, or damaged spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Honda Certified Mechanics and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and utterly repair it as needed to restore factory specifications. When this results, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Honda issue was entirely fixed.
Every Honda Odyssey was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the car on its crucial systems. The fast 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. Yet, sadly that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what absolutely 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 Certified Service professional.
Is it safe to drive your Honda Odyssey 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 secure to drive. This is generally 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. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is suggested to service your Honda Odyssey expeditiously. Call the experts at Larry H. Miller Honda Boise by dialing 2085100463 so you can describe the issues. Or lessen your speed and bring your Honda to our certified mechanics as soon as potential.
Honda Odyssey Check Engine Light
If the check engine light in your Honda Odyssey starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention quickly and your Honda should be brought in swiftly. A flashing light indicates that the problem is very serious and if not taken care of quickly may result in considerable and significant damage to the car. This blinking light ordinarily signifies a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can promptly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an pricey and huge repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can specifically be the cause. A faulty, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is completely 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 constantly flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Larry H. Miller Honda Boise immediately by calling 2085100463.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your Honda Odyssey will normally 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 swiftly turn itself off. Still, if your catalytic converter is working properly, 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 Odyssey 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.
How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?
If you check engine light is flashing, we endorse 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 endorse a tow truck. 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. Since any check engine code has its own level of severity, it is typically difficult to predict how numerous miles you can be safe in driving with the warning light on.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most frequently misunderstood lights or indicators in your Honda Odyssey is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the important onboard diagnostics system, and displays in an assortment 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 car. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored car performance since the 80s and do an assortment of things for your Honda Odyssey. Some of these essential duties include controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, and implementing cohesion control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety 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 Odyssey, contact Larry H. Miller Honda Boise . Contact Larry H. Miller Honda Boise today! Our Honda service department can support you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Honda Odyssey?
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 also be a warning of a serious problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and costly repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady and continuous glow typically means something less serious but a flashing check engine light signifies that your vehicle’s engine is in meaningful trouble and useful service is necessary immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your Honda Odyssey, we immensely 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:
- One of the most typical and frequent cause is that your Honda Odyssey gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Honda Odyssey serves multiple purposes. It prevents dangerous gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps manage 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 pricey. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't expensive. If your check engine light turns on quickly after you put gas in your Honda Odyssey, 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.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your Honda Odyssey if it’s not installed correctly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even impede the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound familiar, bring your Odyssey to Honda and have our team of talented certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed properly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, particularly 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 catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Honda Odyssey’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is usually caused by invariably neglected maintenance, which is why Larry H. Miller Honda Boise offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with each Honda service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your Honda Odyssey 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.
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Honda Odyssey is each essential. Without a car battery, your car won’t start, light up the road ahead, 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 Honda Odyssey has a vacuum leak. Each Honda Odyssey has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system likewise 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, particularly if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are necessary for your Honda Odyssey. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. 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 endure a evident 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 clogged 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 promptly and your vehicle will be less efficient when it comes to fuel economy. So what results if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A faulty sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause meaningful damage to your catalytic converter and your Honda Odyssey's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the explicitly right mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A faulty O2 sensor can likewise cause a car to fail an emissions test.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Honda Odyssey 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 Odyssey is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden fast change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a vital sign of a faulty mass airflow sensor.
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 Honda Boise offers totally complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to assist determine the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not properly 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 appropriate code reading and diagnosis.
Honda Odyssey 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, again known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Odyssey. 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 again allow that important Check Engine Light to do what it is genuinely supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, clear and helpful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of likely OBD codes, there are again hundreds of likely reasons for the light, including:
- Old Battery
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Computer output circuit issues
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Transmission issues
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- O2 Sensor
- Emissions controls issues
- Ignition system faults
This is why it is essential for someone who does not have a lot of prevalent 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. Call Larry H. Miller Honda Boise at 2085100463 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 car further by not repairing the issue right away.
