Toyota Check Engine Light On | Complete Detail Guide

The Toyota Check Engine Light tells you that your car needs to be fixed because something is wrong. But despite its name, it may not always mean that there is a problem with the engine. A check engine light on your dashboard is not something you should ignore. It could mean something as small as a cracked or loose gas cap or as big as a blown head gasket. But it doesn’t always have to be fixed with a pricey repair.

When your car has a CEL, the computer is also storing more information. When you come to our service centre, our techs will use this information to figure out what’s wrong and fix it.

Toyota Check Engine Light

If the check engine light on your Toyota starts flashing, it means that you need to take care of the problem right away. You should bring your Toyota in right away.

A flashing light means that the problem is serious and that if it isn’t fixed right away, it could cause a lot of damage to the car. This blinking light usually means that the engine is misfiring very badly, which lets unburned fuel go into the exhaust system.

There, it can quickly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where it is likely to wear out and break, which will cost a lot to fix. Some owners ask if the check engine light flashes because of the spark plugs. This is a very likely reason. Misfiring can be caused by a bad, old, or dirty spark plug.

If you ignore the problem or keep driving, it could spread to the spark plug wires, the catalytic converter, or the ignition coils, which would be very expensive to fix. If your check engine light is flashing, please call Toyota’s team of car experts right away.

Also Read: Common Reasons And details For Ford check engine light

Why does my engine light come on?

What do you do now that your check engine light came on? These tips can help you figure out if your car’s engine is broken or if the gas cap is just loose.

All of us have been there. You are driving when out of the corner of your eye, you see a yellow light. Your worry is confirmed by a quick look at the dash. It’s the engine check light. If you’re like most car owners, you don’t know if you should keep freaking out or not, and you don’t know what that light means or how to act.

Many people don’t know what the “service engine soon” or “check engine” light means. It can mean a lot of different things. It could be a loose gas cap, a misfiring engine, or a broken oxygen sensor.

When the check engine light comes on, it doesn’t always mean that you have to pull over to the side of the road and call a tow truck. It does mean that you should get the car checked out right away. If you don’t listen to the warning, you might end up making things worse. It could also mean that your gas mileage is bad and that your car is putting out a lot of pollution.

In any case, if your car’s “check engine” light is on, it’s time to take it in for service. At our service centre, we have factory-trained mechanics who can easily check and figure out why your check engine light is on for a price that is almost always less than what a private garage would charge.

Will the “Check Engine” light turn off on its own?

If the problem or code that made the check engine light come on is fixed, the light will turn off by itself.

For example, if your check engine light came on because your gas cap was loose, tightening it will turn off the light.

Also, if your catalytic converter is going straight and you did a lot of stop-and-go driving, the check engine light may have come on because the converter was used a lot.

Most of the time, the light goes out after 20 to 40 miles. If you drive over that deposit and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in so the light and code can be checked again and reset.

Toyota Service Check Engine Light

What do you do when you’re driving your Toyota and all of a sudden a yellow light that says “Check Engine” comes on?

If you are like most Toyota owners, your heart sinks a little because you don’t know what that light means or what you should do.

Just as stressful can be the fear of the unknown or the cost of the unknown.

But take a deep breath and remember that just because the light is on doesn’t mean you have to pull over and call a tow truck.

If you don’t listen to that warning, expensive engine parts could be badly damaged.

When your Toyota’s ECM, which is the onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t fix, a computer turns on your check engine light.

This amber or yellow light usually says “Check engine” or “Service engine soon.” Sometimes, the light is just a picture of an engine or the word “check” next to a picture of an engine.

When the light comes on, the ECM stores a “trouble code” in its memory that tells what the problem is, whether it’s a sensor or a broken part of the engine.

Our Toyota auto repair mechanics use an electronic scan tool to look at this code. If you want to do it yourself, there are also a number of code readers that are designed to be cheap and easy to use.

Even though this code will tell you what the problem is, you will still need a skilled mechanic to find the problem and fix it.

Check Engine Light Codes for Toyota

When the check engine light comes on, it can be scary to see that little light on your car’s dashboard light up all of a sudden. However, you shouldn’t run away in fear right away.

If you hear the term “diagnostic trouble codes” (DTC), it just means “check engine light codes.”

These are computer codes for cars that are stored by the ECM, which is also called the “on-board computer diagnostic system” (OBD) in your car. There are a lot of different things your check engine light can mean.

Even though that sounds hard, if you take the time to do basic diagnostics, you’ll learn useful things about your car and be able to use the Check Engine Light as it was meant to be used: as a guide.

Unfortunately, the Check Engine Light does not always come with clear and helpful signs that something is wrong with a car.

Since there are hundreds of possible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of possible reasons why the light is on.

• Ignition system faults
• Gas Cap is Loose or Missing
• Transmission issues
• Bad Spark Plugs
• Computer output circuit issues
• Fuel and air metering systems problems
• Used battery
• Emissions controls issues
• O2 Sensor

Because of this, someone who doesn’t know much about cars shouldn’t assume they know what a code means. If the engine light comes on because of a real problem, you could do more damage to your car if you don’t fix it right away.

Toyota Check Engine Light Blinking

a mass airflow sensor that’s dirty, Even though there are a lot of possible reasons why the Check Engine Light is on, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are a lot of easy reasons, like a gas cap that isn’t tight enough.

A Check Engine Light can also be caused by a problem with the fuel injection system, a bad emissions control part, a bad head gasket, a broken oxygen sensor, or bad spark plugs, among other things.

No matter what is causing the Check Engine Light, we have the Toyota Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to find the problem and fix it as needed to get the car back to factory specifications.

When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you know that the problem with your Toyota has been fixed and you can leave the service centre.

Every Toyota was built with a high-tech performance monitoring system that includes a computer and a number of sensors placed in strategic places throughout the car.

The sensors are always figuring out what’s going on and sending that information to the computerised control unit.

If the computerised control unit sees that the data isn’t within factory limits, the Check Engine Light will come on to let you know there’s a problem.

But that’s the problem with the Check Engine Light: it won’t tell you what’s wrong or how to fix it.

That’s where we come in. Nalley Toyota of Roswell has a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that finds the problem and tells you what to do next.

Here are Some possible reasons why Your Toyota Check Engine Light

Here are some of the most common things that can cause a check engine light to come on. Keep in mind that the fault code that caused the light to come on is stored in your car’s onboard computer. With a simple tool, you can get this code to find out exactly what’s wrong under the hood. In the long run, you’ll save money if you do this yourself.

Loose Oil Cap

Untightening the gas cap is one of the most common reasons why the check engine light comes on all of a sudden.

Turn it until you hear a click! The fuel system is both under pressure and made to keep harmful gasoline vapours from escaping.

Even if the gas cap isn’t quite tight, the engine computer can tell and may turn on the check engine light.
So before you worry too much, check the fuel cap.

Oxygen sensor failure

The oxygen sensor, which is sometimes called an O2 sensor, measures how much unburned oxygen is in the exhaust system of a car. It sends information to the car’s computer, which uses it to control how much fuel and air go into each cylinder. Even if an O2 sensor needs to be replaced, an engine will still run, but it will use more fuel than usual. A bad O2 sensor can hurt parts like the spark plugs and the catalytic converter over time. A car may also fail an emissions test because of it.

On average, a good O2 sensor will cost you about $175, but the cost of labour will depend a lot on the make and model of your car, as well as where you live. Lastly, you should know that most new cars have more than one O2 sensor.

The catalytic converter didn’t work.

The catalytic converter is part of the exhaust system of a car. It changes the carbon monoxide that is made when fuel is burned into carbon dioxide. It’s a pretty simple part, and most of the time, its failure can be stopped. That’s good news because, depending on the brand and model, a new one costs between $200 and $600. A catalytic converter is in every gas-powered car made in the last 10 years or so.

To keep your car’s catalytic converter in good shape, you need to do regular maintenance like oil changes on time. If you live in the city and only drive short distances, you should occasionally take your car on the highway to keep the catalytic converter from getting clogged. And always keep your eyes and ears open for strange sounds or smoke with a different colour coming from the exhaust.

Spark plug/ignition coil problems

Simply put, an ignition coil makes the electricity that the spark plugs need to light the mixture of fuel and air in the cylinders. Classic cars only have one coil, but many new cars have one coil for each cylinder.

This is called a “coil pack.” If your car has a V8 engine, you might have eight different coils.

The huge Bugatti Chiron has 16 wheels. No matter how many you have, though, a broken coil will almost always make the check engine light come on. Also, if your car runs on diesel, you don’t have ignition coils or spark plugs because they don’t work with diesel.

When it comes to spark plugs, worn or dirty plugs can cause a number of problems, such as a misfire and a pause when accelerating quickly. The same signs can be caused by a worn coil, which can also cause the car to turn off by itself.

A good spark plug will cost between $10 and $20, and a coil will usually cost around $50. It’s also not as hard as it sounds to change your own spark plugs.

Bad spark plug wires

A spark plug wire does what its name says: it moves electricity from the coil to the spark plug. Without it, the mixture of fuel and air in the cylinders would not start to burn.

Most cars only have one wire per cylinder, but some, like some older Mercedes-Benzes, have two spark plugs per cylinder and, therefore, two wires. Keep in mind, though, that most new cars don’t have spark plug wires.

Failure of the mass airflow sensor

The mass airflow (MAF) sensor measures how much air goes into the engine. It’s part of the engine-management system, and without it, your car wouldn’t be able to adjust to changes in altitude. If the MAF fails, the car will have a rough idle, have trouble starting, and the throttle pedal will move suddenly. Less gas mileage and stalling can also be signs of a problem with the MAF.

Most MAFs for newer cars cost between $120 and $150.

Problems with a second-hand alarm

If you don’t know what you’re doing, an aftermarket alarm system can wreck your car. It can run down the battery, turn on the check engine light, or stop the car from starting. Then it will go off in the middle of the night when you least expect it because a leaf from an oak tree fell on the hood.

If you have any of the above problems, you’ll need to have a skilled mechanic fix, reinstall, or replace the alarm. Getting it done right the first time might cost a little bit more, but having a fully functional alarm is worth every penny.

Vacuum leak

The vacuum system in every car does a lot of different things. The brake booster is powered by vacuum, and the vacuum system also helps cut down on emissions by directing the fumes that come out of the engine as gasoline evaporates. If your car’s idle starts to jump up and down or stays at an unusually high rpm, it could be because of a vacuum leak.

As vacuum hoses get old, they can dry out and crack, especially if they are exposed to very hot or very cold temperatures. This is the main reason why vacuum leaks happen. Cracked fittings and loose connections are two other common problems. Each vacuum line only costs a few dollars, but finding the source of a leak can take a long time and cost a lot if you don’t do it yourself.

Exhaust gas recirculation valve failure

The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system in a car lowers the amount of nitrogen oxide that comes out of the engine and helps it run more efficiently. It sends the hot exhaust gases back into the combustion chambers, which makes it easier for the fuel to burn. It also cuts down on pollution.

The EGR valve can become clogged or stop working all together. If you know even a little bit about mechanics, you can take the valve off, clean it, and put it back on in a short amount of time. If the valve needs to be replaced, a brand-new, OEM-quality unit will cost at least $125.

Dead battery

The battery is both simple and important because your car won’t start without it. Batteries today last much longer and don’t need to be taken care of. The price of a new one depends on what kind of car you have, but a good one will cost you at least $100.

It’s not too hard to change or charge a battery on your own, but keep in mind that in some newer cars, the battery is hidden under a lot of plastic covers and might be hard to get to. Also, keep in mind that taking the battery out of your stereo system will often reset it. Before you unbolt the positive and negative terminals, if you don’t have the code, ask your local dealer for it. If not, you’ll have to drive in silence.

Transmission Issues

Don’t let the name fool you; the check engine light can show problems with more than just the engine. The check engine light may come on if the transmission is worn, needs service, or just isn’t working right.

If your engine seems to be running well, but the transmission shifts roughly, is hard to get into gear, comes out of gear, or the engine stalls when you change gears, that’s a sign that there’s a problem with the transmission.

If this is happening along with a CEL, come to our service centre right away so we can fix the problem before it gets worse.

Computer Issues

All of the check engine lights on modern cars are turned on by the central computer in the engine. But the engine control module itself can sometimes go wrong. If nothing else works, you might need to replace the computer module. Accidents can damage computer modules, or shorts in the electrical system can do the same.

No matter what’s wrong with your car, we have the expert service technicians and high-quality OEM Toyota parts to get it back on the road and running at its best.