What’s Up With That Check Engine Light Reader? Can I trust it? Should I go to Autozone?
Lately, I’ve been getting questions from our #sheCANic community and friends wondering if they should buy a device to read the codes set off by the dreaded check engine light. There is so much confusion about the check engine or malfunction indicator light (MIL) that many drivers don’t understand why it is there and how it works. This leads to drivers feeling taken advantage of and powerless. It also leads them to make uneducated decisions about their car repairs. For this reason, companies are offering services and products to help drivers decipher and decode their check engine lights.
First, let’s discuss the Check Engine Light Emoji. The check engine light comes on when your car is burning fuel inefficiently, but it shouldn’t cause panic. Your engine may be using too much gas or may not be burning the gas properly, causing hazardous pollutants to be released into the environment. A check engine light can mean there’s some kind of complex issue going on, but it can also result from something as simple as the gas cap not being screwed on tight enough. It does not necessarily always involve the engine itself. It does mean that you’ll have to take the vehicle to your mechanic, who will use a computer to scan the onboard diagnostics and retrieve the trouble code, also known as a P-code (for powertrain code). This code will help the mechanic diagnose why the vehicle is burning fuel inefficiently.
There are devices you can buy online that will plug into your car and read the check engine light codes on your car’s computer, also called a PCM or ECM. Places like AutoZone offer to read your check engine light codes for FREE. Nice right? As an auto airhead, I prayed away the check engine light whenever it would light up on my dashboard. I would perform a séance, burn sage, sacrifice a beloved trinket, anything to make that light disappear as soon as I turned on the car. These devices and services seem like a no-brainer to me. However, as a #sheCANic, I now know that there is a little more to the story. These devices and services tell you a piece of what is going on with your car. Very rarely is a computer code a direct diagnosis of a problem with the car.
A trained technician will need to take that code, check and test the car parts and system associated with the code, perform research on the failure to see if it is related to warranties or recalls, and then produce a root cause analysis of why the check engine light came on in the first place. Once you know the root cause of the problem, you can repair it. A P-code or any code spit out by a device will not give you the root cause of the problem. Sometimes, more than one problem or part needs repair when this light illuminates. Sometimes, it can cost $1000, while other times, it can cost $30 to fix. There is so much variety and complexity with the check engine light that these devices and services don’t tell the complete story. The code is just a FIRST clue into what could possibly be causing the check engine light issue. A price-conscious #sheCANic knows the tremendous value of having a Primary Care Technician or PCT.
Not only will the PCT read the code, but they have the proper training and tools to diagnose the problem and confirm the failure. If you take your car to a parts store or buy a device to read the check engine light codes, you will still need a repair from an auto repair shop. Guess what’s the first thing a technician does when your car comes into an auto repair garage with a check engine light code? Hook up our own device to your car and read the code(s) ourselves. We will not take a diagnosis or code from an unknown source to fix your car. If you have a PCT, they replace the free service or device you can buy to read your code. You won’t have any uncertainty as to what is going on with your car. You may still feel uneasy when the check engine light comes on because it could be a complex, expensive repair, but with a PCT, you’ll have no doubt you are doing the right thing for your car! This is just one of the many great advantages of having a PCT and reducing your anxiety around car repair.
If you do not have PCT, if you do not know what a PCM is, or if you don’t know that an illuminated check engine light on our dashboard does not mean there is something wrong with the engine, you should definitely buy the Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide or attend a Girls Auto Clinic Car Care Workshop Plus!