What to do if the engine malfunction indicator light is on? The chek indicator came on - we are looking for the reasons What does an engine error mean.

If it caught fire " Check Engine"...
Many car owners know that modern machines there is a yellow "check engine" light on the instrument panel - which means "check the engine". It signals that the control unit has detected some kind of malfunction.
When you start the car, it is normal for the signal to light up first and then go out immediately after starting. But if the light bulb begins to bother you while driving, this is the first signal for action.
This signal is the most misunderstood, as it can mean many different things, from the loss of a gas cap to serious engine problems.

Many drivers have encountered a similar problem while driving and did not know what to do. Of course, you shouldn't this signal park at the side of the road and call an oncoming truck for help. The simplest solution is, of course, to contact the service. However, let's try to figure out what this signal can mean?

Since the early eighties, cars began to be equipped with microcomputers, which initially controlled carburetors, and then their use expanded significantly. Now the control units control not only the composition of the mixture, but also the engine speed, ignition timing, and many other parameters up to the moment of gear shifting in automatic transmissions... Thus, there can be many reasons.

If you are the owner of a new car and your "engine" light comes on, while the car is functioning normally, then most likely this is due to a misfire in one of the spark plugs. This malfunction is very common in Ukraine, since the quality of gasoline leaves much to be desired.

So, recently a friend called me and said that on his new Hyundai accent the "check engine" was lit. I assumed it might be related to misfiring, as it only fills 95 gasoline. As you know, we have this "high-octane" fuel.

Obtained from 92 by adding additives containing lead and manganese. Then we unscrewed the candles, and all my assumptions were confirmed: there was a uniform red carbon deposit on the candles, which indicates manganese. The recommendation was the simplest - to change the candles and not fill 95 gasoline. By the way, the car traveled only 8,500 thousand kilometers, and replacement of candles is provided for by the MOT only for 20 thousand. After replacing the candles, the light went out safely and no longer bothers its yellow light.

The above story is the simplest case in which the problem is eliminated, as they say, "with little blood".
Other cases are more difficult: a "dead" catalyst, a weakened timing belt, clogged injectors. Very rarely - the control unit itself, since it is a very expensive unit, and it is made with a large safety factor.
If a visual inspection, such as unscrewing candles, has not yielded results, the most correct method would be to contact the service. Any specialist electrician, by connecting the diagnostic connector to the control unit, will indicate a malfunction within a few minutes. In this sense, electronic units are very convenient, since it itself indicates a breakdown, and there is no need to disassemble the floor of the car in search of it.

What should I do if a similar problem occurs? Stop as soon as possible, then check the oil level. Listen to the engine for any extraneous sounds, is there any visual damage? If everything is in order, drive to the nearest service, do not give the engine high revs.

All engines are modern passenger cars equipped with a distributed fuel injection system. This means that fuel is injected separately into each cylinder (directly into the cylinders or into intake manifold). The electronic control unit for the internal combustion engine is responsible for the amount and percentage of the fuel-air mixture, which calculates this based on the readings of the sensors and software algorithms. Any sensor malfunctions, or improper operation of the motor, are signaled to us by a non-extinguishing, or flashing, check engine lamp (check the engine, or check).

If in your car, after starting the engine, it stays on or flashes, light "check engine", then the control unit has detected a malfunction. The malfunction is recorded as OBD-2 error codes. A list of the main codes and their decoding at the end of the article.

In order to read the error codes of the memory of the control unit, you need to use a diagnostic scanner (laptop with a diagnostic program and an adapter for communication with the car), it is best to contact a specialized service for computer diagnostics. Some older cars, manufactured before 2002-2006, support the self-diagnosis mode.

Self-diagnosis, the process of error indication in the form of two-digit codes by the engine control unit using the "check" lamp. We will consider this mode at the end of the article.

The "check" lamp does not go out or blinks

This indicates that the fault is present at the moment. Even if the motor runs unchanged, it is likely to break down. For example, a misfire error on an 8-cylinder engine will not be visible externally. However, unburned fuel will burn out in the catalyst, which after 100-200 kilometers will lead to its failure. You can drive with a lit or flashing "check" lamp only to the place of repair (at your responsibility). If on dashboard the red lamp lit up - on the tow truck to the service station, if it is yellow - you can try at your own risk to get to the car service yourself.

Malfunction conditions and possible causes

  1. - in motion, during acceleration (misfiring due to spark plugs, injectors, fuel)
  2. - the check flashes or burns and the engine troit, the car does not pull, twitches, the revolutions float (misfires due to candles, nozzles, fuel)
  3. - after refueling (low-quality fuel)
  4. - when the ignition is turned on (malfunction of the engine control system sensors)
  5. - after washing the car, washing the engine, rain (poor contact in the engine wiring)
  6. - Check is on on a cold engine / after warming up the engine (malfunction of oxygen sensors)
  7. - on high revs, on idle (fuel, spark plugs, nozzles)
  8. - after replacing candles (candles of the wrong type, damage when installing candles, high-voltage wires)
  9. - after replacement air filter (inlet leaks, flow meter connector not worn)
  10. - after replacing the timing belt (incorrect installation by marks, sensor connectors are not worn)
  11. - after installing LPG (incorrect installation, mismatch of engine control units and LPG)
  12. - after installing the alarm (incorrect connection, did not put on the removed connectors)
  13. - after replacement fuel filter (filter of the wrong type, leaking fuel system)
  14. - the check came on and the fuel consumption increased (not all cylinders work - misfires, the engine temperature sensor, flow meter, oxygen sensors are faulty)
  15. - the lamp blinks or is on and the engine does not start (diesel, gasoline) (the sensor of the crankshaft and camshaft position, fuel pressure in the rail and the injection pump metering valve in the diesel engine is faulty).
  16. - the light is on on the rise (insufficient amount or quality of fuel, contamination of the fuel cleaning filter, injectors)
  17. - after replacing the ignition module, ignition coil (incorrect connection, malfunction or incorrect installation of the module itself)
  18. - the check lights up at subzero temperatures (poor contact in the wiring, malfunction of the motor temperature sensors)
  19. - when you press the accelerator (not enough fuel - contamination of the fuel filter, injectors, poor sparking - coil, spark plugs)
  20. - when the stove is turned on (uneven engine operation when the load increases - misfires due to candles, nozzles, fuel)
  21. - the lamp is on and the speedometer does not work (speed sensor and its wiring)
  22. - the check may burn due to oil (due to insufficient oil pressure, the VVT \u200b\u200bclutch installed on the camshaft may not work correctly. It starts working when oil is supplied to it from the internal combustion engine lubrication system, if the pressure is insufficient, the engine control unit detects a malfunction).
  23. - the check is burning due to gasoline - the most common malfunction. With low fuel quality, the ignition of the fuel-air mixture worsens, various malfunctions are recorded - misfire, incorrect readings of oxygen sensors and a flow meter. If the fuel is very low quality, the car will not start.

How to turn off the engine malfunction lamp. Reset error

The most in a reliable way troubleshooting the engine management system is computer diagnostics. This kind Diagnostics is based on automatic recording in the memory of the engine control unit of all system deviations from standard values. When it is performed by qualified specialists and professional equipment, the stored errors and parameters of the sensors are read from the memory of the control unit in real time. Based on this, recommendations can be given for further repairs (replacement of sensors, repair of electrical wiring, and so on). You can try to do it yourself, but professional scanners cost from about 60 tr., Plus knowledge of the device of the car. Well, to erase inactive errors, remove the battery terminal for 10-15 minutes.

Self-diagnosis when CHECK ENGINE light up

If a computer diagnostics there is no way to do it, you can use the self-diagnosis procedure (with the support of it by the control unit of your car). Let's consider an example Mitsubishi pajero Sport 2003 release:

That is, pin No. 1 of the diagnostic connector is shorted to ground through the light bulb and the ignition is turned on. After that, according to the number of flashes of the "check" lamp, we read the fault codes and look at the decoding in the table (internal combustion engine errors):

Each car brand has its own self-diagnosis codes, which differ significantly from each other. Differ and diagnostic connectors (the OBD-2 connector standard began to be used only in 2000 on all brands).

The main malfunctions of the self-diagnosis system

They can be divided into external and internal. The external ones are the "check" lamp itself and its wiring to the engine control unit. In the event of this malfunction, we check the circuit from the control unit to the dashboard. If everything is working properly, then this is an internal malfunction of the unit itself ( software or "iron"). One of the rare malfunctions - the "check" lamp burns in full, this speaks primarily of poor contact in the electrical circuit between the lamp in the dashboard and the engine control unit. If everything is in order with the wiring, and all supply voltages come to the unit, then it must be replaced.

In conclusion, we can say that a modern car is a rather complex mechanism that combines electronic modules and mechanical devices... Number of individual computers controlling different systems, reaches 100 units (new RangRover, Mercedes). Therefore, it is better to entrust the repair electronic systems specialists who have undergone special training.

Many motorists have come across the concept when the engine warning lamp is on when the engine is running at Lada Kalina. This malfunction is associated with many cars, but not every motorist is able to diagnose, let alone eliminate this problem. So, in this article, we will consider why the indicator lights up when the motor is running and how to fix this malfunction.

The number 2 marks the lit warning lamp when the engine is running.

The main powertrain warning lamp indicates that one of the systems is out of order. Thus, it is worth paying attention, first of all, to the engine, where problems can be found. So, let's consider the main nodes where malfunctions can occur when the signaling device is on:


All these reasons may be associated with a working warning lamp when the engine is running on Kalina.

Elimination methods

So, as everyone knows, the engine warning light comes on when it turns to the first position for a short time, and then goes out.

But, if the indicator lights up while driving, you need to pay special attention, because if it does not go out, you will have to look deeper into the problem.

So, it is worth considering this issue in more detail, since not all motorists understand exactly where to look for a malfunction:


The practical side of the issue

The type of indicator that lights up on the instrument panel

From the point of view of practice, many motorists note that there are certain factors that affect the fact that the engine system warning lamp comes on.

So, let's consider what reasons are noted by most owners of Lada Kalina:

  • The indicator lights up while driving and does not go out when severe frostswhen the ambient temperature reaches below -12 degrees. This is because only three of the four cylinders are fired. After restarting the motor, everything returns to normal.
  • High humidity has a detrimental effect on the knock sensor. It is recommended to dry the vehicle.
  • Electronic failures and accumulation of electronic unit errors can also affect the alarm.
  • Poor fuel quality also causes the warning lamp to ignite. Worth cleaning fuel system, if necessary, replace the fuel filter element.
  • Petrol filler cap not tightly closed.
  • Untimely replacement of spark plugs.

Thus, it becomes clear that most of the drivers noted the same malfunctions as indicated in the manuals and manuals for repair and maintenance.

findings

The lit Lada Kalina engine warning lamp is not a cause for particular concern. To determine the exact problem, it is worth connecting to electronic unit control and find the true cause of the signal. As practice shows, often these are ECU errors that need to be reset, but this is not always the case.

One of my old acquaintances recently bought himself a new car. After a week of operating the car, I began to call several times a day and ask what the icon lit up on the dashboard means. By the way, among the new owners modern carsmobiles this is not an isolated case. Many car enthusiasts getting behind the wheel of a new modern car, and seeing on the tidy that the indicator is on, they immediately get scared and think that a breakdown has occurred in some system, but in fact, this is not always the case.

Indicators notify the driver not only about malfunctions, but also about a particular action that must be performed by the person driving the car. The signals on the dashboard can be compared to road signs, which are warning and prohibiting.
The dashboard indicators can be divided into several categories and subcategories.
And so what you need to know and remember. If a red icon with any pictogram lights up on the device, it is most likely that there is a problem in the car, with which its operation is extremely undesirable, and can lead to serious consequences. In this case, you should immediately stop, turn off the engine and tow it, or transport the car on a tow truck to the service.
If a yellow or orange indicator on the dashboard lights up, which is a warning of a malfunction or failure of a control element of one of the automotive systemswithout tightening, show the car to a specialist who will determine the problem to fix it. In this case, the operation of the car is allowed in a limited mode, only for independent movement to the car service. On some cars, after a warning signal appears on the dashboard, the full operation of many systems is blocked and the car goes into emergency mode, in which the speed and control of the power unit will be limited.
A lit green icon on the dashboard indicates that a certain system is turned on and functioning normally, therefore, you can continue to drive without fear.
Hope you are clear with the basic categories of indicators on a car dashboard. If there are no questions, let's move on and consider specifically each icon, its designation and what it signals.

Decoding the icons on the dashboard

Important icons on the dashboard for which car operation is not recommended

Handbrake or level included brake fluid in the system below the allowable value. Also, this indicator may indicate malfunctions of the brake system itself, depressurization, wear of pads, etc.

A lit indicator with a red battery indicates the absence or malfunctions in the power supply of the generator-battery circuit. The indicator, on which, in addition to the battery, there is also the inscription "MAIN", as a rule, signals a problem with charging the battery in hybrid vehicles.

The appearance of this lit indicator on the display is usually accompanied by a sound message from a buzzer or a voice message. The danger icon indicates that an abnormal situation has occurred in the car, one or more doors, the hood, etc. are not closed.

The danger indicator in the orange triangle informs the driver about malfunctions in the stabilization system.

The problem with the SRS - Supplemental Restraint System, which in translation into Russian means a problem in the system passive safety or, as they also call airbags.

Indicators similar in informational content to the previous ones, only indicate that the front passenger's airbags are not working.

Also the indicator of the passive safety system, which signals the driver that on front seat there is a child or a person with low weight, which may cause the front passenger airbag to fail to deploy in an accident.

The Pre Collision or Crash System (PCS), which is triggered when the car rolls over, does not work. In some cases, the indicator may light up during or after off-road driving.

Pre Collision or Crash System (PCS) not working


This indicator lights up during activation of the immobilizer or OEM anti-theft system.

Error when turning on the standard anti-theft system or its not working condition.

Problems with automatic transmission - oil overheating, errors in the automatic transmission control unit, failure.

A description of this malfunction must be found in the car's manual.

These indicators are found on vehicles with automatic transmission (Automatic Transmission - A / T) and signal an increase in the maximum permissible temperature in it, which can lead to failure of the automatic transmission. In this case, movement is highly undesirable; it is recommended to wait until the box has cooled down.

This icon also indicates (Automatic Transmission - AT). The movement of the car in this case is highly undesirable.

Shows the transfer of the automatic transmission selector knob to the "P" "parking" mode on cars with four-wheel drive, in which there is a number of reduced speeds. In this case, the machine locks when the lever is in position (N)

Some cars with automatic transmission may have this badge on the surf panel, which will light up when in the box. low level or low oil pressure, overheating, inoperative one of the sensors, or there is another problem. In this case, the system turns on the emergency mode - the car can only move in one gear at the minimum speed with the minimum engine speed in order to protect the automatic transmission parts from further destruction.

This yellow shift up arrow tells the driver to shift up to save fuel.

Does not work or there are problems with the power steering.

The fluid level in the brake system is below the permissible

The brake pads are not wearing permissible.

The system of distribution of braking force to the wheels of the car is faulty.

The electric parking brake does not work or does not work properly.

If the car has a tire pressure monitoring system, then when the pressure drops by more than 25% of the nominal value in one or more wheels, you will see these icons on the dashboard.

The indicator "", as a rule, comes on during the operation of the power unit and signals that one or more engine systems have a malfunction. In some vehicles, the appearance of this icon may be accompanied by the shutdown of some systems until problems are identified and corrected. It is also possible to limit the fuel supply, to prevent the engine from running at higher speeds to reduce the load.

The motor has lost power - this indicator is on. To solve the problem, it is possible to stop the motor and start it after about 10 seconds.

A malfunction has been detected in the electronic part of the transmission or a problem in the operation of the power unit. Also, this indicator can signal or malfunction of the injection system.


The fuel filler cap is not closed.

Information indicator, which serves to draw the driver's attention to an already existing problem or a burning one or another icon on the car dashboard.

Instructs the driver to look for information in the operating instructions for the vehicle.


These indicators relate to the engine cooling system, and their appearance on the tidy may indicate that the coolant level is below the permissible level or its temperature exceeds the permissible value.

Throttle problems

Blind Spot System - BSM (Blind Spot Tracking) is not working or is not working properly.


Signal to the driver that it is time to undergo scheduled maintenance with oil change (OIL CHANGE) and engine filters. However, on some machines the first indicator may come on when there are shear problems that need to be fixed. In this case, computer diagnostics are recommended.

Night View - the night vision system is defective or not working properly. Check if the infrared sensors are not working.

Traction and Active Traction Control, Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Traction Control System (TCS)) - indicators indicate the state and functioning of the traction control system. Solid green - the system is on. Yellow - a problem has been detected in the traction control system. I would like to note that TCS, DTC are directly related to the brake and fuel supply system, and if a malfunction is detected in them or they do not work, then the traction control system will also give an error on the indicator.

The Electronic Stability Program - ESP (emergency braking assistance) and Brake Assist System - BAS (stabilization system) have problems or they are not working properly.

The Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) is not working or is not working properly.

These indicators are present on the dashboard of the car, which have systems for descending / ascending from the mountain, systems for maintaining a constant speed and assistance systems when starting off. These icons indicate the state of the vehicle in a particular situation while overcoming an obstacle.

Disabled or not working the stabilization system (Stability Control). I would like to note that the deactivation of this system occurs when the "Check Engine" indicator lights up. The stabilization system serves to level the car during sliding or skidding using the braking system, fuel supply system and suspension control.

Electronic Stability Program (ESP) or Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) indicators indicate differential operation with electronic blocking and traction control Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR).

Brake Assist System (BAS) does not work or does not work correctly. In this case, the Electronic Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) system is disabled.

Intelligent assistance system during emergency braking Intelligent Brake Assist - IBA - disabled. This function of the car is able to apply braking before a collision occurs. If you have activated Intelligent Brake Assist but the indicator stays on, most likely the laser sensors are dirty or defective.

Indicates to the driver that the car has started to slide on the road, in which case the stabilization system will be automatically activated.

Does not work (defective or disabled), while the car can be driven without any problems.

The presence or absence of an electronic key in the car.

The first icon indicates the presence of an electronic key, the second indicates that the key battery is low and needs to be replaced.

Snow Mode is activated. This mode is present on automatic transmissions to facilitate driving and pulling off the vehicle on snow and ice.

The smart systems of the car, signaling with this indicator, invite the driver to stop and rest. In some cases, on some cars, a pleasant female voice will ask you to pause and have a cup of coffee.

If the car is equipped with a system that allows you to adjust the height of the body position for a comfortable fit for the driver and passengers, then when it is activated, this indicator lights up.

Adaptive Cruise Control - ACC - adaptive cruise control is enabled. This function will provide optimal speed vehicle, taking into account the position of other vehicles on the road and the nature of the terrain. A flashing icon indicates that the system has a problem or is not working.

Heated rear window on

Indicates that Brake Hold ( brake system) is activated. To turn it off, you must press the gas pedal.

Sport Suspension Setting / Comfort Suspension Setting - modes of shock absorbers. Accordingly, Comfort or Sport modes are included.

If your vehicle is equipped with air suspension, this HEIGHT HIGH symbol indicates the vehicle's maximum position over the road.

Problems with undercarriage car or need diagnostics of chassis units - Check Suspension.

The presence of a Collision Mitigation Brake System - CMBS in the car, which means collision avoidance system, can turn on this indicator, which warns of malfunctions of this system or contamination of sensors.

Tow Mode - the mode of driving with a trailer is activated.

Park Assist is a parking assistance system. A green light indicates Park Assist is activated, and a yellow light indicates a system problem.

Information indicators of the Lane Departure Warning Indicator - LDW, Lane Keeping Assist - LKA, or Lane Departure Prevention - LDP systems, which track the vehicle's lane. If the yellow icon blinks (in some cars the warning buzzer may turn on) - the car moves to the side and the lane should be aligned, yellow blinking indicates a malfunction. A green indicator indicates the activation of this system.

The "Start / Stop" system, the purpose of which is to save fuel, does not work due to a malfunction. When the car is stationary, the engine is turned off, only the driver presses the gas pedal, the engine starts.

Fuel economy mode is activated.

The indicator lights up when the ECO MODE is activated, which significantly saves fuel consumption while driving.

Information indicator to alert the driver to upshift to save fuel.

If there is a front and rear-wheel drive this indicator signals the transition of the vehicle transmission to the drive rear wheels.

An icon indicating to the driver that the vehicle's transmission is in rear-wheel drive mode, but if necessary, four-wheel drive will automatically engage.

All-wheel drive included

Four-wheel drive engaged in low gear

It is activated when the differential is locked to increase the vehicle's cross-country ability while driving on four-wheel drive.

Rear axle differential locked.

Disconnection all-wheel drive... The key icon indicates a problem with the four-wheel drive transmission.

Signals about malfunctions in the four-wheel drive system with the engine running. Also, this indicator may indicate a mismatch in the diameter of the wheels of the rear and front axles.

The differential may be overheated or there may be other problems in the AWD system.

It may also indicate overheating of the cross-axle differential or the oil in it.

4 Wheel Active Steer - active steering system is defective. Usually lights up when the engine is running.

The active steering system is not working correctly or is out of order. This error can be caused by problems in the brake system, one of the engine or suspension systems.

On some vehicles, there is a start-off function in high gear for driving on slippery road... The activation of this function is accompanied by the appearance of this icon on the dashboard.

Continuously Variable Transmission - the variator is working properly. When the ignition is turned on, the indicator lights up for a few seconds on the tidy and then goes out.

Variable Gear Ratio Steering - steering with variable gear ratio faulty, repair required.

Indicators of the system for switching modes of movement "SPORT", "POWER", "COMFORT", "SNOW" (Electronic Throttle Control System - ETCS, Electronically Controlled Transmission - ECT, Elektronische Motorleistungsregelung, Electronic Throttle Control). Changing the tuning of the suspension, automatic transmission and engine.

In the century modern technologies technical characteristics auto provides for the presence of a large number of electronics. The machines are literally stuffed with it. Some motorists do not even understand what it is for or why this or that light is on. This article will focus on a small red light bulb called Check Engine. What it is and why the "Check" lights up, let us consider in more detail. Drivers begin to deal with this issue when a problem arises. After they understand the purpose of the light bulb, the head begins to ache even more, since the reasons for the glow check bulbs Engine set. Many immediately resort to the help of car services, because they believe that it is almost impossible to find the cause without diagnostics.

What kind of light is this and how does it threaten the car enthusiast?

Check Engine, or "Check Engine", literally translated means that the engine should be checked. It is located on the main panel, and the slightest glow of the light bulb signals the driver about problems with the power unit. The main function of modern "Checks" is management. They have to do with fuel supply, fuel consumption, ignition, etc. If you do not have certain knowledge in the field of auto business, it will be very difficult to find out why "Check" lights up.

What to do if the "Check" of the engine lights up

First, you should remember that this light does not always signal a malfunction in the engine.

  1. If the "Check" lights up when starting the power unit and then goes out, then this means that the engine is in good working order, and this is not a cause for concern.
  2. If the indicator does not go out, start worrying, because the engine is damaged. But you shouldn't get upset too much, since there is a possibility that they are insignificant, although critical ones are not excluded.

Is it possible to continue driving if the "Check Angie" light comes on?

The first thing to do when this indicator comes on is to stop and listen to the machine. There are times when the malfunction disappears by itself. After all, we don't have the most unique electronics. If the problem persists, you need to find the nearest service station and try to solve it.

When going to a service station, you must follow certain rules:

  • driving mode vehicle should be gentle;
  • try not to maximize the speed level;
  • turn off all electronic excesses in the form of an air conditioner, radio, video recorder and any equipment that is in the car at this time ( multimedia systems also refer to them);
  • minimize the number of sudden braking, extreme driving in this case is not welcome;
  • the movement of vehicles at night with this disadvantage is not recommended;
  • if you are in trouble in the evening on the road, the best way out of the situation is to observe certain precautions.

Remember that ignoring these guidelines may result in engine malfunction, which could result in seizure or fire.

The main reasons for the glow of the Check Engine indicator


Check Engine flickers due to defective spark plugs

This problem can arise if the candles have not been changed for too long. It is by no means recommended to save on them. Their cost is not that expensive. Engine repairs will cost more.

If you are a big economist, replace the part yourself. To do this, you only need a candle wrench.

Unscrew the candles for them, check them for performance. If the problem is not at all in them, clean them of carbon deposits and only then reinstall them. If the candles are out of order, buy new ones. When carrying out work, pay attention to the gap between the electrodes. It should be no more than 1.3 mm. Correct in case of discrepancy.

Ignition coil problem

May cause the Check Engine light to come on and malfunction.Use a multimeter to check the coil. Check for spark at the outlet.

Oxygen sensor problem

Signs: "Check" lit up. The cause of this malfunction is the exhaust system. Readings are checked regularly on-board computer... The probe monitors the amount of oxygen in the exhaust gases, which allows you to determine how efficiently power unit and how well the fuel burns.

If there is more oxygen in the exhaust, it is possible that the reason lies in a violation of the preparation system. air-fuel mixture... Or the fuel does not burn completely. Whatever the reason, "Check" will signal a malfunction in the engine.

Some modern cars have 2 lambda probes. The first is before the catalyst, the second is after. If the catalyst works properly, then the oxygen supply will be adequate. It follows from this that the work oxygen sensor largely depends on the efficiency of the catalyst, because it is he who controls the reduction of exhaust toxicity.

The mass air flow sensor is out of order

The element may have failed due to dust covering it. But this is not the main reason for their loss of working capacity. There may simply be deviations in the readings. To eliminate this cause, it is necessary to clean the sensor with a special liquid.

It should be remembered, however, that irreparable damage to the sensor can be caused when used as this agent. In the event of a complete failure of the oxygen sensor, it is necessary to replace it.

Broken catalyst

In the event of a catalyst failure, you will in no way be able to fully drive the car, since the engine will be unstable, as evidenced by the "Check" button. At the same time, there will be a significant fuel consumption in your car and there will be no traction. In this case, preventive and repair measures will not help. The equipment needs to be replaced. Yes, a catalyst is quite an expensive thing, but if the problem is in it, the flaw will completely eliminate itself.

Breakage of injectors, fuel pump

If confirmed, clean the nozzles. When unstable work pump and fuel filter will initially have to check the rail pressure. If it is at least three atmospheres and the deficiencies are clearly visible, replace the fuel pump and clean the nozzles.

High-voltage wires are another reason when the "Check" lights up. To check it, you must follow the recommendations below. To check the high-voltage wires yourself, follow these steps:

  1. Fill a stainless steel container with water and add a tablespoon of baking soda.
  2. Dip the wires into the solution, leaving the ends on the surface. Next, start checking the wires using a megohmmeter. Connect the device itself to the first tip, and the other wire must be connected to the container with wires. If an insulation fault is detected, the resistance will be less than 500 kOhm. In this case, the wires need to be replaced.

Say no to panic

When detecting the glow of the "Check" button, do not panic. This will not fix the flaws. Get together and try to fix the shortcomings yourself according to the recommendations indicated in our article, and only then look for the reasons more deeply.

If the above tips did not help you, and you still cannot decide what causes the "Check" to light up, you should seek help from professionals. You don't need to invent anything on your own. Today's stations maintenance equipped with the most high-tech and modern equipment that will help find a solution to this issue. Of course, you may have to spend a certain amount of money. But this is not the end of the world. The main thing is to find the reason, because your safety on the road depends on it.