How To Fix Malfunction Indicator Lamp

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Also called the Check Engine Light, the Malfunction Indicator Light or Lamp indicates when something is wrong with the engine. In order to notify the driver of a potential problem with the vehicle, this warning light can illuminate in one or another way.

When there is a problem with the car’s engine, transmission, or emission control system, the OBD2 system in your car will turn on the light. You should not dismiss the light even with the Best Foxwell Scanner since it is there for a reason. You should always look into the cause of the problem.

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Why Does Malfunction Indicator Lamp Illuminate?

The malfunction indicator lamp is actually a safety element of your car. The light itself is not the problem but when it’s illuminating, it may signal one of these problems in your car:

1. Temporary Engine Malfunctions

Temporary engine problems are indicated by the lamp illuminating occasionally. Keeping an eye out for potential problems that could develop into more serious ones is a wise move in this situation.

2. Constant Engine Malfunctions

The most common occurrence is an illuminated indicator light. It is a sign of more serious issues that need to be addressed immediately. Although some flaws may not be as serious as others, they can nevertheless have an impact on the vehicle’s performance, for instance, the emissions.

Generally speaking, the malfunctioning indicator lamp will be occasionally illuminating in your dashboard if your car’s emission system is malfunctioning for one or more of these issues taking place:

  • Overheating engine
  • Low oil pressure
  • Bad spark plugs
  • Faulty catalytic converter
  • Faulty oxygen sensor
  • A loose gas cap

3. Misfiring Engine

When the check engine light continuously flashes, it is the most alarming sort of indication. It’s a critical signal that something’s wrong with your car’s engine. If you don’t shut off the engine right away, you could cause more harm than good. If the catalytic converter overheats and catches fire, for instance. The misfiring issues must be handled immediately or it may totally wreck your engine.

How To Solve Malfunction Indicator Lamp

There are multiple ways you can actually solve or reset the malfunction indicator lamp. Since it informs you of problems with your engine, you better get them fixed first before resetting. When done fixing the problems, you can try one of the resetting procedures below.  

1st Method: Driving The Vehicle

Check to see if the issues that triggered the malfunction indicator lamp have been rectified and if your vehicle has undergone an inspection. Just keep driving the way you always have. If the light is still on after two or three days, bring your car back to the shop for observation or get a scan tool. 

2nd Method: Turning The Engine On and Off

In some vehicles, you can turn the motor on and off three times to reset the malfunction indicator lamp. If your vehicle supports this function, You can start the ignition and turn on your car’s engine for a few seconds and see if this works. Once you’ve done that, switch it off for a second. Drive normally after doing this procedure twice. When the fault indicator lamp goes out, you can stop paying attention to it.

3rd Method: Detaching and Reattaching Battery

Another way to reset your malfunction indicator is to detach and reattach the battery of your vehicle. Well, you need to open the hood and take the wrench.

  1. Remove the battery’s positive power cable.
  2. Keep the battery disconnected for no less than fifteen minutes
  3. Then, make three full engine starts. Emission data is erased from your car’s memory when you use this tool.
  4. The positive power wire should be reattached to the battery, and the ignition key should be turned to start the vehicle.
  5. The fault indicator light should be extinguished in a matter of minutes.

4th Method: Using OBD Scanner

An OBD scanner and reader can be purchased on the internet with Autel MP808TS which you can consider. Fortunately, it’s cheap and useful when it comes to checking and resetting the malfunction indicator lamp. It’s a system for deciphering the computer system of a vehicle. In addition, it has the ability to read and clear Diagnostic Trouble Codes(DTCs).

Once you have an OBD scanner on your hands, you can follow these steps:

  1. Make sure you connect the OBD scan tool to your car’s OBD port properly
  2. After you’ve pressed the enter menu, the OBD reader will begin to connect to the ECU and operate.
  3. After that, the reader will begin looking for trouble codes in your engine. Upon completion of the diagnostics, the OBD reader’s interface will display error codes. The trouble codes can be found in your reader’s instruction manual or online.
  4. Error codes can be cleared by navigating the scanner. In order to reset the trouble codes, you can press “delete”, “clear”, or “reset, depending on your scanner
  5. After you’ve completed this procedure, the malfunction indicator lamp should go out.

 FAQs

Can I drive with the malfunction indicator lamp on?

Even if this light goes off while you’re driving, you should still take your automobile to the shop to be checked out if it’s on and off frequently. If you continue to drive in this condition, the engine and emission control can be damaged.

Can you turn off a malfunction indicator light?

The DTC reports the problem. If the problem stops, the OBD2 system can turn off the check engine light. After three consecutive evaluations without a problem, the OBD system would turn off the light. 

How serious is a malfunction indicator lamp?

If the check engine light is flashing, it indicates a more significant problem. When the malfunction light is steady, you may have an ignition or emissions problem.

How long can you drive with the check engine light on?

Your malfunction indicator lamp can still turn on at any time for any cause, but it’s recommended that you only drive no more than 100 miles before analyzing your car’s computer for fault codes. Using this method, you’ll be able to pinpoint the source of the problem and devise a solution.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

In most car models, the malfunction indicator light will typically go out when you fix the problem. Though the process could be lengthy. It is common for an automobile to reset or turn off the check engine light after tens of successful cycles.

Conclusions

Detailed instructions on how to fix or reset the malfunction indicator lamp have been given for your convenience. Using the OBD2 scanners for Peugeot or other compatible scanners is likely the most efficient method to turn off the lamp. However, if your car’s performance has been adversely affected by mechanical or technical issues, it’s still recommended to get professional assistance.

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