Check Engine Light Service Honda Insight
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Honda Insight and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Honda owners, your heart sinks a scant because you have scant 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 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 recommended that you get your Honda Insight checked as soon as ready for use. Ignoring that warning could end up causing considerable damage to expensive engine parts.
When your Honda Insight's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t correct, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is normally 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 identifies as the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is learn with an electronic scan tool that is used by our Honda auto repair mechanics at Coggin Honda Saint Augustine. There are also a number of relatively bargain code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you select that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an trained professional to determine the issue and repair it.
How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?
The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not properly tightened to a more hazardous failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it excellent to get the fair code reading and diagnosis. The average price for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is continually between $88 and $111. The excellent news, Coggin Honda Saint Augustine offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help suggest the cause of your check engine light.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most typically misunderstood lights or indicators in your Honda Insight is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few chance 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 vehicle. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored vehicle performance since the 80s and do a variety of things for your Honda Insight. Some of these include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name various. With that being said, the check engine light can imply a range of odd things. It can be as commonplace as your gas cap being loose or as alarming as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Honda Insight, contact Coggin Honda Saint Augustine. Our Honda service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or inspect why your check engine light is shining. Contact Coggin Honda Saint Augustine today!
Is it safe to drive your Honda Insight with the check engine light on?
This question is not incredibly plain 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 safe to drive. This is normally 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 harsh problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a harsh issue and it is recommended to service your Honda Insight expeditiously. Call the experts at Coggin Honda Saint Augustine by dialing 9047478228 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your Honda to our certified mechanics as soon as accessible.
Honda Insight 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 a lot uncomplicated causes including something as uncomplicated as a loose gas cap. Different uncomplicated reasons for a Check Engine Light are damaged oxygen sensor, faulty emissions control part, faulty head gasket, dirty mass airflow sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, or defective spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Honda Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as essential to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Honda issue was fixed.
Every Honda Insight was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the car on its decisive systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control company. If the electronic control company detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light illuminates telling you that there is a problem. However, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what exactly is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Coggin Honda Saint Augustine provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Extremely Qualified Service technological.
How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?
It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Coggin Honda Saint Augustine to aid indicate if your vehicle is safe to commute in or if we recommend a tow truck. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how many miles you can commute with the warning light on.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your Honda Insight will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. For example, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will turn itself off. Likewise, if your catalytic converter is going pragmatic, and you did innumerable 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 Insight light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that payment and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Coggin Honda Saint Augustine so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.
Honda Insight Check Engine Light
If the check engine light in your Honda Insight starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Honda should be brought in immediately. A flashing light indicates that the problem is perilous and if not taken care of immediately may result in sizable damage to the vehicle. This blinking light usually indicates a rigorous engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can instantly hike the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where wear and tear is potential, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can completely be the cause. A bad, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is ignored or you continue to drive, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a especially expensive repair. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our squad of automotive experts at Coggin Honda Saint Augustine immediately by calling 9047478228.
Honda Insight Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminates, 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, also admitted as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Insight. There are hundreds of conspicuous codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you natural knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, discernable and useful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of conceivable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of conceivable reasons for the light, including:
- Computer output circuit issues
- Old Battery
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Emissions controls issues
- O2 Sensor
- Transmission issues
- Ignition system faults
- Bad Spark Plugs
This is why it is decisive for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out expeditiously by a certified Honda mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a critical concern, you risk damaging your car extra by not repairing the issue right away. Call Coggin Honda Saint Augustine at 9047478228 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Honda Insight?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as clear as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a critical problem that could cause critical damage to your engine and come with a persuasive repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A consistent glow naturally means something less critical but a glaring check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in critical trouble and service is basic expeditiously. If your check engine light is glaring in your Honda Insight, we chiefly recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Honda service today. Below is a list of the most clear reasons your check engine light can come on:
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be changed. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the deposit of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less competent when it comes to fuel economy. So what happens if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A faulty sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause wear and tear to your catalytic converter and your Honda Insight's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to select the right mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A aggressive O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
- Your catalytic converter is aggressive or going aggressive. The catalytic converter is a part of your Honda Insight’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 neglected maintenance, which is why Coggin Honda Saint Augustine offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Honda service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it fixed, your Honda Insight 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 additional problems from overheating.
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Honda Insight is every terrific. 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 really require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Honda you drive, but check our ongoing service coupons and specials.
- One of the most primary and countless cause is that your Honda Insight gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Honda Insight serves multiple purposes. It prevents gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. What happens if you have a aggressive 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. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't expensive. If your check engine light turns on at this moment after you put gas in your Honda Insight, 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 additional item can wreak havoc on your Honda Insight if it’s not installed accurately. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound commonplace, bring your Insight to Honda and have our squad of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed properly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, exceptionally aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and wear and tear caused by poor installation work corrected.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are imperative for your Honda Insight. 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. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are aggressive or old, you will experience poor performance and reduced 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 wear and tear to ignition coils and O2 sensors, dominant to more expensive repairs.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be changed. The mass airflow sensor in your Honda Insight is what determines how much fuel is imperative to run your engine efficiently by measuring the deposit of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to confident changes, like altitude. If your Honda Insight is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a aggressive mass airflow sensor.
- Your Honda Insight has a vacuum leak. Every Honda Insight has a vacuum system that performs a wide mixture of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower harmful 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, exceptionally if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme brisk.