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What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most typically misunderstood lights or indicators in your Honda Odyssey is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few back-up 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 Odyssey. Some of these include controlling engine speed, ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can indicate a variety of conspicuous things. It can be as routine as your gas cap being loose or as unhealthy as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Honda Odyssey, contact Coggin Honda Saint Augustine. Contact Coggin Honda Saint Augustine today! Our Honda service department can aid you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Honda Odyssey?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a dangerous problem that could cause dangerous damage to your engine and come with a great repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow consistently means something less dangerous but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in dangerous trouble and service is basic today. If your check engine light is flashing in your Honda Odyssey, we hugely recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Honda service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • The battery is small or dead. The battery in your Honda Odyssey is every intense. 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 assorted 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 current service coupons and specials.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Honda Odyssey is what determines how much fuel is needed to run your engine efficiently by measuring the payment of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to possible changes, like altitude. If your Honda Odyssey is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a abrupt change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a damaging mass airflow sensor.
  • Your catalytic converter is damaging or going damaging. The catalytic converter is a part of your Honda Odyssey’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 frequently 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 repaired, your Honda Odyssey 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 alternative problems from overheating.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or alternative item can wreak havoc on your Honda Odyssey if it’s not installed accurately. These aftermarket parts and accessories can deposit the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even impede the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound commonplace, bring your Odyssey to Honda and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts initial place might price a little bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
  • Your Honda Odyssey has a vacuum leak. Every Honda Odyssey has a vacuum system that performs a gigantic range of functions. The vacuum system also helps cut 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, especially if they’re exposed to profound heat or extreme cold.
  • One of the most commonplace and many cause is that your Honda Odyssey gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Honda Odyssey 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 damaging fuel cap? If your gas cap is classical 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 lavish. If your check engine light turns on rapidly after you put gas in your Honda Odyssey, initial thing you should check is to make satisfied the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the payment of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less possible 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 damage to your catalytic converter and your Honda Odyssey'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 damaging O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your Honda Odyssey. 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 damaging or classical, 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 damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, large to more lavish repairs.

Honda Odyssey 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 known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Odyssey. There are hundreds of assorted codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling main diagnostics will give you accessible 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, distinct and practical vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of achievable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of achievable reasons for the light, including:

  • Old Battery
  • Computer output circuit issues
  • Transmission issues
  • Ignition system faults
  • Fuel and air metering systems problems
  • Emissions controls issues
  • O2 Sensor
  • Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
  • 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. If the engine light comes on due to a alarming concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a certified Honda technician. Call Coggin Honda Saint Augustine at 9047478228 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!

Is it safe to drive your Honda Odyssey with the check engine light on?

This question is not very familiar 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 naturally indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the automobile, it could be an indication of a more harsh problem. If the check engine light is blinking, this means that there is a harsh issue and it is recommended to service your Honda Odyssey 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 achievable.

Honda Odyssey Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless capacity causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several ongoing causes including something as natural as a loose gas cap. Substitute ongoing reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, damaged oxygen sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty head gasket, 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 crucial 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 Odyssey was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the car on its basic systems. The sensors are frequently detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control squad. If the electronic control squad 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 precisely 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 Highly Qualified Service licensed.

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

If you check engine light is flashing, we advise that you pull over and contact Coggin Honda Saint Augustine to help opt for if your car is safe to commute in or if we advise a tow truck. It could be anything from a harmful sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is hard to predict how many miles you can commute with the warning light on. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly.

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 strict failure like a harmful catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it noticeable to get the convenient code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is mostly between $88 and $111. The noticeable news, Coggin Honda Saint Augustine offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to aid find out the cause of your check engine light.

Honda Odyssey Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is strict and if not taken care of shortly may result in major break to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your Honda Odyssey starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Honda should be delivered in shortly. This blinking light usually implies a exacting engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can expeditiously increase the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is applicable, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can truly be the cause. A bad, classic 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 very expensive repair. If your check engine light is shining, please contact our team of automotive experts at Coggin Honda Saint Augustine abruptly by calling 9047478228.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Honda Odyssey 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 efficient, and you did a lot 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 Odyssey light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you commute over that amount 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.

Check Engine Light Service Honda Odyssey

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Honda Odyssey and suddenly, a yellow light brightens on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Honda owners, your heart sinks a little because you have little 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 determine 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 Odyssey checked as soon as productive. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major wear and tear to expensive engine components.

When your Honda Odyssey's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t authentic, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is commonly 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 read with an electronic audit tool that is used by our Honda auto repair mechanics at Coggin Honda Saint Augustine. There are also a number of relatively low-cost code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you choose that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an professional experienced to designate the issue and repair it.