Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Check Engine Light
If the check engine light in your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention swiftly and your Chrysler should be brought in immediately. A flashing light signifies that the problem is very serious and if not taken care of swiftly may result in significant and significant damage to the car. This blinking light frequently indicates a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can promptly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive and major repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can precisely be the cause. A broken, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is invariably flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful immediately by calling 3854855488. If the problem is entirely 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.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Again, the check engine light could again be a warning of an essential problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and costly repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady and continuous glow ordinarily means something less serious but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in significant trouble and helpful service is required expeditiously. If your check engine light is flashing in your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid, we very advocate not to drive the vehicle and schedule Chrysler service today. Below is a list of the most regular reasons your check engine light can come on:
- One of the most common and frequent cause is that your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid serves various purposes. It prevents dangerous 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 damaged 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 and be more expensive. Luckily, to change a gas cap isn't pricey. If your check engine light turns on promptly after you put gas in your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid, 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.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns more swiftly and your vehicle will be less efficient when it comes to fuel economy. So what happens if I don’t change your O2 sensor? A damaged sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause meaningful damage to your catalytic converter and your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the specifically appropriate mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A damaged O2 sensor can also cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.
- Your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid has a vacuum leak. Each Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety 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, particularly if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even impede the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound familiar, bring your Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid to Chrysler and have our team of talented certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed perfectly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, particularly aftermarket parts and accessories, or utilizing OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could support you save substantially from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid is each important. Without a vehicle battery, your vehicle won’t start, light up the road in front, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s vehicle batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't absolutely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Chrysler you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are required for your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid. 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 smooth. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or old, you will endure a evident 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, leading to more pricey repairs.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid is what determines how much fuel is required to run your engine efficiently by measuring the amount of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to certain changes, like altitude. If your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden speedy replace in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a crucial sign of a damaged mass airflow sensor.
- Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid’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 ordinarily caused by constantly neglected maintenance, which is why Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful offers a complimentary multi-point examination with each Chrysler service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your vehicle may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause other perilous problems from overheating.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most generally misunderstood lights or indicators in your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the essential onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a wide range of different 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 wide range of things for your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid. Some of these essential duties include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing security control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a wide range of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as unpredictable as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid, contact Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful. Contact Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful today! Our Chrysler service department can support you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing.
Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid 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 many regular causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other often regular reasons for a Check Engine Light are dirty mass airflow sensor, damaged emissions control part, broken oxygen sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged head gasket, or damaged spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Chrysler Certified Mechanics and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and entirely repair it as necessary to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Chrysler issue was completely fixed.
Every Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its vital systems. The fast sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending important data to the electronic control unit. If the electronic control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light illuminates telling you that there is a problem. Nevertheless, sadly that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what definitely is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Tremendously Certified Service professional.
How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?
Since every check engine code has its own level of severity, it is generally difficult to predict how many miles you can be secure in driving with the warning light on. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. If you check engine light is flashing, we propose that you pull over and contact Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful to support determine if your vehicle is secure to drive in or if we propose a tow truck. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly.
Check Engine Light Service Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Chrysler owners, your heart sinks drastically because you may have explicitly 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, calm breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t mean you have to pull the vehicle over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is advised that you get your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid checked promptly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing extensive, major damage to costly engine parts.
When your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid'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 typically 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 can promptly identify the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is read with an electronic scan tool that is used by our Chrysler auto repair mechanics at Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful. There are also a number of comparatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you pick that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced professional to determine the exactly appropriate issue and repair it.
Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, exceptionally to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminate, 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, still known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can properly represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you useful knowledge about your vehicle and will still allow that important Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, evident and helpful vehicle symptoms do not invariably accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of potential OBD codes, there are still hundreds of potential reasons for the light, including:
- O2 Sensor
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Emissions controls issues
- Ignition system faults
- Computer output circuit issues
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Transmission issues
- Old Battery
This is why it is vital for someone who does not have a lot of predominant automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a proficient certified Chrysler mechanic. Call Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful at 3854855488 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue right away.
Is it safe to drive your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid with the check engine light on?
This question is not very simple 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 secure to drive. This is typically indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the car, it could be an indication of a more serious problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is suggested to service your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid quickly. Call the experts at Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful by dialing 3854855488 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your Chrysler to our certified mechanics as soon as possible.
How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?
The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is usually between $88 and $111. The good news, Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful offers completely free multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to support determine the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not accurately tightened to a more serious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it good to get the appropriate code reading and diagnosis.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. For instance, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will promptly turn itself off. Likewise, if your catalytic converter is working accurately, 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 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.