Ram Chassis Cab Check Engine Light

How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?

The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is generally between $88 and $111. The good news, Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful offers entirely complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help 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.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most frequently misunderstood lights or indicators in your Ram Chassis Cab is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the vital onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a variety 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 variety of things for your Ram Chassis Cab. Some of these essential duties include shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, controlling engine speed, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as perilous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Ram Chassis Cab, contact Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful. Contact Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful today! Our Ram service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing.

Check Engine Light Service Ram Chassis Cab

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Ram Chassis Cab and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Ram owners, your heart sinks drastically because you may have absolutely 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, peaceful 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 recommended that you get your Ram Chassis Cab checked instantly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing significant, extensive damage to pricey engine components.

When your Ram Chassis Cab's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t appropriate, 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 Ram auto repair mechanics at Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful. There are still a number of comparatively inexpensive 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 experienced professional to determine the specifically correct issue and repair it.

Is it safe to drive your Ram Chassis Cab 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 safe 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 vehicle, 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 advised to service your Ram Chassis Cab instantly. Call the experts at Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful by dialing 3854855488 so you can describe the issues. Or lessen your speed and bring your Ram to our certified mechanics as soon as likely.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Ram Chassis Cab?

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 a significant problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and expensive 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 reveals that your vehicle’s engine is in serious trouble and helpful service is necessary promptly. If your check engine light is flashing in your Ram Chassis Cab, we tremendously endorse not to drive the car and schedule Ram service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Ram Chassis Cab’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A broken catalytic converter is normally caused by repeatedly neglected maintenance, which is why Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful offers a free multi-point check with every Ram service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your Ram Chassis Cab 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 dangerous problems from overheating.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are necessary for your Ram Chassis Cab. 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 noticeable poor performance and decreased power. In some extreme cases, your engine will have trouble starting or continuing to run. Worn spark plugs and plug wires can cause blocked catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, leading to more costly repairs.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your Ram Chassis Cab if it’s not installed perfectly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even limit the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound familiar, bring your Chassis Cab to Ram and have our team of talented certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed perfectly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or utilizing OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could assist you save considerably from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
• Your Ram Chassis Cab has a vacuum leak. Every Ram Chassis Cab has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system still 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, especially if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Ram Chassis Cab is every vital. 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 really require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Ram 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 Ram Chassis Cab is what determines how much fuel is necessary 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 Ram Chassis Cab is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden quick change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a crucial sign of a damaged mass airflow sensor.
• 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 rapidly and your vehicle will be less efficient when it comes to fuel economy. So what hits if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A damaged sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause significant damage to your catalytic converter and your Ram Chassis Cab's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the absolutely appropriate mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A damaged O2 sensor can still cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.
• One of the most regular and frequent cause is that your Ram Chassis Cab gas cap is loose, broken or missing. The gas cap for your Ram Chassis Cab serves numerous purposes. It prevents perilous gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps manage pressure within the fuel tank. What hits 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 costly. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't costly. If your check engine light turns on quickly after you put gas in your Ram Chassis Cab, 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.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Ram Chassis Cab will frequently 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 instantly turn itself off. Likewise, if your catalytic converter is working properly, 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 Ram Chassis Cab 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.

Ram Chassis Cab 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 different typical causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other usually typical reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty head gasket, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen sensor, or damaged spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Ram Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and utterly repair it as necessary to restore factory specifications. When this occurs, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Ram issue was totally fixed.

Every Ram Chassis Cab was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the car 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. However, unfortunately that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what explicitly 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 Very Knowledgeable Service professional.

Ram Chassis Cab Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your Ram Chassis Cab starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention swiftly and your Ram should be brought in instantly. A flashing light reveals that the problem is very serious and if not taken care of swiftly may result in major and significant damage to the car. This blinking light frequently reveals a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can swiftly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an costly and considerable repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can definitely be the cause. A broken, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. 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 pricey repair. If your check engine light is invariably flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful promptly by calling 3854855488.

Ram Chassis Cab Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, particularly 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, likewise known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Chassis Cab. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can correctly represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you useful knowledge about your vehicle and will likewise allow that important Check Engine Light to do what it is genuinely supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, clear and helpful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of likely OBD codes, there are likewise hundreds of likely reasons for the light, including:

• Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
• Bad Spark Plugs
• Transmission issues
• O2 Sensor
• Emissions controls issues
• Old Battery
• Fuel and air metering systems problems
• Ignition system faults
• Computer output circuit issues

This is why it is important for someone who does not have a lot of prevalent automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. 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 vehicle further by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out swiftly by a skillful certified Ram mechanic.

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

If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Bountiful to support determine if your car is secure to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. Since any 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.