How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?
The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. If you check engine light is twinkling, we recommend that you pull over and contact David McDavid Ford to help indicate if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replenished. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how innumerable miles you can drive with the warning light on.
How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?
The middle cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is generally between $88 and $111. The improved news, David McDavid Ford offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help choose the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not properly tightened to a more precarious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it improved to get the noble code reading and diagnosis.
2020 Ford Focus Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are countless ability causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are copious innate causes encompassing something as effortless as a loose gas cap. Different innate reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, faulty head gasket, damaged oxygen sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, dirty mass airflow sensor, or defective spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Ford Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as decisive to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Ford issue was fixed.
Every 2020 Ford Focus was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its common systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending 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, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what exactly is untrue nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; David McDavid Ford provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Immensely Qualified Service professional.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2020 Ford Focus?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as uncomplicated as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a exacting problem that could cause exacting damage to your engine and come with a huge repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A persistent glow continuously means something fewer exacting but a flashing check engine light implies that your vehicle’s engine is in exacting trouble and service is needed immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2020 Ford Focus, we tremendously recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Ford service today. Below is a list of the most acceptable reasons your check engine light can come on:
- Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2020 Ford Focus’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 David McDavid Ford offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Ford service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2020 Ford Focus 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.
- Issues with all aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or additional item can wreak havoc on your 2020 Ford Focus if it’s not installed subsequently. 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 regular, deliver your Focus to Ford and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed perfectly and aren't causing all issue. Getting accessories, chiefly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts original place might cost a tiny bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
- Your 2020 Ford Focus has a vacuum leak. Every Ford Focus has a vacuum system that performs a wide collection 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, chiefly if they’re exposed to imposing heat or extreme cool.
- One of the most regular and countless cause is that your 2020 Ford Focus gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2020 Ford Focus 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 bad fuel cap? If your gas cap is historic 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 hastily after you put gas in your 2020 Ford Focus, original thing you should check is to make hopeful the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2020 Ford Focus is every mandatory. 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 explicitly require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Ford you drive, but check our actual service coupons and specials.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford Focus is what determines how much fuel is basic 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 actual changes, like altitude. If your Ford Focus is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a rapid change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are basic for your 2020 Ford Focus. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel collection 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 bad or historic, 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, considerable to more lavish repairs.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, regular 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 efficient 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 2020 Ford Focus's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to read the right collection of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A bad O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most usually misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2020 Ford Focus is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few distinct 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 2020 Ford Focus. Some of these include controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a lot. With that being said, the check engine light can represent a mixture of contrasting things. It can be as effective as your gas cap being loose or as unusual as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2020 Ford Focus, contact David McDavid Ford. Contact David McDavid Ford today! Our Ford service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or inspect why your check engine light is flashing.
2020 Ford Focus Check Engine Light
If the check engine light in your 2020 Ford Focus starts blinking, that means that the problem needs abrupt attention and your Ford should be brought in immediately. A blinking light illustrates that the problem is risky and if not taken care of immediately may result in major damage to the vehicle. This blinking light typically indicates a scrupulous engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be drained into the exhaust system. There it can quickly boost the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can entirely be the cause. A bad, aged or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at David McDavid Ford immediately by calling 8174207990. 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.
Is it safe to drive your 2020 Ford Focus with the check engine light on?
This question is not excessively authentic 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 consistent 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 efficient problem. If the check engine light is blinking, this means that there is a efficient issue and it is recommended to service your Ford Focus suddenly. Call the experts at David McDavid Ford by dialing 8174207990 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2020 Ford to our certified mechanics as soon as feasible.
Check Engine Light Service 2020 Ford Focus
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Ford Focus and suddenly, a yellow light brightens on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Ford 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 value of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t hint 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 2020 Ford Focus checked as soon as accessible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing adequate damage to expensive engine components.
When your 2020 Ford Focus's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t historical, 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 identifies as the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is learn with an electronic probe tool that is used by our Ford auto repair mechanics at David McDavid Ford. There are also a number of relatively small code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you designate that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an trained professional to designate the issue and repair it.
2020 Ford Focus Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that scant 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 diverse 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 Focus. There are hundreds of definitive codes that your check engine light can determine. While that sounds daunting, with a scant patience, tackling main diagnostics will give you useful 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 discernable vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of likely OBD codes, there are also hundreds of likely reasons for the light, including:
- Ignition system faults
- O2 Sensor
- Old Battery
- Computer output circuit issues
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Emissions controls issues
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Transmission issues
This is why it is alarming 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 dangerous concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue right away. Call David McDavid Ford at 8174207990 now or schedule your check engine light service online today! When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out rapidly by a certified Ford mechanic.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2020 Ford Focus will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is revamped. 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 adequate, 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 2020 Ford Focus light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that fee and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to David McDavid Ford so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.