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

The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is regularly between $88 and $111. The specific news, David McDavid Ford offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help imply the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not appropriately tightened to a more adequate failure like a damaging catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it specific to get the correct code reading and diagnosis.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most naturally misunderstood lights or indicators in your Ford Fusion is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few definite 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 mixture of things for your Ford Fusion. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of distinctive things. It can be as decent as your gas cap being loose or as strict as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Ford Fusion, contact David McDavid Ford. Our Ford service department can help you read what code is turning your check engine light on or scan why your check engine light is flashing. Contact David McDavid Ford today!

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. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on. 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 David McDavid Ford to help learn if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck.

Check Engine Light Service Ford Fusion

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Ford Fusion and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates 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 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 Ford Fusion checked as soon as available. Ignoring that warning could end up causing colossal damage to expensive engine components.

When your Ford Fusion's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t noble, 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 read with an electronic probe tool that is used by our Ford auto repair mechanics at David McDavid Ford. There are also a number of somewhat 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 compelling professional to choose the issue and repair it.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Ford Fusion 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 functional, 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 Ford Fusion 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 David McDavid Ford so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

Ford Fusion Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are copious ability causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are countless pure causes encompassing something as pure as a loose gas cap. Back-up pure reasons for a Check Engine Light are damaged oxygen sensor, faulty emissions control part, faulty head gasket, 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 crucial 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 Ford Fusion was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its hard 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 incorrect 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 Highly Qualified Service licensed.

Ford Fusion Check Engine Light

A twinkling light hints that the problem is relentless and if not taken care of hastily may result in major damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your Ford Fusion starts twinkling, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Ford should be brought in hastily. This blinking light frequently indicates a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be deposited into the exhaust system. There it can hastily raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is achievable, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can totally be the cause. A bad, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is glaring, please contact our department of automotive experts at David McDavid Ford quickly 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 Ford Fusion with the check engine light on?

This question is not incredibly assorted 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 factual 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 vehicle, it could be an indication of a more uncommon problem. If the check engine light is shining, this means that there is a uncommon issue and it is recommended to service your Ford Fusion expeditiously. Call the consultants at David McDavid Ford by dialing 8174207990 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and transport your Ford to our certified mechanics as soon as feasible.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Ford Fusion?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as commonplace as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a hazardous problem that could cause hazardous damage to your engine and come with a generous repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A cognizant glow mostly means something less hazardous but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in hazardous trouble and service is essential immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your Ford Fusion, we notably advocate not to drive the automobile and schedule Ford service today. Below is a list of the most ordinary reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Ford Fusion is every noticeable. 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 various decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The estimate of a new one depends on the type of Ford you drive, but check our present service coupons and specials.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are necessary for your Ford Fusion. 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 bad 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, finest to more expensive repairs.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford Fusion is what determines how much fuel is necessary to run your engine efficiently by measuring the fee of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to particular changes, like altitude. If your Ford Fusion 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 bad mass airflow sensor.
  • One of the most regular and frequent cause is that your Ford Fusion gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Ford Fusion 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 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 expensive. If your check engine light turns on shortly after you put gas in your Ford Fusion, 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 each aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or alternative item can wreak havoc on your Ford Fusion if it’s not installed properly. 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 routine, bring your Fusion to Ford and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing each issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a miniature bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, noted as the O2 sensor, measures the fee of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less persuasive 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 Ford Fusion's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to indicate the prudent mixture 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.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Ford Fusion’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 Ford Fusion 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.
  • Your Ford Fusion has a vacuum leak. Every Ford Fusion has a vacuum system that performs a massive 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, especially if they’re exposed to exciting heat or extreme bitter.

Ford Fusion Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that tiny light on your vehicle’s dashboard abruptly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear honest away. If you hear the term, diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), these are just additional name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, also accepted as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Fusion. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a tiny patience, tackling cooperative diagnostics will give you big 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 big vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of probable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of probable reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is decisive for someone who does not have various of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call David McDavid Ford at 8174207990 hastily or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a rigorous concern, you risk damaging your automobile further by not repairing the issue honorable away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out swiftly by a certified Ford mechanic.