Why Is The Check Engine Light On In My Toyota Corolla?

Your check engine light just came on, now what do you do?

It's happens to all of us. You're driving along and then out of the corner of your eye you notice a yellow light. 

Uh oh.

It's the check engine light.

Do you break into full-on panic mode? Do you ignore it and hope it just goes away? 

Misunderstood

The check engine light is misunderstood a lot of the time and can mean a variety of different things.

First things first. When you see a check engine light come on it doesn't mean that you need to pull the car over immediately. It does however mean that you should get your car checked as soon as possible. Ignoring it means that a potentially minor problem can turn into something larger and a lot more expensive down the road.

I'm going to get it checked by a professional. But what can I do in the meantime?

Good question.

1. Check your manual

You can start by reading your owner's manual. It will tell you all the possible reasons it might have come on. 

2. Check your gauges

Next, look for a serious problem. Check your gauges and lights for indications of overheating or low oil pressure.  If you notice anything wrong it's a good indication to pull over as soon as it is safe to do so.

3. Tighten your gas cap

This solves the problem a lot of the time but it might take a few trips before the light resets itself.

Even if you don't notice any immediate problems that doesn't mean they don't exist.

Always, get your car checked by a licensed professional.

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