Can I Drive My Car With Engine Management Light On?

Last updated on July 20th, 2023 at 07:22 pm

Engine Management Light Overview

Even though vehicles are getting commonly more solid, they can in any case still have some minor to serious issues in some cases on account of the complex technology used in building them.

A dashboard warning light is regularly the first indication of an issue and is intended to simply give a warning about potential issues that need to be fixed, and the check engine light is the most well-known faults that can offshoot when the engine management light is on

This light tends to come up when you least expected. You can be driving when abruptly an orange engine logo comes on your dashboard. You’d be surprised as to what it is.

That is the engine management light, and it signifies that there is a possible issue with your car.

Here I will discuss the steps to turn off the engine management light and prevent any serious damage from happening to your car.

What is an engine management light?

The engine management light is one of the several caution lights that is set inside the computer of your vehicle’s dashboard.

The light comes on after ignition and quickly goes off while you are set to move. The light is associated with your vehicle engine control unit (ECU) and is the principal pointer of issues with your vehicle’s electronic brain.

This controls things, for example, the fuel and air combination and the start timing to help your vehicle run efficiently.

On the off chance that the engine management light stays on after ignition, or while you’re driving, it implies there may be an issue with your vehicle.

Sadly, there’s no straightforward DIY fix for this, and your next port should be your mechanic workshop for proper assessment of the issues.

On the off chance that your vehicle is as yet under guarantee, at that point you should visit your service provider.

Once there, the specialists will have the option to associate a computer to your vehicle’s On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) port, and they can download codes from the ECU that have been recorded when an issue occurs.

This is the point at which you should be aware of the fact that different codes demonstrate various issues, and they can go from minor issues like loose fuel cap to more severe issues such as the contamination control valve that deals with your vehicle’s outflows.

Would I be able to Drive My Car With Engine Management Light On?

The fact is, there are a lot of reasons why the engine management light turned on, and not every one of such reasons is conceivably genuine.

Luckily, the shade of the light typically gives you a hint of the seriousness of the issue, so you ought to naturally realize that a yellow/orange/golden light reveals to you that you can keep driving, while a red light demonstrates a substantially more significant issue that requires prompt consideration before you run with the vehicle.

How would I turn the engine management light off?

When the issue with your vehicle has been detected and fixed and the vehicle is running smoothly once more, the technical working on your vehicle by an expert will reset the vehicle’s ECU so the engine management light goes off.

At times the framework will require a subsequent reset, while some experts will likewise give you the option of a vehicle update with the most recent information from the maker.

If the light doesn’t go off, or it goes ahead again not long after a fix, at that point, it might mean there are still issues with your vehicle.

However, if the technician is sure that there is no issue with your vehicle, at that point get them to do another reset of the engine management light.

What’s more, on the off chance that it turns on again, you should invest more in getting the issues fixed before more damage is done to your vehicle.

Instructions to reset engine management light

While the documentation for some more established vehicles gave guidelines on the best way to check and reset engine management lights, it’s not typically conceivable, because vehicles have developed more technically.

It’s well worth investing your time and resources to get it to reset for the smooth running of your vehicle.

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Reason engine management light cones on

Below are more common reasons why the engine management light would turn on while you are probably driving;

• Emissions system faults

Lessening motor fumes emanations is perhaps the most desirable feature every car maker would like.

No one needs to pollute the climate badly, however, similarly, no one needs a vehicle that is low on energy and can’t be driven smoothly.

To guarantee vehicles are as yet pleasant to drive while forestalling or diminishing the emanation of poisonous gases, producers utilize an assortment of control frameworks to oversee what emerges from the fumes.

When the emission system develops a fault the engine management light tends to come on.

• Ignition system fault

Quite numerous individuals believe the starter button or key is the vehicle’s ignition system, it’s only means ‘start switch’.

A vehicle’s ignition system is something other than how it turns on and off. The ignition system is controls how the vehicle consumes fuel that makes a motor work.

If there is a fault with your vehicle ignition system, the engine management light tends to get triggered.

• Oxygen Sensor malfunction

One of the numerous sensors checked by the ECU, the oxygen sensor gauges the measure of oxygen that goes unburned in the vehicle’s fumes framework.

A bombed O2 sensor will make more fuel be consumed than is needed. This, thus, will drastically bring down the vehicle’s eco-friendliness.

You can in any case drive your vehicle with a failing oxygen sensor, yet your vehicle engine management light will stay on until the issue is fixed.

• Catalytic Converter issues

Your vehicle’s exhaust system transforms hurtful carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide. On the off chance that you keep your vehicle routinely overhauled, it shouldn’t fail.

As a general rule, issues with the exhaust system are manifestations of another part coming up short, for example, the oxygen sensor or EGR valve.

Notwithstanding, the catalyst converter itself can get damaged if you just actually drive distances.

• Mass Airflow Sensor breakdown

The mass air flow sensor’s responsibility is to tell your vehicle’s ECU how much fuel to add to the motor’s ignition chamber to coordinate the measure of air streaming into the motor.

These levels guarantee that the vehicle runs as proficiently as could be expected. Any issue with the mass airflow sensor should be fixed or it likely the engine management light will stay on.

• Faulty spark plugs/wires/start framework

Your spark plugs light the fuel in your motor’s ignition system. If a spark fitting or its wiring falls flat, you will see a reduction in your motor’s force, just as it slowing down now and again.

It will likewise cause your motor administration light to get enlightened on the dashboard. Your flash fittings ought to be changed consistently following the maker’s manual.

• Malfunctioning DPF

The Diesel Particulate Filter is a section that is fitted to the fumes arrangement of diesel vehicles. As fumes gases go through the fumes framework, the DPF eliminates any destructive particles.

These particles develop after some time to shape a dirty store that can begin to obstruct, making the DPF fail to meet expectations.

• Fuel Injector issues

The fuel injector directs the measure of fuel that is conveyed into your motor’s ignition system. Periodically they can get damaged, which makes them fail to meet expectations or fail altogether.

They likewise depend on the data got by the ECU from different sensors around the vehicle, so disappointments in different components can have an impact.

When the fuel injector quits working productively, the ECU will send a signal that automatically gets the engine management light on.

• Fuel Pump issues

A failed fuel pump will likely mistake measures of fuel being conveyed, making the ECU report a deficiency and the engine management light get turned on.

When the fuel pump begins to fail, almost certainly, the car deficiency will follow not long after.

Considering that, in spite of the fact that you can keep on driving your vehicle, you ought to have the vehicle checked at your nearby mechanic workshop for the smooth running of your vehicle.

Conclusion

If you’ve had the option to fix what’s caused the engine management light to turn itself on in any case, there are various approaches to get it off once more. More often than not, it should reset itself whenever you’ve restarted the motor.

If you need to off your engine management light without fixing the issues that have caused it, you are likely to cause more damage to your vehicle. The light will just return the following time you turn the motor on. Get the issues to fix and have a smooth ride!

Jeffery Ekweghi

Hi dear, my name is Jeffery Ekweghi, and I am a certified mechanic and autobody parts technician. I created this site to share my expertise and experience with car lovers looking to resolve their car-related issues. I am certified in private cars and heavy-duty commercial vehicles. I have worked as a mechanic since 2015 and have experience in vehicle brands like Subaru, Jeep, Toyota, TATA, BMW, Mazda, Honda, Nissan, Kia, TVs, and Others; however, I primarily specialize in Toyota vehicles.