How Long Can You Drive With Check Engine Light On

Last updated on July 20th, 2023 at 12:57 pm

One of the questions that people ask is how long can you drive with the check engine light on? Note that the answer to this question might seem confusing.

But it all depends on how bad the fault that illuminated the light on.

Indeed, you can drive the car for hundreds of miles with no problem whenever the check engine light on.

But what matters is which code is stored in the vehicle’s computer. What this means is that if an engine sensor is faulty, then the car will normally use made up sensor values to keep the car running.

Can You Get Emissions Test With Check Engine Light On?

It is true that some states runs emission test. One of the reason for emission test is to ensure that your car is not sending hazardous gasses into the air and affect others. This is to help keep the environment safe and help in reducing the carbon footprint of your vehicle.

It is known that every state emission test varies, but one common question is can you get emissions test with check engine light on? First, you need to understand what check engine light is.

So what is check engine light?

A check engine light is the light that comes on your dash that looks like an engine that says service engine soon.

Note that this light varies from vehicle to vehicle, but they mean the same thing.

So in answering your question, can you get an emissions test with the check engine light on? It depends on many factors, but normally NO!!

In case you drive a 1996 or newer cars and has OBD2 capabilities, it simply means you won’t pass an emission test once the check engine light on.

But in case your car is older than 1996, it means you might be able to pass with your check engine light on, however, the chances aren’t still good.

So why won’t your car pass an emission test?

Since you won’t be able to pass the emission test due to the check engine light is on, it tells you that there is something wrong with your car. You might have a loose gas cap, or you have a hole in your exhaust.

So what should I do?

It depends on the reason the check engine light is on. However, there are many things you can do to rectify the problem caused by the check engine light.

Then what can you do if your check engine light turns on and you want to pass an emission test?

Some people might be thinking that they can just use an OBD2 scanner and then reset the light, this won’t work.

This is because your vehicle will have to go thru a self-check routine before it can even pass the emission test. The truth is that when the light is turned off or when you remove the bulb, then the emission testers will see when they plug in the OBD2 scanner that your car hasn’t done the cycle and this means that they will tell you to come back.

This simply means that if your car checks the engine light turns on and you want to pass an emission test, then you must first find out what the problem is and fix it. However, finding what the problem can be is very easy.

The only thing to do is to make use of the best OBD2 scanner or code reader and find out the code.

This code will show you the exact reason the check engine light is turned on and then you will know what to do to get it fixed.

And once it is fixed and the car is driven thru a cycle of self-check, you can then have the emission test done and passed.

Can I Drive My Car With Engine Management Light On?

What drivers are though is that once the check engine light is turned on, you can’t keep driving the car.

This simply means that there is an emergency. Sometimes it indicates an engine misfire.

However, if you keep driving the car, it might cause you a severe damage which could even be more expensive. It could even damage your catalytic converter.

So if you are asking, can I drive my car with engine management light on? Then here’s my answer:

You can if it’s always lit and you don’t loss power. But make sure it is checked as soon as possible.
You can’t if it’s flashing while you’re driving. Make sure you avoid heavy acceleration and high engine speed. Then ensure the vehicle is stopped whenever it’s safe to do so. Then you can restart your engine after about 2 minutes to reset the engine management system.

However, if you notice the light’s still flashing, then turn off the engine and contact your mechanic to check the engine soon to avoid further damaging of the catalytic converter or diesel particulate filter.

This is because cars have lots of sensors, so check to ensure that everything’s running smoothly.

The truth is that there are lots of reasons why the light will show, but a garage can check what causes it.

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