why is your check engine light on?

Keeping your car running right is essential, and a vehicle that is running poorly can suffer from reduced fuel economy, performance issues, and drivability problems. Taking your vehicle to an auto service shop at the first sign of trouble is vital and can make a significant difference in the repair cost.

Hard Starting

Anytime your car or truck hesitates to start or turns over slowly and takes several tries to start it, a technician should check the vehicle to see what is causing the problem. Hard starting can be a sign of several things, including clogged fuel filters, bad fuel injectors, old spark plugs that need replacing, or a problem with the ignition system that needs to be addressed. 

The auto service shop you use can diagnose the problem using a special computer system to quickly and efficiently determine where the problem is and how to remedy it. Sometimes the solution is easy, and the tech can make a minor adjustment to correct the problem, while other times, your car will need some replacement parts. If you neglect to service the vehicle when a hard starting problem comes up, it can worsen over time, and eventually, the car may not start at all. 

Poor Performance

Another common issue you may see with your car or truck as it gets older is diminishing performance from the engine. Some limited loss of power is common with engine wear, but if you see a sudden change in the way the car drives or the idle quality changes and starts to become rough, you need to take the car to an auto service shop for an evaluation. 

Sudden performance losses often indicate a problem somewhere in the fuel, air, or ignition system or potentially a more significant problem that you can see. The best way to determine the problem is to take the car in and have a trained service tech go over it carefully. 

If you neglect the service, you may see a drop in vehicle fuel economy and drivability issues. While the cost of service may not be something you planned for, letting the car go without it could cost you more in additional fuel, and if the car breakdown as a result of the problem, you may be looking at the cost of repair and towing the vehicle to the shop. 

Getting the car into an auto service shop for a quick evaluation is often the least expensive solution. The problem could be as simple as changing an air filter or replacing the spark plugs, which are relatively inexpensive repairs and will keep the vehicle running and driving like it was designed to. For more information on auto services, contact a professional near you.