Your car can be running fine one minute, and the next minute you can see the check engine light on in your vehicle. The check engine light is a standard feature you can find in almost every vehicle, and it is there to alert you of a problem. The check engine light turns on to indicate any minor or major issues with your car. If your check engine light comes on, do you know what to do? Here is some advice to help you understand what to do in this situation and what the problem might be.

Stop Driving

The first thing to know is that the check engine light only comes on when there is a problem. As a result, you should stop driving your car when you see this light. In other words, you should not ignore the light and assume that everything is fine. Until you know the reason for the light turning on, you should avoid driving. You can, however, drive to a mechanic or auto parts store. You should avoid driving anywhere far, though.

Use a Code Reader

If you happen to have a code reader at home, you can plug it into your vehicle to run a diagnostic report. A code reader tells you what code your car detected as a problem. You can look up the code to see what the problem is. Most people do not own code readers, though. If you do not own one, you can take your car to an auto part's store or mechanic, as these businesses have code readers. They will connect a code reader to your car and run the report for you. The report will show the problem, and you can have an auto repair shop fix it for you.

Understand Some Common Reasons for the Check Engine Light Turning On

The check engine light can turn on for hundreds of reasons, but there are several common reasons this occurs. The first is to alert you of a bad oxygen sensor. An oxygen sensor works with your vehicle's engine to tell it how much gas to use. The check engine light also commonly turns on to alert you of an issue relating to your spark plugs. It can also come in handy when you have a problem with your gas cap.

Contact an auto repair shop for more information. They can check your car for you and fix the issue it has.