What are the reasons for the car engine warning light to illuminate?
2 Answers
Car engine warning light illuminates due to: 1. Sensor issues: including water temperature, crankshaft position, air flow, intake temperature, oxygen sensors, etc. When these sensors are damaged, have poor contact, or signal interruption, the car's ECU cannot accurately obtain engine data, which will cause the engine warning light to illuminate; 2. Maintenance problems: Poor engine maintenance is a common cause of the engine warning light; 3. Oil quality issues: including fuel and engine oil. The fuel added to a car generally has a specific grade, and engine oil also has semi-synthetic and fully synthetic types. Manufacturers usually recommend which grade of fuel and which type of engine oil to use. If the owner does not add as required, it will cause engine wear over time, and the warning light will illuminate.
As someone who has driven for half a lifetime, I've dealt with the check engine light quite often. When it comes on, common causes include faulty sensors, like malfunctioning oxygen sensors measuring emissions or air flow sensors, leading to system misjudgment. There are also ignition system failures, such as worn spark plugs or loose ignition coils, making the engine struggle. Don't overlook minor issues like an improperly sealed fuel cap—the car might think there's a fuel leak and trigger an alert. Worse problems like a clogged catalytic converter or issues with the ECU can burn more fuel and harm the environment. I always head to the repair shop immediately to read the fault codes and identify the root cause, otherwise stalling on the highway could be dangerous. Always tighten the fuel cap when refueling, and regularly maintaining sensors can prevent such troubles, saving money and peace of mind.
