What Causes the Engine Warning Light to Illuminate on the Car Dashboard?

[LeAriana]

Engine warning light can illuminate due to: poor combustion of the air-fuel mixture, sensor issues, maintenance problems, and fuel quality issues. If the fuel pump fails to deliver fuel, the vehicle will not start. However, if the oxygen sensor malfunctions, the vehicle can still operate normally. Below is a detailed analysis: Damaged Sensors: Sensors include those for coolant temperature, crankshaft position, air flow, intake air temperature, and oxygen sensors. When these sensors are damaged, have poor connections, or experience signal interruptions, the car's ECU cannot accurately obtain engine data, which will trigger the engine warning light. Improper Maintenance: Poor engine maintenance is the most common cause of the engine warning light illuminating. Vehicles have specific maintenance schedules, and if the owner fails to adhere to them, combined with poor driving habits, the engine's operational burden increases, eventually prompting the warning light to remind the owner to care for their vehicle. Inappropriate Fuel Quality: Fuel quality includes both gasoline and engine oil. Cars require specific fuel grades, and engine oil can be semi-synthetic or fully synthetic. Manufacturers usually recommend which fuel grade and oil type to use. If the owner does not follow these recommendations, long-term use can cause engine wear, inevitably leading to the engine warning light illuminating. Clogged Air Filter: The engine requires air intake during combustion, making the air filter crucial. If the car's air filter is dirty and not cleaned regularly, it can affect air intake, leading to clogging over time. In severe cases, this can trigger the engine warning light. Poor Combustion of Air-Fuel Mixture: Faulty spark plugs, ignition coils, fuel pumps, or clogged fuel lines can cause poor combustion of the air-fuel mixture. This leads to engine carbon buildup or knocking issues, which are detected by the oxygen sensor and reported to the ECU, triggering the warning light as an alert.