What Causes the Engine Warning Light to Illuminate with Engine Shaking and Stalling?
1 Answers
When the engine warning light illuminates accompanied by vehicle shaking, the cause is typically poor combustion of the air-fuel mixture. Incomplete combustion leads to engine carbon buildup, which is the primary reason for vehicle shaking. Additionally, when the oxygen sensor detects this poor combustion and reports it to the ECU, the warning light activates as an alert. This explains why the engine warning light and vehicle shaking often occur simultaneously. Several issues can cause poor air-fuel mixture combustion, including faulty spark plugs, defective ignition coils, malfunctioning fuel pumps, or clogged fuel lines. If the engine warning light illuminates, follow these steps: First, check if the engine is operating normally—look for symptoms like shaking, black smoke emissions, or difficulty starting. If present, avoid restarting the engine. Importantly, never restart the engine if the red warning light is on. If the engine runs normally and the vehicle is drivable, proceed to a service station promptly for diagnosis. Technicians can easily retrieve trouble codes using a portable diagnostic tool to pinpoint and address the issue. For normally functioning engines, owners may also try gently reseating all wiring harness connectors (as loose connections could be the culprit) or repeatedly turning the ignition key to the ON position to see if the warning resets.
