What to Do When the Engine Malfunction Light Comes On in a New Car?

[LeJake]

The engine malfunction light may come on due to the following 7 main reasons: Sensor failure: The sensors mentioned here include coolant temperature, crankshaft position, air flow, intake air temperature, oxygen sensors, etc. When these sensors are damaged, have poor contact, or experience signal interruption, the car's ECU cannot accurately obtain engine data, which will trigger the engine malfunction light. Fuel quality issues: If fuel and engine oil are not added as required by the manufacturer, it may cause engine wear and trigger the malfunction light. Poor combustion of the air-fuel mixture: Poor combustion can lead to engine carbon deposits or knocking. When detected by the oxygen sensor and reported to the ECU, the malfunction light will illuminate as a warning. Spark plug failure, ignition coil failure, fuel pump failure, and fuel line blockage can all cause poor combustion of the engine's air-fuel mixture. Turbocharging issues: The intake turbocharging pipeline and turbocharger can also cause the engine malfunction light to come on. The most common issue is turbocharger damage, accompanied by symptoms such as oil leaks, high oil consumption, reduced power, metallic noises, and blue or black smoke from the exhaust pipe. Intake issues: If there is a problem with the car's intake, it may cause engine pipeline blockage, and in severe cases, trigger the engine malfunction light. A dirty air filter that is not cleaned regularly can lead to intake problems. Exhaust issues: Exhaust faults can also cause the engine malfunction light to illuminate. The rear oxygen sensor, three-way catalytic converter, exhaust camshaft, and bearing failures are all causes of exhaust problems, with the three-way catalytic converter being the most common. Using leaded gasoline, lead or silicon-containing lubricant additives, physical damage to the three-way catalytic converter, or faults in the engine fuel supply system can easily cause three-way catalytic converter failure. Anti-theft system failure: If the car's electronic anti-theft system malfunctions, or if the anti-theft controller does not match the engine electronic controller, the anti-theft system can also prevent the engine from operating normally and trigger the engine malfunction light. If the engine malfunction light comes on, follow these steps: First, check if the engine is running normally and if there are any issues such as shaking or smoke. If so, avoid restarting the engine. Particularly, do not restart the engine if the red light is on. If the engine can be started, turn it off for 5-10 minutes, then without pressing the brake, press the start button once or turn the key halfway to the "on" position without pressing the clutch. The car will perform a self-check after powering on. Observe whether the malfunction light on the dashboard turns off after 5-10 seconds. If the malfunction light remains on, visit a service station as soon as possible to identify the cause. The service station can use a portable diagnostic tool to read the fault code, obtain fault information, and perform targeted repairs.