Hyundai Sonata Check Engine Light

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most normally misunderstood lights or indicators in your Hyundai Sonata is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few various ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light illuminates in either an amber or red color and is part of the diagnostics system found on your vehicle. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored vehicle performance since the 80s and do a differ of things for your Hyundai Sonata. Some of these include controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name superb. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of distinctive things. It can be as easy as your gas cap being loose or as unhealthy as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Hyundai Sonata, contact Courtesy Hyundai of Tampa. Our Hyundai service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing. Contact Courtesy Hyundai of Tampa today!

Hyundai Sonata Check Engine Light

A flashing light hints that the problem is unsafe and if not taken care of quickly may result in major damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your Hyundai Sonata starts flashing, that means that the problem needs prompt attention and your Hyundai should be brought in quickly. This blinking light usually expresses a exacting engine misfire allowing unused fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can swiftly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an costly repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can explicitly be the cause. A bad, former or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is ignored or you continue to commute, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a chiefly expensive repair. If your check engine light is blinking, please contact our team of automotive veterans at Courtesy Hyundai of Tampa shortly by calling 8132855062.

Check Engine Light Service Hyundai Sonata

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Hyundai Sonata and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Hyundai owners, your heart sinks a little because you have little idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the cost of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t mean you have to pull the car over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your Hyundai Sonata checked as soon as likely. Ignoring that warning could end up causing colossal damage to expensive engine components.

When your Hyundai Sonata's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t apt, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is mostly labeled “check engine” or “service engine soon”, or the light may be nothing more than a picture of an engine, or a picture of the engine with the word “check.”

When the light turns on, the ECM stores an engine code or “trouble code” in its memory that identifies as the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is read with an electronic scan tool that is used by our Hyundai auto repair mechanics at Courtesy Hyundai of Tampa. There are also a number of relatively economical code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you designate that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced expert to determine the issue and repair it.

Is it safe to drive your Hyundai Sonata with the check engine light on?

If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a troublesome issue and it is recommended to service your Hyundai Sonata immediately. This question is not excessively classic because it any depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be safe to drive. This is constantly indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the vehicle, it could be an indication of a more crucial problem. Call the experts at Courtesy Hyundai of Tampa by dialing 8132855062 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your Hyundai to our certified mechanics as soon as productive.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Hyundai Sonata will frequently shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is serviced. For example, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will turn itself off. Likewise, if your catalytic converter is going functional, and you did a lot of stop-and-go driving, that may have turned on the check engine light due to the high usage of the converter. In most cases, your Hyundai Sonata light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Courtesy Hyundai of Tampa so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

Hyundai Sonata Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that small light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear right away. If you hear the term, diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), these are just another name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, also natural as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Sonata. There are hundreds of diversified codes that your check engine light can determine. While that sounds daunting, with a small patience, tackling leading diagnostics will give you convenient knowledge about your automobile and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is actually supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, easy and convenient automobile symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of likely OBD codes, there are also hundreds of likely reasons for the light, including:

• Emissions controls issues
• Fuel and air metering systems problems
• Computer output circuit issues
• Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
• Bad Spark Plugs
• Transmission issues
• O2 Sensor
• Ignition system faults
• Old Battery

This is why it is helpful for someone who does not have assorted of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk bad your car further by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out hastily by a certified Hyundai mechanic. Call Courtesy Hyundai of Tampa at 8132855062 hastily or schedule your check engine light service online today!

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Hyundai Sonata?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as functional as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a hazardous problem that could cause hazardous damage to your engine and come with a unusual repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A dependable glow typically means something less hazardous but a twinkling check engine light suggests that your vehicle’s engine is in hazardous trouble and service is imperative quickly. If your check engine light is twinkling in your Hyundai Sonata, we exceedingly endorse not to drive the car and schedule Hyundai service today. Below is a list of the most prevalent reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or supplemental item can wreak havoc on your Hyundai Sonata if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can jettison the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound natural, transport your Sonata to Hyundai and have our unit of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, chiefly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts initial place might cost a little bit more but could save you money from having to get low work and damage caused by low installation work corrected.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your Hyundai Sonata. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel range in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or aged, you will experience low performance and reduced power. In some extreme cases, your engine will have trouble starting or continuing to run. Worn spark plugs and plug wires can cause clogged catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, considerable to more expensive repairs.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Hyundai Sonata is what determines how much fuel is needed to run your engine efficiently by measuring the sum of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to vital changes, like altitude. If your Hyundai Sonata is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the sum of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less direct when it comes to fuel economy. So what happens if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A faulty sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause damage to your catalytic converter and your Hyundai Sonata's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to indicate the right range of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A bad O2 sensor can also cause a automobile to fail an emissions test.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Hyundai Sonata is every primary. Without a automobile battery, your automobile won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s automobile batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't actually require maintenance. The cost of a new one depends on the type of Hyundai you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Hyundai Sonata’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is typically caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Courtesy Hyundai of Tampa offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Hyundai service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your Hyundai Sonata will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your automobile may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause supplemental problems from overheating.
• Your Hyundai Sonata has a vacuum leak. Every Hyundai Sonata has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower aggressive emissions by routing the fumes as gasoline evaporates through the engine. If you notice that your RPM is high in idle or randomly surges, a vacuum leak could be the cause. Over time, vacuum hoses can dry out and crack, chiefly if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme bitter.
• One of the most traditional and frequent cause is that your Hyundai Sonata gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Hyundai Sonata serves multiple purposes. It prevents gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. What happens if you have a bad fuel cap? If your gas cap is aged or has a ruptured seal, you can lose fuel through evaporation which will result in more trips to the pump. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't expensive. If your check engine light turns on shortly after you put gas in your Hyundai Sonata, initial thing you should check is to make convinced the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.

Hyundai Sonata Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless achievable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are countless natural causes including something as evident as a loose gas cap. Other natural reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, dirty mass airflow sensor, damaged oxygen sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty head gasket, or defective spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Hyundai Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as essential to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Hyundai issue was serviced.

Every Hyundai Sonata was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its troublesome systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control unit. If the electronic control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light lights up telling you that there is a problem. However, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what totally is erroneous nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Courtesy Hyundai of Tampa provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Excessively Qualified Service skilled.

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. If you check engine light is shining, we advocate that you pull over and contact Courtesy Hyundai of Tampa to help choose if your automobile is dependable to drive in or if we advocate a tow truck. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be changed. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is critical to predict how countless miles you can drive with the warning light on.

How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?

The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not appropriately tightened to a more stringent failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it decent to get the decent code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is frequently between $88 and $111. The decent news, Courtesy Hyundai of Tampa offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help designate the cause of your check engine light.