Is it safe to drive your 2012 Kia Forte with the check engine light on?
This question is not particularly pure because it all depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be protected to drive. This is commonly indicated by a consistent 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 draconian problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a draconian issue and it is recommended to service your Kia Forte hastily. Call the experts at Nalley Kia by dialing 7702885283 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2012 Kia to our certified mechanics as soon as attainable.
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 well tightened to a more unhealthy failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it big to get the decent code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is often between $88 and $111. The big news, Nalley Kia offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to assist imply the cause of your check engine light.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2012 Kia Forte will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. 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 assorted 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 2012 Kia Forte light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you commute over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Nalley Kia so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.
2012 Kia Forte Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are bountiful potential causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are many simple causes incorporating something as discernable as a loose gas cap. Other simple reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen sensor, faulty emissions control part, dirty mass airflow sensor, 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 Kia Certified Mechanics and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as mandatory to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Kia issue was fixed.
Every 2012 Kia Forte was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its stringent systems. The sensors are normally detecting conditions while sending data to the electrical control unit. If the electrical control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light illuminates telling you that there is a problem. However, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what absolutely is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Nalley Kia provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Extremely Qualified Service experienced.
How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?
Since any check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how innumerable miles you can drive with the warning light on. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. If you check engine light is glaring, we advise that you pull over and contact Nalley Kia to help read if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we advise a tow truck.
Check Engine Light Service 2012 Kia Forte
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Kia Forte and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Kia owners, your heart sinks a scant because you have scant 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 imply 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 2012 Kia Forte checked as soon as possible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major break to costly engine components.
When your 2012 Kia Forte's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the mechanical control system that it can’t realistic, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is normally 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 choose with an electrical probe tool that is used by our Kia auto repair mechanics at Nalley Kia. There are also a number of relatively cheap code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you choose that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced skilled to choose the issue and repair it.
2012 Kia Forte Check Engine Light
If the check engine light in your 2012 Kia Forte starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Kia should be brought in urgently. A flashing light indicates that the problem is important and if not taken care of urgently may result in major damage to the vehicle. This flashing light usually expresses a draconian engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be deposited into the exhaust system. There it can immediately increase the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where break is feasible, requiring an costly repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can absolutely be the cause. A damaging, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our unit of automotive consultants at Nalley Kia hastily by calling 7702885283. If the problem is ignored or you continue to drive, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a immensely expensive repair.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most continually misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2012 Kia Forte is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few different 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 variety of things for your 2012 Kia Forte. Some of these include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a range of different things. It can be as plain as your gas cap being loose or as relevant as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2012 Kia Forte, contact Nalley Kia. Our Kia 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 Nalley Kia today!
2012 Kia Forte Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard abruptly brightens, 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 known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Forte. There are hundreds of exact codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling principal diagnostics will give you conducive knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, indisputable and helpful vehicle 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:
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Bad Spark Plugs
- O2 Sensor
- Computer output circuit issues
- Ignition system faults
- Emissions controls issues
- Old Battery
- Transmission issues
This is why it is alarming for someone who does not have assorted of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Nalley Kia at 7702885283 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out rapidly by a certified Kia mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a hazardous concern, you risk damaging your automobile further by not repairing the issue right away.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2012 Kia Forte?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as easy 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 considerable repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow commonly means something less hazardous but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in hazardous trouble and service is needed expeditiously. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2012 Kia Forte, we exceedingly recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Kia service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your 2012 Kia Forte. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel collection 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 destructive or classical, you will experience poor 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, big to more lavish repairs.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less natural 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 2012 Kia Forte's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to pick the right collection of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A destructive O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
- Your 2012 Kia Forte has a vacuum leak. Every Kia Forte has a vacuum system that performs a large variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower harmful 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 important heat or extreme brisk.
- One of the most regular and bountiful cause is that your 2012 Kia Forte gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2012 Kia Forte 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 destructive fuel cap? If your gas cap is classical 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 lavish. If your check engine light turns on hastily after you put gas in your 2012 Kia Forte, authentic thing you should check is to make fearless the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
- Issues with each aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or different item can wreak havoc on your 2012 Kia Forte if it’s not installed appropriately. These aftermarket parts and accessories can ditch the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even avoid the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound daily, deliver your Forte to Kia and have our team of certified technicians ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing each issue. Getting accessories, chiefly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts authentic place might cost a little bit more but could save you money from having to get poor perform and damage caused by poor installation perform corrected.
- Your catalytic converter is destructive or going destructive. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2012 Kia Forte’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 usually caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Nalley Kia offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Kia service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2012 Kia Forte will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your car may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause different problems from overheating.
- The battery is poor or dead. The battery in your 2012 Kia Forte is every tremendous. Without a car battery, your car won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s car batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The cost of a new one depends on the type of Kia you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Kia Forte is what determines how much fuel is needed to run your engine efficiently by measuring the amount of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to fearless changes, like altitude. If your Kia Forte 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 destructive mass airflow sensor.