2016 Kia Optima Check Engine Light

2016 Kia Optima Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that miniature 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 acknowledged as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Optima. There are hundreds of discrete codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a miniature patience, tackling definite diagnostics will give you useful 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 convenient vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of possible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of possible reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is appealing for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a draconian concern, you risk damaging your car distinct by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out swiftly by a certified Kia mechanic. Call Nalley Kia at 7702885283 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!

Check Engine Light Service 2016 Kia Optima

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Kia Optima and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Kia owners, your heart sinks a slight because you have slight 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 illustrate 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 2016 Kia Optima checked as soon as achievable. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to pricey engine components.

When your 2016 Kia Optima's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t good, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is consistently 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 Kia auto repair mechanics at Nalley Kia. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive 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 experienced to indicate the issue and repair it.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2016 Kia Optima?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as clear as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a productive problem that could cause productive break to your engine and come with a big repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A instinctive glow frequently means something less productive but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in productive trouble and service is crucial immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2016 Kia Optima, we exceptionally recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Kia service today. Below is a list of the most clear reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2016 Kia Optima’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 each Kia service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2016 Kia Optima 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 supplemental problems from overheating.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2016 Kia Optima is each crucial. 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 copious decades ago, and they don't actually require maintenance. The estimate of a new one depends on the type of Kia you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
• Your 2016 Kia Optima has a vacuum leak. Each Kia Optima has a vacuum system that performs a wide 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, especially if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or supplemental item can wreak havoc on your 2016 Kia Optima if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even stop the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound accepted, bring your Optima to Kia and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might estimate a little bit more but could save you money from having to get low work and damage caused by low installation work corrected.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Kia Optima is what determines how much fuel is basic to run your engine efficiently by measuring the deposit of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to specific changes, like altitude. If your Kia Optima 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.
• One of the most present and copious cause is that your 2016 Kia Optima gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2016 Kia Optima 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 departed 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 quickly after you put gas in your 2016 Kia Optima, first thing you should check is to make hopeful the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are basic for your 2016 Kia Optima. 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 bad or departed, 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, leading to more expensive repairs.
• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the deposit of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less possible 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 2016 Kia Optima's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to suggest the right collection of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A bad O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.

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

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

2016 Kia Optima Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is precarious and if not taken care of now may result in big damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2016 Kia Optima starts flashing, that means that the problem needs sudden attention and your Kia should be brought in now. This blinking light usually indicates a exacting engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be drained into the exhaust system. There it can promptly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can explicitly be the cause. A bad, classic or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. 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 excessively expensive repair. If your check engine light is glaring, please contact our team of automotive experts at Nalley Kia urgently by calling 7702885283.

2016 Kia Optima Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are many potential causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are frequent natural causes consisting something as helpful as a loose gas cap. Distinct natural reasons for a Check Engine Light are damaged oxygen sensor, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty head gasket, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty emissions control part, or defective spark plugs to name assorted. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Kia Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as fundamental 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 2016 Kia Optima was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its central systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control squad. If the electronic control squad 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 exactly is amiss 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 Highly Qualified Service professional.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most typically misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2016 Kia Optima is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in assorted other 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 2016 Kia Optima. Some of these include controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can determine a variety of contrasting things. It can be as pure as your gas cap being loose or as unhealthy as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2016 Kia Optima, 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!

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2016 Kia Optima 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 real, 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 2016 Kia Optima light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that payment and the light is still on, you will need to transport it in to Nalley Kia so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

Is it safe to drive your 2016 Kia Optima with the check engine light on?

This question is not very uncomplicated 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 reliable to drive. This is naturally 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 rigid problem. If the check engine light is shining, this means that there is a rigid issue and it is recommended to service your Kia Optima swiftly. Call the advisors at Nalley Kia by dialing 7702885283 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2016 Kia to our certified mechanics as soon as factual.

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

It could be anything from a damaging sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy appropriately. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how disparate miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Nalley Kia to help recommend if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck.