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. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is hard to predict how plentiful 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 illustrate if your car is secure to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. It could be anything from a damaging sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced.
Is it safe to drive your 2016 Kia Sportage with the check engine light on?
This question is not very noteworthy 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 secure to drive. This is normally 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 alarming problem. If the check engine light is blinking, this means that there is a alarming issue and it is recommended to service your Kia Sportage quickly. 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 apt.
Check Engine Light Service 2016 Kia Sportage
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Kia Sportage and rapidly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Kia 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 indicate 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 Sportage checked as soon as effective. Ignoring that warning could end up causing substantial wear and tear to pricey engine components.
When your 2016 Kia Sportage's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t decent, 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 read with an electronic diagnose tool that is used by our Kia auto repair technicians at Nalley Kia. There are also a number of somewhat inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you pick that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an skilled licensed to choose the issue and repair it.
2016 Kia Sportage Check Engine Light
If the check engine light in your 2016 Kia Sportage starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Kia should be brought in quickly. A flashing light hints that the problem is relentless and if not taken care of quickly may result in gargantuan damage to the vehicle. This glaring light usually hints a strict engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can quickly boost the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is viable, requiring an pricey repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can absolutely be the cause. A bad, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our department of automotive advisors at Nalley Kia today 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 very expensive repair.
2016 Kia Sportage 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 innumerable traditional causes including something as easy as a loose gas cap. Distinctive traditional reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty head gasket, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty emissions control part, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen sensor, 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 Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as imperative 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 repaired.
Every 2016 Kia Sportage was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its difficult 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 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 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 Exceedingly Qualified Service licensed.
How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?
The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is often between $88 and $111. The convenient 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 accordingly tightened to a more perilous failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it convenient to get the appropriate code reading and diagnosis.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most typically misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2016 Kia Sportage is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in excellent alternative 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 Sportage. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, controlling engine speed, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can advocate a assortment of clear-cut things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as rigorous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2016 Kia Sportage, contact Nalley Kia. Contact Nalley Kia today! Our Kia service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or analyze why your check engine light is flashing.
2016 Kia Sportage Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly lights up, 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 Sportage. There are hundreds of diversified codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling laborious diagnostics will give you handy 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, definite and handy vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of efficient OBD codes, there are also hundreds of efficient reasons for the light, including:
- Old Battery
- O2 Sensor
- Transmission issues
- Ignition system faults
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Computer output circuit issues
- Emissions controls issues
This is why it is vital 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 bizarre concern, you risk damaging your car other by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a certified Kia mechanic. Call Nalley Kia at 7702885283 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2016 Kia Sportage will ordinarily 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 2016 Kia Sportage 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 Nalley Kia so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2016 Kia Sportage?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as straightforward as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a consistent problem that could cause consistent damage 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 consistent glow regularly means something less consistent but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in consistent trouble and service is needed immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2016 Kia Sportage, we excessively advocate not to drive the vehicle and schedule Kia service today. Below is a list of the most fair 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 Sportage’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 revamped, your 2016 Kia Sportage 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 substitute problems from overheating.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or substitute item can wreak havoc on your 2016 Kia Sportage if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket components and accessories can dump the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even avoid the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound real, bring your Sportage to Kia and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed perfectly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM components initial place might cost a small bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
- One of the most decent and frequent cause is that your 2016 Kia Sportage gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2016 Kia Sportage 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 traditional 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 expeditiously after you put gas in your 2016 Kia Sportage, initial thing you should check is to make sure the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2016 Kia Sportage is each essential. 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 price of a new one depends on the type of Kia you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
- 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 essential 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 Sportage's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to pick the right mixture 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.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Kia Sportage is what determines how much fuel is essential 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 clear changes, like altitude. If your Kia Sportage 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.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are essential for your 2016 Kia Sportage. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run. The spark plug wires transport the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or traditional, 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, fundamental to more expensive repairs.
- Your 2016 Kia Sportage has a vacuum leak. Each Kia Sportage has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower bad 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 parched out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to active heat or extreme chilly.