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

The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy properly. If you check engine light is flashing, we advocate that you pull over and contact Coggin Deland Ford to help prefer if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we advocate a tow truck. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be interchanged. Since any check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how frequent miles you can drive with the warning light on.

Check Engine Light Service 2012 Ford Focus

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Ford Focus and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Ford 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 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 2012 Ford Focus checked as soon as accessible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing first-rate damage to lavish engine components.

When your 2012 Ford Focus's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t honorable, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is frequently 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 inspect tool that is used by our Ford auto repair mechanics at Coggin Deland Ford. There are also a number of comparably bargain code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you embrace that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced persuasive to choose the issue and repair it.

2012 Ford Focus 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 flashes, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear good 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 established as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Focus. There are hundreds of assorted codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling prominent diagnostics will give you cooperative knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Regrettably, indisputable and good vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of conceivable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of conceivable reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is helpful 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 threatening concern, you risk damaging your car supplemental by not repairing the issue good away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out swiftly by a certified Ford mechanic. Call Coggin Deland Ford at 3862100247 now or schedule your check engine light service online today!

2012 Ford Focus Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless attainable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several prevailing causes including something as plain as a loose gas cap. Different prevailing reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen sensor, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty head gasket, faulty emissions control part, or defective spark plugs to name a lot. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Ford 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 Ford issue was repaired.

Every 2012 Ford Focus was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its hard 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 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 exactly is awry nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Coggin Deland Ford provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Remarkably Qualified Service professional.

Is it safe to drive your 2012 Ford Focus with the check engine light on?

If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a critical issue and it is recommended to service your Ford Focus immediately. This question is not excessively comfortable 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 safe to drive. This is typically indicated by a coherent 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 important problem. Call the specialists at Coggin Deland Ford by dialing 3862100247 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2012 Ford to our certified mechanics as soon as available.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most ordinarily misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2012 Ford Focus 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 variety of things for your 2012 Ford Focus. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can choose a variety of different things. It can be as disparate as your gas cap being loose or as relentless as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2012 Ford Focus, contact Coggin Deland Ford. Contact Coggin Deland Ford today! Our Ford service department can help you read what code is turning your check engine light on or probe why your check engine light is twinkling.

2012 Ford Focus Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is relentless and if not taken care of immediately may result in abundant damage to the automobile. If the check engine light in your 2012 Ford Focus starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Ford should be brought in immediately. This flashing light commonly expresses a exacting engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be discharged into the exhaust system. There it can suddenly increase the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive repair. A Bit owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can exactly be the cause. A bad, classical or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is glaring, please contact our team of automotive experts at Coggin Deland Ford rapidly by calling 3862100247. 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 costly repair.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2012 Ford Focus 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 meager, 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 2012 Ford Focus 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 Coggin Deland Ford so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2012 Ford Focus?

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 stern problem that could cause stern damage to your engine and come with a dominant repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow commonly means something less stern but a glaring check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in stern trouble and service is needed rapidly. If your check engine light is glaring in your 2012 Ford Focus, we highly suggest not to drive the vehicle and schedule Ford service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford Focus 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 positive changes, like altitude. If your Ford Focus is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a immediate change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
  • Your 2012 Ford Focus has a vacuum leak. Every Ford Focus has a vacuum system that performs a roomy collection 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 important heat or extreme heated.
  • One of the most accepted and several cause is that your 2012 Ford Focus gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2012 Ford Focus 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 old 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 pricey. If your check engine light turns on immediately after you put gas in your 2012 Ford Focus, 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.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are essential for your 2012 Ford Focus. 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 deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or old, 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, first-rate to more pricey repairs.
  • The battery is scanty or dead. The battery in your 2012 Ford Focus is every prime. 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 Ford you commute, but check our current service coupons and specials.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, admitted 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 powerful 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 Ford Focus's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to represent the correct 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 catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2012 Ford Focus’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 commonly caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Coggin Deland Ford offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Ford service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2012 Ford Focus 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 other problems from overheating.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak havoc on your 2012 Ford Focus if it’s not installed accurately. These aftermarket parts and accessories can ditch the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound accepted, bring your Focus to Ford and have our squad 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 parts initial place might cost a microscopic bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.

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

The average value for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is consistently between $88 and $111. The decisive news, Coggin Deland Ford offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help convenience the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not perfectly tightened to a more precarious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it decisive to get the apt code reading and diagnosis.