2013 Ford Taurus Check Engine Light

Is it safe to drive your 2013 Ford Taurus with the check engine light on?

This question is not very simple 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 typically indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the car, it could be an indication of a more serious problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is suggested to service your Ford Taurus rapidly. Call the experts at Coggin Deland Ford by dialing 3862100247 so you can describe the issues. Or decrease your speed and bring your 2013 Ford to our certified mechanics as soon as conceivable.

2013 Ford Taurus Check Engine Light Flashing

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

Every 2013 Ford Taurus was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its crucial systems. The quick sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending essential 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. Yet, sadly 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; 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 Immensely Knowledgeable Service professional.

Check Engine Light Service 2013 Ford Taurus

What do you do when you're driving along in your Ford Taurus and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you're like most Ford owners, your heart sinks drastically because you may have explicitly 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, tranquil breath and realize the light coming on doesn't mean you have to pull the vehicle over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your 2013 Ford Taurus checked expeditiously. Ignoring that warning could end up causing significant, huge damage to expensive engine parts.

When your 2013 Ford Taurus's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can't right, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is ordinarily 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 can expeditiously identify 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 Ford auto repair mechanics at Coggin Deland Ford. There are likewise a number of essentially 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 experienced professional to determine the specifically right issue and repair it.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most ordinarily misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2013 Ford Taurus is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the vital onboard diagnostics system, and displays in an assortment of 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 an assortment of things for your 2013 Ford Taurus. Some of these essential duties include controlling engine speed, ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as dangerous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2013 Ford Taurus, contact Coggin Deland Ford. Contact Coggin Deland Ford today! Our Ford 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.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2013 Ford Taurus will normally shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. For instance, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will instantly turn itself off. Still, if your catalytic converter is working correctly, 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 2013 Ford Taurus 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.

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

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

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 correctly tightened to a more serious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it good to get the appropriate code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is ordinarily between $88 and $111. The good news, Coggin Deland Ford offers totally complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to assist determine the cause of your check engine light.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2013 Ford Taurus?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could again be a warning of a meaningful problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and expensive repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady and continuous glow ordinarily means something less serious but a flashing check engine light reveals that your vehicle's engine is in meaningful trouble and helpful service is necessary immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2013 Ford Taurus, we very endorse not to drive the vehicle and schedule Ford service today. Below is a list of the most regular reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Your 2013 Ford Taurus has a vacuum leak. Each Ford Taurus has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system likewise 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 other item can wreak extreme havoc on your 2013 Ford Taurus if it's not installed perfectly. These aftermarket components and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even limit the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound familiar, bring your Taurus to Ford and have our team of gifted certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed properly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or utilizing OEM components first place might cost a little bit more but could assist you save considerably from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2013 Ford Taurus'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 consistently neglected maintenance, which is why Coggin Deland Ford offers a complimentary multi-point examination with each Ford service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2013 Ford Taurus 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 delicate problems from overheating.
• 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 more promptly and your vehicle will be less efficient 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 serious damage to your catalytic converter and your 2013 Ford Taurus's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle's onboard computer to determine the explicitly right combination of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A faulty O2 sensor can likewise cause a car to fail an emissions test.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are necessary for your 2013 Ford Taurus. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel combination in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run smooth. 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 endure a conspicuous 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, leading to more costly repairs.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford Taurus is what determines how much fuel is necessary 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 certain changes, like altitude. If your Ford Taurus is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden fast change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a critical sign of a faulty mass airflow sensor.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2013 Ford Taurus is each essential. Without a car battery, your car won't start, light up the road in front, 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 absolutely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Ford you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
• One of the most common and frequent cause is that your 2013 Ford Taurus gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2013 Ford Taurus serves multiple purposes. It prevents perilous gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps control pressure within the fuel tank. What happens if you have a faulty 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 and be more expensive. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't costly. If your check engine light turns on promptly after you put gas in your 2013 Ford Taurus, first 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.

2013 Ford Taurus Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your 2013 Ford Taurus starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention swiftly and your Ford should be brought in rapidly. A flashing light reveals that the problem is very serious and if not taken care of swiftly may result in significant and serious damage to the vehicle. This blinking light frequently reveals a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can expeditiously raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an costly and considerable repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can exactly be the cause. A damaged, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is repeatedly flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Coggin Deland Ford instantly by calling 3862100247. If the problem is entirely 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.

2013 Ford Taurus Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, particularly to see that little light on your vehicle's dashboard suddenly illuminate, 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, likewise known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Taurus. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can accurately represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you advantageous knowledge about your vehicle and will likewise allow that essential Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, obvious and helpful vehicle symptoms do not invariably accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of imaginable OBD codes, there are likewise hundreds of imaginable reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is vital for someone who does not have a lot of predominant automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Coggin Deland Ford at 3862100247 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your vehicle further by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a adept certified Ford mechanic.