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

This question is not very authentic because it any 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 continuously indicated by a persistent 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 risky problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a risky issue and it is recommended to service your Ford Ranger quickly. Call the experts at Coggin Deland Ford by dialing 3862100247 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your Ford to our certified mechanics as soon as conceivable.

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

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

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

Ford Ranger Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard quickly 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 modern as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Ranger. There are hundreds of clear codes that your check engine light can determine. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling major diagnostics will give you available knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is certainly supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, overt and accessible vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of accessible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of accessible reasons for the light, including:

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

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

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Ford Ranger 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 accessible, 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 Ford Ranger light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that sum 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 Ford Ranger?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as plain as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a critical problem that could cause critical damage to your engine and come with a impressive repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A logical glow frequently means something less critical but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in critical trouble and service is essential swiftly. If your check engine light is flashing in your Ford Ranger, we exceptionally recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Ford service now. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • One of the most common and countless cause is that your Ford Ranger gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Ford Ranger 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 detrimental 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 expensive. If your check engine light turns on immediately after you put gas in your Ford Ranger, 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.
  • Your Ford Ranger has a vacuum leak. Every Ford Ranger has a vacuum system that performs a wide 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 barren out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to important heat or extreme freezing.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford Ranger is what determines how much fuel is imperative 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 definite changes, like altitude. If your Ford Ranger 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 detrimental mass airflow sensor.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Ford Ranger is every 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 a few decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Ford you drive, but check our common service coupons and specials.
  • Your catalytic converter is detrimental or going detrimental. The catalytic converter is a part of your Ford Ranger’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's work 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 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 Ford Ranger 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 Ford Ranger if it’s not installed perfectly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can discard the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even impede the car from starting. If these issues sound acknowledged, bring your Ranger 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 first place might cost a scant bit more but could save you money from having to get meager work and damage caused by meager installation work corrected.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are imperative for your Ford Ranger. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your car. 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 detrimental or old, you will experience meager 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, primary to more expensive repairs.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, established 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 car will be less competent 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 Ford Ranger's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to mean the right mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A detrimental O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.

Check Engine Light Service Ford Ranger

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

When your Ford Ranger's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t correct, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is commonly 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 Ford auto repair mechanics at Coggin Deland Ford. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive 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 trained mechanical to learn the issue and repair it.

Ford Ranger Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your Ford Ranger starts flashing, that means that the problem needs prompt attention and your Ford should be brought in urgently. A flashing light indicates that the problem is alarming and if not taken care of urgently may result in major damage to the vehicle. This flashing light frequently illustrates a rigid engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can immediately raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is conceivable, requiring an costly repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can exactly be the cause. A bad, aged 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 very costly repair. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Coggin Deland Ford instantly by calling 3862100247.

Ford Ranger Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are many conceivable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are countless daily causes encompassing something as simple as a loose gas cap. Added daily reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty head gasket, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty emissions control part, damaged oxygen sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, or defective spark plugs to name several. 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 needed 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 fixed.

Every Ford Ranger was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its severe systems. The sensors are normally 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 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 explicitly is culpable 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 Excessively Qualified Service adequate.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most commonly misunderstood lights or indicators in your Ford Ranger is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in assorted divergent 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 class of things for your Ford Ranger. 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 mean a mixture of different things. It can be as authentic as your gas cap being loose or as threatening as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Ford Ranger, contact Coggin Deland Ford. Contact Coggin Deland Ford today! Our Ford service department can help you determine what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is blinking.