Engine and low trac lights come on

Engine and low trac lights come on

I have a recurring problem with my Check Engine Light. The dealership replaced my spark plugs and the module. After all that, the light still comes on! What is causing this and how can I get it fixed?

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :

Hello. There are several things that could cause the Check Engine Light to come on after getting the spark plugs replaced by the dealership.

If the Check Engine Light never turned off after the original repair was completed, it is possible that the Check Engine Light was never turned off.
It is also possible that more than one problem existed when the spark plugs were replaced and additional repairs are necessary.
If the Check Engine Light was turned off and came back on shortly after the repair, you could have an intermittent condition and these can be difficult to diagnose. Intermittent conditions may need to worsen before any certified technician will be able to pinpoint the problem.

Contact a certified technician, like one from YourMechanic, who will be able to pinpoint why your Check Engine Light is on.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :

Check engine light flashing and traction control light coming on at the same time could be alerting you of a misfire or a malfunctioning traction control system. Malfunctioning vehicle speed sensor or wheel speed sensors could also be causing the lights to come on.

Trac Off means the traction control system is off. Low trac means your on board computer sensed wheel slip and engaged the traction control system so the vehicle does not skid or slide.

A problem with either your spark plug wires or the spark plugs themselves could cause your check engine light to come on. Ignoring this problem may lead to a clogged catalytic converter, damaged ignition coils, or problems with your oxygen sensor.

A loose gas cap is one of the most common reasons for the check engine light to go on. Check that your gas cap is screwed on securely and that it`s in good condition. If you have a tank of bad gas in the car, your check engine light may come on.

Hi There, The Stability Track light relates to the vehicles traction control system. When the computer detects an issue with this system, it will often times put the vehicle into a reduced power phase in an effort to prevent further damage and to keep the passengers safe.

Is it Safe to Drive with the TCS Light On? It is only safe to drive with the TCS light on if it appears when you are losing traction: it means the system is engaging. Driving without traction control can make your vehicle susceptible to spinning out and sliding around on the road.

Put your car in park. Press and hold the VSC button for 5 seconds and the TRAC OFF and VSC OFF lights should both come on. Press the VSC button one more time and your traction control system will reset. Refer to your manual to identify the location of the VCS button.

Will your check engine light turn off by itself? In most cases, successfully repairing the issue that caused your light to come on will cause the check engine light to turn off automatically—but only after 10 to 20 “cycles”.

Sometimes, the check engine light comes on to let you know that there`s a problem with the car`s internal diagnostic mechanism. That means the system could be “finding” a problem that doesn`t exist, or it could be that loose wire systems are creating a false positive in the system.

These problems can range from faults within the electrical system, the engine, fluid levels or to problems within the car`s emissions system. The problem can even be as simple as forgetting to tighten your gas cap – in fact, this is the most common reason why check engine lights appear in the first place.

Check your gas cap first. Many vehicles have a loose gas cap indicator that will be triggered before your check engine light comes on. If your gas cap is loose or the seal is not tight, the vapor leakage can cause your fuel system to trigger the check engine light.

If the check engine light illuminates, it will either blink or remain constantly illuminated, depending on the problem. A blinking light, or in some cars a red light instead of a yellow or orange light, indicates a problem that needs immediate attention. Either way, you should have the vehicle checked by a mechanic.

Low engine oil, loose cables, and a clogged catalytic converter commonly cause reduced engine power. Tighten loose cables or clean your oxygen and mass air flow sensors to bypass reduced engine power. Replace your battery or catalytic converter if they are damaged to override reduced engine power.

The throttle body is a critical component of the engine`s fuel delivery system. If it malfunctions or gets clogged, it can cause the “Reduced Engine Power” light to come on. Symptoms of a faulty throttle body include hesitation, rough idling, and poor acceleration.

Traction Control System Warning Indicator Light is on

When the traction control module is going bad or failing, the most common sign is when the traction control system (TCS) warning indicator light is on in the dashboard. This is an indication that a serious problem exists and should be addressed as soon as possible.

In some vehicles it is located under the hood and/or is a part of the ABS control module. Other vehicles may have the traction control module located in the interior or trunk areas.

Works in the background to help accelerate and prevent wheel slippage (or “over-spinning”) when driving on slippery surfaces. Traction control is most effective when accelerating from a stopped or slowed position, or when trying to accelerate up a slippery hill.

Resetting Your ABS Dashboard Warning Light

Step One: Disconnect the positive cable from your car battery. Then, hold down the brake pedal to drain the vehicle`s electrical system. This will result in a reset of the car`s central computer. Plug the cable back in to restore power.

Quickly depress the gas pedal three times. Next, fully engage your engine and let it run for a minute. If there is no underlying issue with your traction control system, the TCS and ABS lights should reset and disappear.

The system then automatically slows the slipping wheel`s speed. Traction control became standard on every car starting in 2012. TCS automatically engages unless turned off. The only time to turn off traction control is when stuck in mud, sand, snow, or ice.

Permanent Diagnostic Trouble Codes (PDTCs) are very similar to regular Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs). However, unlike regular DTCs, they cannot be reset by disconnecting the vehicle`s battery or cleared using an On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) scan tool.

Bad Sensors

One common culprit for this problem is the crankshaft position sensor, which measures the position and speed of the crankshaft. The computer uses the information from this sensor to know when to fire the spark plugs. If the sensor isn`t working, the spark plugs won`t fire, keeping the engine from starting.

A failing catalytic converter is a common cause of check engine lights turning on, and it can lead to a decrease in fuel economy and engine performance.

Yes. While the damage may seem small initially, the longer you drive with a bad oxygen sensor, the worse the damage will become. Eventually, you may experience rough idling, poor acceleration, engine misfires, an illuminated check engine light, and failed emission tests.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Battery light goes on when I start car then turns off, if I rev engine light comes back until rpms go down. Abs goes comes on/off

ANSWER : Batteries can die due to faults in the charging system so ideally a suspected "faulty" battery should be load tested before a decision is made to condemn it. The only exception to this rule is if the battery is already clearly "old" (greater than 5 years) but even then once you put a new battery in, as a replacement for a "dead" battery, you have to comprehensively check out the charging system. Diagnostic Trouble Code P0460 will result in disruption of the dashboard fuel gauge’s ability to accurately report your tank’s fuel levels. The fuel gauge readings may be erratic, or read somewhere off scale. Vehicles equipped with a low fuel warning light feature may also suffer from erratic low fuel warnings in the event of a code P0460. Unless the P0460 code has been reported alongside other trouble code, all of the vehicle’s essential systems should otherwise function normally. I would recommend that you request a check engine light diagnostic to first resolve the fault causing the P0460 code to set. The check gas cap light warning light could be due a faulty gas cap and/or small leaks in the EVAP system.

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Traction light/reduced engine power and check engine light coming on

ANSWER : Hello. From what you describe, it would appear that your vehicle may be experiencing some sort of intermittent wiring or sensor issue. If the problem occurred again after driving over a bump, then it may be possible that a damaged or loose wire is shorting or having contact issues. A common issue that can cause stalling is a faulty crank position sensor or wiring. I would carefully examine the engine for any loose or damaged wires. If the Check Engine Light comes back on, I would recommend having the trouble codes scanned before resetting the computer.

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Engine Light and AT light. Car goes into limp mode

ANSWER : Hello. Most of the time this is the result of a transmission failure. It is common for this transmission to have internal pressure problem which will cause these codes. It can also be a voltage problem so I always check that first. I check the voltage going to the transmission and if it is too low I repair that issue which is commonly the ignition switch. If the voltage is fine, then the transmission pressures need to be checked and it will more than likely need to be replaced. I would have a transmission specialist look into this.

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Low coolant light comes on when AC, defrost or heater is on, but only if the car is in gear and stopped, what’s wrong with my car?

ANSWER : First, you want to make sure your cooling system is full. Check the radiator not the coolant jug. And check it when it is cold. If it needs coolant, add some. Of course, I don’t feel this problem is an actual low coolant condition. I would expect to find an electrical failure in the instrument cluster or from a component or wiring harness that is connected to the instrument cluster.

As a technician, I have access to reports from technicians across the country. I could not find any reports of this problem, so diagnosing this will require an experienced tech as this is not a common problem. In addition, this happens at intermittent times making it difficult to recreate. The most challenging part of this diagnosis will be recreating the symptom. I suspect it has something to do with the brake switch circuitry because it only seems to happen when you have your foot on the brake. I would begin my diagnosis there with a wiring diagram and test light in hand. The brake switch, instrument cluster, and environmental controls all interact with each other. Something is crossed either because of a failed module or damaged wiring in a harness.

Aside from making sure the coolant is full, this will not likely leave you on the side of the road. If you take it in to be diagnosed, be prepared for them to spend more time than usual to figure it out. Since it isn’t a key problem, you may need to live with it until it completely fails making it much easier to diagnose. Either way, I do recommend having a certified mechanic diagnose the warning light to make sure there isn’t anything serious going on.

Good luck.

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Check Engine Light comes on after starting pickup

ANSWER : Hello there, thank you for asking about your 1992 Isuzu Pickup. A professional will have the correct equipment to read OBD1 codes. Retrieving the diagnostic trouble code(s) is the first place to start when diagnosing your vehicle. Increasing RPMs changes engine load, which can in turn affect many different sensors and components, causing the Check Engine Light to illuminate. The only way to narrow down the options and find the culprit is through in person diagnosis with an OEM compatible scan tool. A certified technician from YourMechanic can retrieve the OBD codes at your home or office.

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Why can’t my check engine light come on after starting the car?

ANSWER : Hi there:

It’s nearly impossible to tamper with the ECU to disable error codes without having multiple mechanical issues exist. However, it is possible that there is a communications issue from the ECU to the dashboard or other electrical monitoring systems. The best way to know for sure is to have a professional mobile mechanic complete an electrical problems inspection first.

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My engine coolant light is coming on and after hitting a pot hole my thermostat light pops on, and after a few miles car run hot

ANSWER : Hi there. It is quite possible that you may have damaged the radiator when hitting the pot hole. Although there are protective shields located under the radiator itself, they are typically very thin and made of plastic in most cases. Sometimes the quick impact can cause cracking along the base of the radiator. When this happens, coolant will leak rather quickly. I would recommend two things, first, stop driving the vehicle until this issue is repaired. Second, contact a professional mobile mechanic to complete a coolant leak inspection so they can pinpoint precisely what is causing the leak and what repairs will be needed. This will allow you to have an accurate estimate for repairs.

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2012 equinox reduced power light engine light and traction light came on. Lost a lot of power got home and all light except engine

ANSWER : Your car has what is called a "safe mode" that will be engaged by the computer when it detects that something critical has gone wrong related to any of the major components in your engine chassis or power train. This may be related to a number of things, most of which should have been registered in the computer when the check engine light came on. I recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to inspect your check engine light and diagnose any codes registered by your vehicle’s computer.

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