What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most typically misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2021 Lexus NX300 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few contrasting ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light brightens 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 2021 Lexus NX300. 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 mean a variety of diversified things. It can be as common as your gas cap being loose or as dangerous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2021 Lexus NX300, contact Nalley Lexus Roswell. Our Lexus service department can help you opt for what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing. Contact Nalley Lexus Roswell today!
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2021 Lexus NX300 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 handy, 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 2021 Lexus NX300 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 deliver it in to Nalley Lexus Roswell so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.
Is it safe to drive your 2021 Lexus NX300 with the check engine light on?
This question is not very natural 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 commonly indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the automobile, it could be an indication of a more scrupulous problem. If the check engine light is twinkling, this means that there is a scrupulous issue and it is recommended to service your Lexus NX300 swiftly. Call the consultants at Nalley Lexus Roswell by dialing 7702848580 so you can describe the issues. Or lessen your speed and bring your 2021 Lexus to our certified mechanics as soon as probable.
2021 Lexus NX300 Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that microscopic light on your vehicle’s dashboard expeditiously 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 acknowledged as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your NX300. There are hundreds of chance codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a microscopic patience, tackling exciting diagnostics will give you agreeable 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, evident and legal vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of probable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of probable reasons for the light, including:
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- O2 Sensor
- Transmission issues
- Emissions controls issues
- Ignition system faults
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Computer output circuit issues
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Old Battery
This is why it is decisive for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Nalley Lexus Roswell at 7702848580 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a unhealthy concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a certified Lexus mechanic.
Check Engine Light Service 2021 Lexus NX300
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Lexus NX300 and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Lexus 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 price 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 2021 Lexus NX300 checked as soon as attainable. Ignoring that warning could end up causing large break to expensive engine components.
When your 2021 Lexus NX300's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t small, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is generally 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 audit tool that is used by our Lexus auto repair technicians at Nalley Lexus Roswell. There are also a number of relatively cheap 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 professional technical to select the issue and repair it.
2021 Lexus NX300 Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are countless achievable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are copious appreciative causes incorporating something as feasible as a loose gas cap. Alternative appreciative reasons for a Check Engine Light are dirty mass airflow sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen sensor, faulty head gasket, faulty emissions control part, or defective spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Lexus 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 Lexus issue was fixed.
Every 2021 Lexus NX300 was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its laborious 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 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 remorseful nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Nalley Lexus Roswell provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Very Qualified Service professional.
2021 Lexus NX300 Check Engine Light
If the check engine light in your 2021 Lexus NX300 starts blinking, that means that the problem needs urgent attention and your Lexus should be delivered in instantly. A blinking light indicates that the problem is important and if not taken care of instantly may result in major damage to the vehicle. This blinking light commonly expresses a stern engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be discarded into the exhaust system. There it can instantly boost the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an pricey repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can certainly 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 company of automotive specialists at Nalley Lexus Roswell urgently by calling 7702848580. 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 highly pricey repair.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2021 Lexus NX300?
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 gigantic repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow mostly means something less critical but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in critical trouble and service is crucial immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2021 Lexus NX300, we incredibly illustrate not to drive the vehicle and schedule Lexus service immediately. Below is a list of the most ongoing reasons your check engine light can come on:
- One of the most logical and frequent cause is that your 2021 Lexus NX300 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2021 Lexus NX300 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 fancy. If your check engine light turns on urgently after you put gas in your 2021 Lexus NX300, first thing you should check is to make bold the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, logical as the O2 sensor, measures the dump of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less productive 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 2021 Lexus NX300'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.
- The battery is scanty or dead. The battery in your 2021 Lexus NX300 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 lot decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The estimate of a new one depends on the type of Lexus you drive, but check our present service coupons and specials.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Lexus NX300 is what determines how much fuel is decisive to run your engine efficiently by measuring the dump of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to crucial changes, like altitude. If your Lexus NX300 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.
- Issues with all aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or distinctive item can wreak havoc on your 2021 Lexus NX300 if it’s not installed accurately. These aftermarket elements and accessories can discard the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prohibit the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound typical, bring your NX300 to Lexus and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing all issue. Getting accessories, excessively aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM elements first 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.
- Your 2021 Lexus NX300 has a vacuum leak. Every Lexus NX300 has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety 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, excessively if they’re exposed to productive heat or extreme freezing.
- Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2021 Lexus NX300’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 Nalley Lexus Roswell offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Lexus service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2021 Lexus NX300 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 distinctive problems from overheating.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are decisive for your 2021 Lexus NX300. 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 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, main to more fancy repairs.
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. If you check engine light is twinkling, we recommend that you pull over and contact Nalley Lexus Roswell to help indicate if your vehicle is secure to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on.
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 properly tightened to a more relentless failure like a combative catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it fair to get the suitable code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is naturally between $88 and $111. The fair news, Nalley Lexus Roswell offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help represent the cause of your check engine light.