What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most frequently misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in assorted other 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 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250. 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 assorted things. It can be as handy as your gas cap being loose or as relentless as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250, contact Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce. Our Mercedes-Benz service department can help you determine what code is turning your check engine light on or scan why your check engine light is flashing. Contact Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce today!
Is it safe to drive your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 with the check engine light on?
If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a draconian issue and it is recommended to service your Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 suddenly. This question is not very easy 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 usually 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 tough problem. Call the experts at Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce by dialing 7725772694 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and deliver your 2013 Mercedes-Benz to our certified mechanics as soon as functional.
Check Engine Light Service 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 and hastily, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Mercedes-Benz owners, your heart sinks a miniature because you have miniature idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the rate 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 vehicle over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 checked as soon as achievable. Ignoring that warning could end up causing big damage to fancy engine components.
When your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t compelling, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is typically 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 analyze tool that is used by our Mercedes-Benz auto repair mechanics at Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce. There are also a number of relatively low-cost code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you improvement that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced licensed to indicate the issue and repair it.
2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 Check Engine Light
A flashing light indicates that the problem is curious and if not taken care of shortly may result in primary damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Mercedes-Benz should be transported in shortly. This blinking light usually illustrates a rigid engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be discharged into the exhaust system. There it can promptly expand the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where break is likely, requiring an lavish repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can exactly be the cause. A bad, common or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive specialists at Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce suddenly by calling 7725772694. 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 excessively expensive repair.
How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?
The average value for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is frequently between $88 and $111. The accessible news, Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help determine the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not subsequently tightened to a more critical failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it accessible to get the suitable code reading and diagnosis.
How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?
If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce to help embrace if your vehicle is safe 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 detrimental sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. Since any 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.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 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 functional, 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 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 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 Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.
2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 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 illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear decent away. If you hear the term, diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), these are just additional name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, also known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your GLA 250. There are hundreds of clear codes that your check engine light can mean. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling normal diagnostics will give you practical knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is absolutely supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, evident and practical vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of definite OBD codes, there are also hundreds of definite reasons for the light, including:
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Old Battery
- O2 Sensor
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Computer output circuit issues
- Transmission issues
- Emissions controls issues
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Ignition system faults
This is why it is risky for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce at 7725772694 immediately or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a relentless concern, you risk detrimental your car further by not repairing the issue proper away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out abruptly by a certified Mercedes-Benz mechanic.
2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are countless likely causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are frequent prevailing causes incorporating something as simple as a loose gas cap. Alternative prevailing reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty head gasket, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty emissions control part, damaged oxygen sensor, dirty mass airflow sensor, or defective spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Mercedes-Benz Certified Mechanics 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 Mercedes-Benz issue was fixed.
Every 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its critical systems. The sensors are continually 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 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 mistaken nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Exceedingly Qualified Service high-tech.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250?
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 also be a warning of a precarious problem that could cause precarious damage to your engine and come with a generous repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow regularly means something less precarious but a flashing check engine light implies that your vehicle’s engine is in precarious trouble and service is mandatory hastily. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250, we extraordinarily endorse not to drive the vehicle and schedule Mercedes-Benz service today. Below is a list of the most prevalent 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 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 is what determines how much fuel is fundamental to run your engine efficiently by measuring the sum of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to necessary changes, like altitude. If your Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a speedy change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the sum of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less possible 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 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to indicate the honest 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.
- One of the most accepted and copious cause is that your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 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 aged 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 quickly after you put gas in your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250, original thing you should check is to make confident the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
- Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250’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 neglected maintenance, which is why Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Mercedes-Benz service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 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 fundamental for your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250. 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 aged, you will experience scanty 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 expensive repairs.
- Your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 has a vacuum leak. Every Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 has a vacuum system that performs a expansive mixture of functions. The vacuum system also helps cut damaging 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 astonishing heat or extreme enraged.
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 is every precarious. 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 Mercedes-Benz you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or distinctive item can wreak havoc on your 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 if it’s not installed subsequently. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even avoid the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound affable, bring your GLA 250 to Mercedes-Benz and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts original place might cost a miniature bit more but could save you money from having to get scanty work and damage caused by scanty installation work corrected.