What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most generally misunderstood lights or indicators in your Mercedes-Benz S 560 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a lot overt ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light flashes 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 Mercedes-Benz S 560. 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 recommend a variety of different things. It can be as easy as your gas cap being loose or as applicable as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Mercedes-Benz S 560, contact Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce. Contact Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce today! Our Mercedes-Benz service department can help you opt for what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is glaring.
Mercedes-Benz S 560 Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard abruptly 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 prevalent as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your S 560. There are hundreds of disparate codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling crucial diagnostics will give you useful 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, visible and convenient vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of potential OBD codes, there are also hundreds of potential reasons for the light, including:
- Computer output circuit issues
- Old Battery
- Emissions controls issues
- Transmission issues
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Ignition system faults
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- O2 Sensor
This is why it is meaningful for someone who does not have a few of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a unhealthy concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue right away. Call Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce at 7725772694 now or schedule your check engine light service online today! When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out instantly by a certified Mercedes-Benz technician.
Is it safe to drive your Mercedes-Benz S 560 with the check engine light on?
This question is not excessively cordial 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 consistently indicated by a steady 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 compatible problem. If the check engine light is twinkling, this means that there is a compatible issue and it is recommended to service your Mercedes-Benz S 560 hastily. Call the experts at Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce by dialing 7725772694 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your Mercedes-Benz to our certified mechanics as soon as active.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your Mercedes-Benz S 560 will regularly 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 definite, 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 Mercedes-Benz S 560 light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that deposit and the light is still on, you will need to deliver it in to Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.
Mercedes-Benz S 560 Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are plentiful capability causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are innumerable classic causes comprising something as prevailing as a loose gas cap. Substitute classic reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty head gasket, damaged oxygen sensor, faulty emissions control part, dirty mass airflow sensor, or defective spark plugs to name assorted. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Mercedes-Benz Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as imperative 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 Mercedes-Benz S 560 was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its essential 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 awry 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 Extraordinarily Qualified Service professional.
How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?
The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is typically between $88 and $111. The exceptional news, Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to aid suggest the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not properly tightened to a more relentless failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it exceptional to get the exceptional code reading and diagnosis.
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. Since every check engine code has its own level of severity, it is troublesome to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy properly. If you check engine light is flashing, we imply that you pull over and contact Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce to help represent if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we imply a tow truck.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Mercedes-Benz S 560?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as affectionate as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a draconian problem that could cause draconian damage to your engine and come with a big repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow constantly means something less draconian but a flashing check engine light expresses that your vehicle’s engine is in draconian trouble and service is decisive shortly. If your check engine light is flashing in your Mercedes-Benz S 560, we extraordinarily advise not to drive the vehicle and schedule Mercedes-Benz service today. Below is a list of the most ongoing reasons your check engine light can come on:
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Mercedes-Benz S 560 is every critical. 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 entirely 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.
- One of the most friendly and frequent cause is that your Mercedes-Benz S 560 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Mercedes-Benz S 560 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 traditional 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 instantly after you put gas in your Mercedes-Benz S 560, first 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 Mercedes-Benz S 560 has a vacuum leak. Every Mercedes-Benz S 560 has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower bad 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 bare out and crack, extremely if they’re exposed to profound heat or extreme heated.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, popular 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 vehicle will be fewer practical 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 Mercedes-Benz S 560's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to endorse the right differ 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.
- Issues with all aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or additional item can wreak havoc on your Mercedes-Benz S 560 if it’s not installed well. These aftermarket parts and accessories can deposit the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound friendly, bring your S 560 to Mercedes-Benz and have our department of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing all issue. Getting accessories, extremely aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might estimate a tiny bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Mercedes-Benz S 560 is what determines how much fuel is needed 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 genuine changes, like altitude. If your Mercedes-Benz S 560 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.
- Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Mercedes-Benz S 560’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 fixed, your Mercedes-Benz S 560 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 additional problems from overheating.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your Mercedes-Benz S 560. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel differ 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 traditional, 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, leading to more expensive repairs.
Mercedes-Benz S 560 Check Engine Light
A flashing light illustrates that the problem is adequate and if not taken care of now may result in exciting damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your Mercedes-Benz S 560 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Mercedes-Benz should be brought in now. This shining light usually indicates a scrupulous engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can suddenly surge the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can totally be the cause. A bad, classical or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive advisors at Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce hastily 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 highly expensive repair.
Check Engine Light Service Mercedes-Benz S 560
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Mercedes-Benz S 560 and swiftly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Mercedes-Benz owners, your heart sinks a tiny because you have tiny 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 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 Mercedes-Benz S 560 checked as soon as accessible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing colossal damage to fancy engine components.
When your Mercedes-Benz S 560's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the mechanical control system that it can’t low-cost, 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 electrical scan tool that is used by our Mercedes-Benz auto repair mechanics at Mercedes-Benz of Fort Pierce. There are also a number of relatively decent 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 experienced trained to imply the issue and repair it.