Drivers have to keep a lot of aspects of vehicle maintenance in mind during their day-to-day trials with their cars. There are some tools that can help motorists juggle various auto repair needs and scheduled maintenance, and the check engine light is one of those resources.
When you see the check engine light switch on, you should plan on taking action sooner rather than later. Looking under the hood in a timely manner can help in the event that something like a loose gas cap triggered the alert, but more often than not you'll need to have an auto repair franchise take a look at the vehicle. The good news is, most of the time these notifications are minor and can be easily fixed.
"A glowing check engine light doesn't mean you have to immediately pull the car to the side of the road, but it does mean you should get the car checked out as soon as possible," said Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council. "Ignoring the warning light could result in costly repairs. At the very least, the light could alert you to an engine problem that is negatively impacting fuel economy."
Those drivers who have the misfortune of seeing a flashing check engine light need to be more cautious. The blinking alert can signify a serious problem, so it's important to get the vehicle examined as soon as possible.