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What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most commonly misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2018 Ford Fusion is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in assorted chance 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 2018 Ford Fusion. Some of these include controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name plentiful. With that being said, the check engine light can recommend a variety of distinct things. It can be as straightforward as your gas cap being loose or as rigid as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2018 Ford Fusion, contact Coggin Ford Jacksonville. Contact Coggin Ford Jacksonville today! Our Ford service department can aid you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or investigate why your check engine light is glaring.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2018 Ford Fusion 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 convenient, 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 2018 Ford Fusion light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that payment and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Coggin Ford Jacksonville so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

2018 Ford Fusion Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that small light on your vehicle’s dashboard quickly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear honorable 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 Fusion. There are hundreds of assorted codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a small patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you comfortable knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is genuinely supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, distinct and handy vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of available OBD codes, there are also hundreds of available reasons for the light, including:

  • O2 Sensor
  • Bad Spark Plugs
  • Ignition system faults
  • Old Battery
  • Emissions controls issues
  • Computer output circuit issues
  • Transmission issues
  • Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
  • Fuel and air metering systems problems

This is why it is broad for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out instantly by a certified Ford mechanic. Call Coggin Ford Jacksonville at 9047478996 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk bad your car further by not repairing the issue honorable away.

Is it safe to drive your 2018 Ford Fusion with the check engine light on?

This question is not very pure 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 typically indicated by a dependable 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 perilous problem. If the check engine light is blinking, this means that there is a perilous issue and it is recommended to service your Ford Fusion urgently. Call the consultants at Coggin Ford Jacksonville by dialing 9047478996 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2018 Ford to our certified technicians as soon as feasible.

2018 Ford Fusion Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is unhealthy and if not taken care of rapidly may result in big damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2018 Ford Fusion starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Ford should be brought in rapidly. This flashing light usually indicates a rigorous engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can instantly increase the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is accessible, requiring an costly repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can totally 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 unit of automotive experts at Coggin Ford Jacksonville promptly by calling 9047478996. 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 very expensive repair.

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 changed. Since every check engine code has its own level of severity, it is hard to predict how several miles you can drive with the warning light on. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy appropriately. If you check engine light is twinkling, we recommend that you pull over and contact Coggin Ford Jacksonville to help find out if your vehicle is dependable to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2018 Ford Fusion?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as convincing 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 enormous repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow typically means something less critical but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in critical trouble and service is paramount quickly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2018 Ford Fusion, we largely advise not to travel to work the vehicle and schedule Ford service now. Below is a list of the most normal reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • Issues with all aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or alternative item can wreak havoc on your 2018 Ford Fusion if it’s not installed accordingly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can dump the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the automobile from starting. If these issues sound cognizant, bring your Fusion to Ford and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing all issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts initial place might cost a slight bit more but could save you money from having to get slight work and wear and tear caused by slight installation work corrected.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2018 Ford Fusion’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 Coggin Ford Jacksonville offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Ford service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it fixed, your 2018 Ford Fusion 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 alternative problems from overheating.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be interchanged. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford Fusion is what determines how much fuel is decisive 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 actual changes, like altitude. If your Ford Fusion is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a hasty change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
  • One of the most acceptable and many cause is that your 2018 Ford Fusion gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2018 Ford Fusion 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 common 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 2018 Ford Fusion, initial 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 interchanged. The Oxygen sensor, friendly 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 automobile will be less forceful 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 wear and tear to your catalytic converter and your 2018 Ford Fusion's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the honorable 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 low or dead. The battery in your 2018 Ford Fusion is every hard. 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 certainly require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Ford you drive, but check our acceptable service coupons and specials.
  • Your 2018 Ford Fusion has a vacuum leak. Every Ford Fusion has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lessen 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, especially if they’re exposed to profound heat or extreme hasty.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are decisive for your 2018 Ford Fusion. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your automobile. 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 common, you will experience slight 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 wear and tear to ignition coils and O2 sensors, extensive to more expensive repairs.

Check Engine Light Service 2018 Ford Fusion

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Ford Fusion and expeditiously, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Ford 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 cost 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 automobile over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your 2018 Ford Fusion checked as soon as exact. Ignoring that warning could end up causing big damage to pricey engine components.

When your 2018 Ford Fusion's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the computerized control system that it can’t tolerable, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is normally 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 learn with an electronic inspect tool that is used by our Ford auto repair mechanics at Coggin Ford Jacksonville. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you opt for that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced professional to determine the issue and repair it.

2018 Ford Fusion Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are frequent attainable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are frequent classic causes including something as accessible as a loose gas cap. Substitute classic reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty head gasket, damaged oxygen sensor, dirty mass airflow sensor, or defective spark plugs to name some. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Ford Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as crucial to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Ford issue was fixed.

Every 2018 Ford Fusion was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its hard 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 totally is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Coggin Ford Jacksonville provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Extremely Qualified Service skilled.

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 serious failure like a detrimental catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it convenient to get the appropriate code reading and diagnosis. The average price for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is naturally between $88 and $111. The convenient news, Coggin Ford Jacksonville offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help learn the cause of your check engine light.