Engine Check Light & Why It Keeps Randomly Turning On Your Truck 

When the engine check light shows on your truck’s dashboard, it can indicate minor issues such as a faulty gas cap or even something serious. This light’s appearance on your dashboard reminds you that you must take your truck for a mechanical check-up

An engine check light, popularly known as a malfunction lamp, is a signal from the computer system of your truck that something is wrong with your engine. Engine check light comes in various colors like orange, yellow, or amber, depending on your truck’s make. 

If your engine check light starts to blink is an indication of a severe problem, such as a misfire that can overheat your catalytic converter. After reading this guide, you will know some of the possible reasons for the appearance of the engine check light on your truck’s dashboard.

Common Reasons For The Appearance of Engine Check Light

Modern truck engines have sensors that are connected to various parts. The sensors play the role of monitoring how various engine parts function. When any part of your engine is faulty, the sensor will relay that information to the engine control unit, which will turn on the engine check light to notify you. Here are the common reasons for the appearance of this light on your dashboard.

Faulty Oxygen Sensor

The oxygen sensor takes note of the concentration of the unburnt gases in your exhaust system. It takes the data to the engine control module that will regulate the mixture of air and fuel getting into the combustion chamber. When the oxygen sensor is faulty, your truck can burn more fuel which is dangerous.

Worn Out Spark Plugs

Spark plugs are part of the ignition system on top of each cylinder. Their primary role is to ignite the mixture of air and fuel in the combustion chamber. You will experience misfires when any of the spark plugs are faulty. 

Worn-out spark plugs can also lead to a hard start. When such happens, the performance of your engine will reduce, and the engine check light will appear on your dashboard. 

Faulty Catalytic Converter

The end product of engine combustion is usually a composition of harmful gases. Such gases degrade the environment if they are directly emitted. The catalytic converter initiates a reaction that neutralizes the harmful gases before they are emitted through the exhaust pipe. 

A faulty catalytic converter can interfere with your truck’s performance and lead to the emission of harmful gases. Replacing your catalytic converter is not the only solution because other issues, such as a blown head gasket, can make your catalytic converter fail to function effectively.

The engine check light will appear as soon as your catalytic fails to perform its role effectively. When you experience such, seek the assistance of a professional to solve the problem.  

Conclusion

Modern truck engines have various sensors. These sensors monitor how each part of the engine is functioning. When it realizes a part is faulty, it will take the data to the engine control module, which will turn on the engine check light on the dashboard. Never assume such lights on your dashboard. Instead, take immediate action as soon as they start to show.