If your check engine light has ever come on, then you know the feeling of panic and helplessness that comes upon you when that little engine symbol pops up. But hey! There’s no reason to panic. The five most common reasons that your check engine light can come on are easy fixes that don’t mean that your vehicle is going to just die on you in the middle of the road. Not by a long shot! Check out what those reasons are, how to assess them, and then take a deeeeep breath. You’re fine!

The first reason your check engine light might come on is because you need to tighten your gas cap. Or put it on in the first place. This is one of the things people don’t really know about – your gas cap can be a culprit of the check engine light. When it’s loose, off, or broken, fuel vapors can escape and just throw off your engine for a bit. Checking your gas cap should be the first thing you do when you see the check engine light come on.

It could also be your spark plugs, especially if you’re nearing (or just past) the hundred-thousand-mile mark on your vehicle. Spark plugs need to be replaced about every 100,000 miles and it could just be time for that to happen!

The Mass Airflow Sensor is another component that could be triggering your check engine light. If it is broken or malfunctioning, it will increase your emissions and maybe cause your engine to stall. The purpose of the Mass Airflow Sensor is to tell your vehicle’s computer how much fuel needs to be added or used based on the amount of air that comes into your engine as you drive.

Oxygen sensors (O2 sensors) need to be replaced from time to time, so it could be that! The purpose of your O2 sensors is to monitor the amount of unburned oxygen in your exhaust, which then tells your vehicle how much fuel is actually being burned in your engine. If these sensors go too long without being replaced, your catalytic converter could burn out.

That takes me to this last possible culprit. The catalytic converter is, unfortunately, the most expensive repair of the bunch, because it reduces your exhaust gases. When this part dies, your MPGs increase and your acceleration ability decreases.

If your check engine light comes on, breathe! You’ve got this! Take a minute and check things over, then give us a call and let us know you’re coming in. Don’t wait to get your vehicle looked at – but don’t panic, either.