How to diagnose a flashing check engine light

How to Diagnose a Flashing Check Engine Light?

So now, that we know what could cause this, where should we begin to pinpoint the problem?

You must understand that every time your check engine light is constantly lightened up or blinking, it will store a trouble code in the memory so you will have a chance to see what was causing the problem.

Therefore it is a terrible practice just to guess which parts could cause the check engine light and start to replace parts. This will, in almost all cases, just make you waste your money.

A much better and more efficient method is to check what the engine control unit is trying to tell us. This can be done with a diagnostic scanner.

You may think that a diagnostic scanner is too expensive for this small problem, and in that case, you can borrow one from a friend or just take your car to a repair shop and let them read the codes for you.

After you have received the engine control unit’s codes, you will most likely find a trouble code related to a misfire. Check for more related trouble codes to continue the troubleshooting on that trouble code.

For example, if you get a misfire trouble code and one related to an ignition coil, you should definitely continue troubleshooting that ignition coil.

If you get misfires on a specific cylinder – check the spark plugs, ignition coils, and wirings. If you get misfires on several cylinders, there is most likely an issue with a too lean or too rich mixture.

Conclusion: Flashing Check Engine Light

A flashing warning light indicates that there is a serious problem with your car’s engine and is usually caused by engine misfires. If left unaddressed, this problem can lead to very expensive repairs.

While it can be tempting to ignore a flashing check engine light if the engine is running fine, it’s still very important to either diagnose it yourself or take your car to a mechanic as soon as possible.

If you see a flashing engine light, but feel that you do not have the knowledge to diagnose the car yourself, do not hesitate to take your car in for diagnosis and repair by a professional.