2012 Chevy Malibu Check Engine Light

How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?

The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is ordinarily between $88 and $111. The good news, Stevinson Chevrolet offers completely free multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help determine the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not correctly tightened to a more serious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it good to get the proper code reading and diagnosis.

2012 Chevy Malibu Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, especially to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminate, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear right away. If you hear the term, diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), these are just another name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, again known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Malibu. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can correctly represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you useful knowledge about your vehicle and will again allow that vital Check Engine Light to do what it is absolutely supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, apparent and helpful vehicle symptoms do not invariably accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of possible OBD codes, there are again hundreds of possible reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is vital for someone who does not have a lot of prevalent automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out rapidly by a talented certified Chevy mechanic. Call Stevinson Chevrolet at 7207042290 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2012 Chevy Malibu?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Also, the check engine light could still be a warning of a significant problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and pricey repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady and continuous glow ordinarily means something less serious but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in meaningful trouble and helpful service is needed rapidly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2012 Chevy Malibu, we tremendously advocate not to drive the car and schedule Chevy service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your 2012 Chevy Malibu if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound familiar, bring your Malibu to Chevy and have our team of accomplished certified mechanics make sure that your aftermarket items were installed perfectly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, exceptionally aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could help you save considerably from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are necessary for your 2012 Chevy Malibu. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel combination in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run smooth. 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 old, you will experience a conspicuous poor 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 damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, leading to more costly repairs.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2012 Chevy Malibu’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 normally caused by repeatedly neglected maintenance, which is why Stevinson Chevrolet offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Chevy service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2012 Chevy Malibu will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your vehicle may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause other perilous problems from overheating.
• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns more swiftly and your vehicle will be less efficient 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 meaningful damage to your catalytic converter and your 2012 Chevy Malibu's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the explicitly correct combination of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A faulty O2 sensor can likewise cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Chevy Malibu is what determines how much fuel is necessary 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 certain changes, like altitude. If your Chevy Malibu is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden fast change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a essential sign of a faulty mass airflow sensor.
• One of the most common and frequent cause is that your 2012 Chevy Malibu gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2012 Chevy Malibu serves numerous purposes. It prevents perilous 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 faulty fuel cap? If your gas cap is old or has a ruptured seal, you can lose fuel through evaporation which will result in more trips to the pump and be more pricey. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't costly. If your check engine light turns on immediately after you put gas in your 2012 Chevy Malibu, first thing you should check is to make sure the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
• Your 2012 Chevy Malibu has a vacuum leak. Every Chevy Malibu has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system likewise helps lower 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, exceptionally if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2012 Chevy Malibu is every critical. Without a vehicle battery, your vehicle won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s vehicle batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't absolutely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Chevy you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2012 Chevy Malibu will frequently shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. For instance, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will expeditiously turn itself off. Still, if your catalytic converter is working correctly, 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 2012 Chevy Malibu light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Stevinson Chevrolet so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

2012 Chevy Malibu Check Engine Light Flashing

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

Every 2012 Chevy Malibu was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the car on its crucial systems. The quick sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending essential 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, unfortunately that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what explicitly is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Stevinson Chevrolet provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Exceedingly Qualified Service professional.

2012 Chevy Malibu Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is remarkably serious and if not taken care of swiftly may result in major and serious damage to the car. If the check engine light in your 2012 Chevy Malibu starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention swiftly and your Chevy should be brought in expeditiously. This blinking light frequently indicates a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can rapidly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an pricey and considerable repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can absolutely be the cause. A defective, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is completely ignored or you continue to drive, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a exceedingly pricey repair. If your check engine light is regularly flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Stevinson Chevrolet rapidly by calling 7207042290.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most commonly misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2012 Chevy Malibu is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the essential onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a variety of different 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 car. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored car performance since the 80s and do a variety of things for your 2012 Chevy Malibu. Some of these essential duties include ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, and implementing security control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean an assortment of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as hazardous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2012 Chevy Malibu, contact Stevinson Chevrolet. Contact Stevinson Chevrolet today! Our Chevy service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing.

Is it safe to drive your 2012 Chevy Malibu with the check engine light on?

This question is not exceedingly simple 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 generally indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the car, it could be an indication of a more serious problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is advised to service your Chevy Malibu swiftly. Call the experts at Stevinson Chevrolet by dialing 7207042290 so you can describe the issues. Or lessen your speed and bring your 2012 Chevy to our certified mechanics as promptly as conceivable.

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 replaced. If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Stevinson Chevrolet to help determine if your car is secure to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is typically difficult to predict how many miles you can be secure in driving with the warning light on.

Check Engine Light Service 2012 Chevy Malibu

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Chevy Malibu and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Chevy owners, your heart sinks extremely because you may have precisely 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, calm breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t mean you have to pull the car over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is suggested that you get your 2012 Chevy Malibu checked swiftly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major, major damage to pricey engine components.

When your 2012 Chevy Malibu's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t correct, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is typically 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 can immediately identify the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is read with an electronic scan tool that is used by our Chevy auto repair mechanics at Stevinson Chevrolet. There are still a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you select 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 exactly correct issue and repair it.