2013 Chevy Cruze Check Engine Light

Check Engine Light Service 2013 Chevy Cruze

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Chevy Cruze and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Chevy owners, your heart sinks exceptionally because you may have explicitly 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, peaceful breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t mean you have to pull the vehicle over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is advised that you get your 2013 Chevy Cruze checked promptly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major, extensive damage to pricey engine parts.

When your 2013 Chevy Cruze'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 usually 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 again a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you choose 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 definitely correct issue and repair it.

2013 Chevy Cruze Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, particularly 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 Cruze. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can properly represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you advantageous knowledge about your car and will again allow that critical Check Engine Light to do what it is genuinely supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, obvious and useful car symptoms do not regularly accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of conceivable OBD codes, there are again hundreds of conceivable reasons for the light, including:

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

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

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

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. 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.

2013 Chevy Cruze 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 mostly common reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen sensor, damaged emissions control part, damaged head gasket, dirty mass airflow sensor, or defective spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Chevy Certified Mechanics and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and totally repair it as needed 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 2013 Chevy Cruze was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the car on its vital systems. The fast sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending important 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. Yet, sadly that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what exactly 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.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most usually misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2013 Chevy Cruze is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the crucial 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 2013 Chevy Cruze. Some of these essential duties include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as perilous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2013 Chevy Cruze, 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.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2013 Chevy Cruze?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could likewise be a warning of a significant problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and costly repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady and continuous glow usually means something less serious but a flashing check engine light signifies that your vehicle’s engine is in serious trouble and helpful service is needed instantly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2013 Chevy Cruze, we extremely advocate not to drive the vehicle and schedule Chevy service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2013 Chevy Cruze’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A broken catalytic converter is frequently caused by invariably neglected maintenance, which is why Stevinson Chevrolet offers a complimentary multi-point examination with every Chevy service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2013 Chevy Cruze 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 dangerous problems from overheating.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2013 Chevy Cruze is every essential. 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 genuinely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Chevy you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
• One of the most common and frequent cause is that your 2013 Chevy Cruze gas cap is loose, broken or missing. The gas cap for your 2013 Chevy Cruze serves various purposes. It prevents unpredictable 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 costly. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't costly. If your check engine light turns on expeditiously after you put gas in your 2013 Chevy Cruze, 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.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your 2013 Chevy Cruze. 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 evident 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 2013 Chevy Cruze has a vacuum leak. Every Chevy Cruze has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system still 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, particularly if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your 2013 Chevy Cruze if it’s not installed perfectly. 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 Cruze to Chevy and have our team of skilled certified mechanics assure that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, particularly aftermarket parts and accessories, or utilizing 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.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Chevy Cruze is what determines how much fuel is needed 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 Cruze 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.
• 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 rapidly 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 2013 Chevy Cruze's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the definitely correct combination of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A faulty O2 sensor can still cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.

2013 Chevy Cruze Check Engine Light

A flashing light reveals that the problem is very serious and if not taken care of instantly may result in major and serious damage to the car. If the check engine light in your 2013 Chevy Cruze starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention instantly and your Chevy should be brought in promptly. This blinking light normally signifies a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can promptly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an pricey and huge repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can exactly be the cause. A faulty, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is always flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Stevinson Chevrolet rapidly by calling 7207042290. If the problem is totally 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 expensive repair.

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 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. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is typically between $88 and $111. The good news, Stevinson Chevrolet offers totally complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help determine the cause of your check engine light.

Is it safe to drive your 2013 Chevy Cruze with the check engine light on?

If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is recommended to service your Chevy Cruze quickly. This question is not extremely 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 vehicle, it could be an indication of a more serious problem. Call the experts at Stevinson Chevrolet by dialing 7207042290 so you can describe the issues. Or lessen your speed and bring your 2013 Chevy to our certified mechanics as promptly as conceivable.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2013 Chevy Cruze will ordinarily 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 rapidly 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 2013 Chevy Cruze 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.