2017 Chevy Spark Check Engine Light

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most generally misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2017 Chevy Spark is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the crucial onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a wide range 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 vehicle. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored vehicle performance since the 80s and do a wide range of things for your 2017 Chevy Spark. Some of these essential duties include controlling engine speed, ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability 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 unpredictable as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2017 Chevy Spark, 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.

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

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

2017 Chevy Spark 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 many common causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other generally common reasons for a Check Engine Light are damaged oxygen sensor, defective head gasket, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, defective emissions control part, 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 completely 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 entirely fixed.

Every 2017 Chevy Spark 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 speedy 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. However, unfortunately that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what specifically 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 Extremely Qualified Service professional.

2017 Chevy Spark Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your 2017 Chevy Spark starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention immediately and your Chevy should be brought in quickly. A flashing light reveals that the problem is exceedingly serious and if not taken care of immediately may result in major and meaningful damage to the car. This blinking light ordinarily indicates a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can instantly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive and considerable repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can explicitly be the cause. A defective, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is entirely 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. If your check engine light is always flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Stevinson Chevrolet swiftly by calling 7207042290.

Is it safe to drive your 2017 Chevy Spark with the check engine light on?

This question is not tremendously 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 secure to drive. This is ordinarily 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. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is advised to service your Chevy Spark promptly. Call the experts at Stevinson Chevrolet by dialing 7207042290 so you can describe the issues. Or decrease your speed and bring your 2017 Chevy to our certified mechanics as in the near future as possible.

2017 Chevy Spark Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, exceptionally 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 Spark. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can accurately represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you useful knowledge about your car and will again allow that important Check Engine Light to do what it is absolutely supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, evident and helpful car symptoms do not consistently 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:

• Ignition system faults
• Transmission issues
• Computer output circuit issues
• Fuel and air metering systems problems
• Bad Spark Plugs
• Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
• Old Battery
• O2 Sensor
• 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. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out promptly by a skillful certified Chevy mechanic. Call Stevinson Chevrolet at 7207042290 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue right away.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2017 Chevy Spark?

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 an essential 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 generally means something less serious but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in meaningful trouble and useful service is required swiftly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2017 Chevy Spark, we remarkably propose 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:

• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your 2017 Chevy Spark if it’s not installed accurately. These aftermarket components 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 Spark to Chevy and have our team of gifted certified mechanics guarantee that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, exceptionally aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM components first place might cost a little bit more but could help you save substantially from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
• 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 broken sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause meaningful damage to your catalytic converter and your 2017 Chevy Spark's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the absolutely correct combination of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A broken O2 sensor can also 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 Spark is what determines how much fuel is required 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 Spark is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden speedy change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a critical sign of a broken mass airflow sensor.
• Your 2017 Chevy Spark has a vacuum leak. Every Chevy Spark has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower unhealthy 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.
• One of the most common and frequent cause is that your 2017 Chevy Spark gas cap is loose, broken or missing. The gas cap for your 2017 Chevy Spark serves numerous 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 broken 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 pricey. If your check engine light turns on expeditiously after you put gas in your 2017 Chevy Spark, 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 catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2017 Chevy Spark’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 ordinarily 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 2017 Chevy Spark 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.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are required for your 2017 Chevy Spark. 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 noticeable 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 pricey repairs.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2017 Chevy Spark is every vital. 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.

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 perfectly 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 generally 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.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2017 Chevy Spark will usually 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 immediately turn itself off. Again, if your catalytic converter is working perfectly, 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 2017 Chevy Spark 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.

Check Engine Light Service 2017 Chevy Spark

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Chevy Spark and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Chevy owners, your heart sinks drastically because you may have definitely 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, tranquil 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 recommended that you get your 2017 Chevy Spark checked rapidly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major, extensive damage to costly engine components.

When your 2017 Chevy Spark'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 swiftly 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 also a number of essentially 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 exactly correct issue and repair it.