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. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. Since any check engine code has its own level of severity, it is hard to predict how copious miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Courtesy Kia of Brandon to help opt for if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2021 Kia Sportage will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. For example, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will turn itself off. Likewise, if your catalytic converter is going practical, 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 2021 Kia Sportage 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 Courtesy Kia of Brandon so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.
2021 Kia Sportage Check Engine Light
If the check engine light in your 2021 Kia Sportage starts flashing, that means that the problem needs abrupt attention and your Kia should be brought in immediately. A flashing light indicates that the problem is serious and if not taken care of immediately may result in major damage to the vehicle. This blinking light frequently suggests a rigid 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 fancy repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can strictly be the cause. A bad, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is ignored or you continue to drive, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a very expensive repair. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Courtesy Kia of Brandon quickly by calling 8138500547.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most usually misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2021 Kia Sportage is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few discrete 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 variety of things for your 2021 Kia Sportage. Some of these include controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can imply a alter of plentiful things. It can be as easy as your gas cap being loose or as hazardous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2021 Kia Sportage, contact Courtesy Kia of Brandon. Contact Courtesy Kia of Brandon today! Our Kia service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is glaring.
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 relentless failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it colossal to get the appropriate code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is typically between $88 and $111. The colossal news, Courtesy Kia of Brandon offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help designate the cause of your check engine light.
2021 Kia Sportage Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are frequent attainable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are plentiful routine causes comprising something as straightforward as a loose gas cap. Substitute routine reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty head gasket, dirty mass airflow sensor, damaged oxygen sensor, faulty emissions control part, or defective spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Kia Certified Mechanics and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and 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 Kia issue was fixed.
Every 2021 Kia Sportage was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its vital systems. The sensors are generally detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control team. If the electronic control team detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light illuminates telling you that there is a problem. However, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what totally is incorrect nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Courtesy Kia of Brandon provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Largely Qualified Service experienced.
Check Engine Light Service 2021 Kia Sportage
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Kia Sportage and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Kia owners, your heart sinks a little because you have little 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 breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t mean you have to pull the automobile over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your 2021 Kia Sportage checked as soon as detailed. Ignoring that warning could end up causing vast damage to expensive engine elements.
When your 2021 Kia Sportage's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t honest, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is mostly 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 identifies as 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 Kia auto repair mechanics at Courtesy Kia of Brandon. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you elect for that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an licensed trained to mean the issue and repair it.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2021 Kia Sportage?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as effortless as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a strict problem that could cause strict damage to your engine and come with a dominant repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow constantly means something less strict but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in strict trouble and service is crucial rapidly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2021 Kia Sportage, we highly advise not to drive the automobile and schedule Kia service today. Below is a list of the most natural reasons your check engine light can come on:
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2021 Kia Sportage is every intense. Without a car battery, your car won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s car batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The rate of a new one depends on the type of Kia you drive, but check our contemporary service coupons and specials.
- Your catalytic converter is aggressive or going aggressive. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2021 Kia Sportage’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's perform is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is usually caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Courtesy Kia of Brandon offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Kia service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2021 Kia Sportage will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your car may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause different problems from overheating.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Kia Sportage is what determines how much fuel is mandatory 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 positive changes, like altitude. If your Kia Sportage is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a rapid change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a aggressive mass airflow sensor.
- One of the most contemporary and bountiful cause is that your 2021 Kia Sportage gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2021 Kia Sportage serves multiple purposes. It prevents 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 aggressive fuel cap? If your gas cap is common or has a ruptured seal, you can lose fuel through evaporation which will result in more trips to the pump. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't expensive. If your check engine light turns on today after you put gas in your 2021 Kia Sportage, first thing you should check is to make convinced the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, established as the O2 sensor, measures the amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less adequate 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 damage to your catalytic converter and your 2021 Kia Sportage's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to choose the right range of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A aggressive O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or different item can wreak havoc on your 2021 Kia Sportage if it’s not installed correctly. 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 commonplace, bring your Sportage to Kia and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might estimate a microscopic bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are mandatory for your 2021 Kia Sportage. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel range in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are aggressive or common, you will experience 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, finest to more expensive repairs.
- Your 2021 Kia Sportage has a vacuum leak. Every Kia Sportage has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps decrease 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 dehydrated out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to imposing heat or extreme impassioned.
2021 Kia Sportage Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly lights up, 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, also ongoing as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Sportage. There are hundreds of assorted codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling mandatory diagnostics will give you decent knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is absolutely supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, fearless and decent vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of possible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of possible reasons for the light, including:
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Old Battery
- Transmission issues
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Computer output circuit issues
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Ignition system faults
- Emissions controls issues
- O2 Sensor
This is why it is imposing for someone who does not have bountiful of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a risky 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 swiftly by a certified Kia mechanic. Call Courtesy Kia of Brandon at 8138500547 now or schedule your check engine light service online today!
Is it safe to drive your 2021 Kia Sportage with the check engine light on?
This question is not very accepted 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 dependable glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the automobile, it could be an indication of a more alarming problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a alarming issue and it is recommended to service your Kia Sportage instantly. Call the experts at Courtesy Kia of Brandon by dialing 8138500547 so you can describe the issues. Or lessen your speed and transport your 2021 Kia to our certified mechanics as soon as plausible.