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, Courtesy Kia of Brandon offers totally complimentary 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.
2023 Kia Sportage 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 Sportage. 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 car and will again allow that essential Check Engine Light to do what it is genuinely supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, obvious and useful car symptoms do not repeatedly 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:
- Computer output circuit issues
- Transmission issues
- Ignition system faults
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Old Battery
- O2 Sensor
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Emissions controls issues
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
This is why it is essential for someone who does not have a lot of prevailing 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 Kia mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your vehicle further by not repairing the issue right away. Call Courtesy Kia of Brandon at 8138500547 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!
2023 Kia Sportage 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 various typical causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other generally typical reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty emissions control part, dirty mass airflow sensor, damaged oxygen sensor, faulty head gasket, 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 Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and totally 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 entirely fixed.
Every 2023 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 rapid 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. Yet, sadly that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what precisely is wrong 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 Exceptionally Knowledgeable Service professional.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2023 Kia Sportage?
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 an essential 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 generally means something less serious but a flashing check engine light reveals that your vehicle’s engine is in meaningful trouble and useful service is needed quickly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2023 Kia Sportage, we remarkably recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Kia service today. Below is a list of the most regular reasons your check engine light can come on:
- One of the most common and frequent cause is that your 2023 Kia Sportage gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2023 Kia Sportage 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 hits 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 expensive. If your check engine light turns on swiftly after you put gas in your 2023 Kia Sportage, 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 2023 Kia Sportage’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 ordinarily caused by invariably neglected maintenance, which is why Courtesy Kia of Brandon offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with each Kia service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2023 Kia Sportage 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 2023 Kia Sportage is each essential. Without a vehicle battery, your vehicle won’t start, light up the road in front, 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 Kia you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
- 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 hits 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 2023 Kia Sportage's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the specifically correct mixture 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.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your 2023 Kia Sportage if it’s not installed perfectly. 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 Sportage to Kia and have our team of skilled certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed properly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM components first place might cost a little bit more but could support you save substantially from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
- Your 2023 Kia Sportage has a vacuum leak. Each Kia Sportage 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, especially if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
- 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 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 Kia Sportage is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden quick replace in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a vital sign of a faulty mass airflow sensor.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your 2023 Kia Sportage. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture 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 decreased power. In some extreme cases, your engine will have trouble starting or continuing to run. Worn spark plugs and plug wires can cause obstructed catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, leading to more expensive repairs.
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. If you check engine light is flashing, we propose that you pull over and contact Courtesy Kia of Brandon to support determine if your car is secure to drive in or if we propose a tow truck. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. Since every check engine code has its own level of severity, it is usually difficult to predict how numerous miles you can be secure in driving with the warning light on.
Check Engine Light Service 2023 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 exceptionally 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 car over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is advised that you get your 2023 Kia Sportage checked promptly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing considerable, considerable damage to costly engine components.
When your 2023 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 correct, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is ordinarily 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 expeditiously 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 Kia auto repair mechanics at Courtesy Kia of Brandon. There are again a number of comparatively 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 specifically appropriate issue and repair it.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most ordinarily misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2023 Kia Sportage is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the vital 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 vehicle. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored vehicle performance since the 80s and do a variety of things for your 2023 Kia Sportage. Some of these essential duties include controlling engine speed, ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing security 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 unpredictable as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2023 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 flashing.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2023 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 swiftly turn itself off. Also, 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 2023 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.
Is it safe to drive your 2023 Kia Sportage with the check engine light on?
If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is advised to service your Kia Sportage promptly. This question is not very 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 car, it could be an indication of a more serious problem. Call the experts at Courtesy Kia of Brandon by dialing 8138500547 so you can describe the issues. Or decrease your speed and bring your 2023 Kia to our certified mechanics as soon as possible.
2023 Kia Sportage Check Engine Light
If the check engine light in your 2023 Kia Sportage starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention promptly and your Kia should be brought in quickly. A flashing light signifies that the problem is very serious and if not taken care of promptly may result in considerable and significant damage to the car. This blinking light frequently reveals a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can immediately raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an costly and huge repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can precisely be the cause. A damaged, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. 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 very pricey repair. If your check engine light is repeatedly flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Courtesy Kia of Brandon quickly by calling 8138500547.