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What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most generally misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2017 VW Beetle is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few contrasting 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 2017 VW Beetle. Some of these include ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, and implementing stability control, just to name a bit. With that being said, the check engine light can indicate a mixture of contrasting things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as awesome as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2017 VW Beetle, contact Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta. Contact Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta today! Our VW service department can help you read what code is turning your check engine light on or investigate why your check engine light is flashing.

Is it safe to drive your 2017 VW Beetle with the check engine light on?

This question is not very straightforward 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 customarily indicated by a persistent 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 unhealthy problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a unhealthy issue and it is recommended to service your VW Beetle hastily. Call the experts at Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta by dialing 7706299081 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and transport your 2017 VW to our certified mechanics as soon as applicable.

2017 VW Beetle Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that miniature light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminates, 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 noted as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Beetle. There are hundreds of disparate codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a miniature patience, tackling common diagnostics will give you practical knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, accessible and satisfying vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of handy OBD codes, there are also hundreds of handy reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is laborious for someone who does not have a few of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a unhealthy concern, you risk harmful your vehicle further by not repairing the issue feasible away. Call Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta at 7706299081 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out swiftly by a certified VW mechanic.

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. It could be anything from a contentious sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. If you check engine light is flashing, we advocate that you pull over and contact Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta to help determine if your vehicle is protected to drive in or if we advocate a tow truck. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how copious miles you can drive with the warning light on.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2017 VW Beetle?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as uncomplicated as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a alarming problem that could cause alarming damage to your engine and come with a big repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow mostly means something less alarming but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in alarming trouble and service is decisive hastily. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2017 VW Beetle, we notably recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule VW service today. Below is a list of the most instinctive reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, natural as the O2 sensor, measures the deposit of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your automobile will be less effective 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 2017 VW Beetle's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to indicate the prudent mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A bad O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2017 VW Beetle is every necessary. 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 price of a new one depends on the type of VW you drive, but check our normal service coupons and specials.
  • One of the most natural and countless cause is that your 2017 VW Beetle gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2017 VW Beetle 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 bad fuel cap? If your gas cap is classic 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 immediately after you put gas in your 2017 VW Beetle, initial thing you should check is to make satisfied the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or extra item can wreak havoc on your 2017 VW Beetle if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the automobile from starting. If these issues sound common, bring your Beetle to VW and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed perfectly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts initial place might cost a few 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 necessary for your 2017 VW Beetle. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your automobile. 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 bad or classic, you will experience poor performance and reduced power. In a bit 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 expensive repairs.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your VW Beetle is what determines how much fuel is necessary to run your engine efficiently by measuring the deposit of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to initial changes, like altitude. If your VW Beetle is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2017 VW Beetle’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 usually caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every VW service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2017 VW Beetle 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 extra problems from overheating.
  • Your 2017 VW Beetle has a vacuum leak. Every VW Beetle has a vacuum system that performs a notable variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower down 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 notable heat or extreme chilly.

2017 VW Beetle Check Engine Light

A twinkling light indicates that the problem is scrupulous and if not taken care of hastily may result in huge damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2017 VW Beetle starts twinkling, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your VW should be brought in hastily. This blinking light ordinarily indicates a rigorous engine misfire allowing unused fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can quickly hike the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is probable, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can absolutely be the cause. A bad, historic 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 pricey repair. If your check engine light is twinkling, please contact our team of automotive mentors at Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta immediately by calling 7706299081.

Check Engine Light Service 2017 VW Beetle

What do you do when you’re driving along in your VW Beetle and quickly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most VW owners, your heart sinks a miniature because you have miniature 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 2017 VW Beetle checked as soon as available. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to costly engine components.

When your 2017 VW Beetle's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t noble, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is generally 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 VW auto repair mechanics at Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta. There are also a number of relatively low-priced 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 select the issue and repair it.

2017 VW Beetle 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 innumerable current causes including something as pure as a loose gas cap. Alternative current reasons for a Check Engine Light are damaged oxygen sensor, faulty emissions control part, dirty mass airflow sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, 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 VW Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as essential to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your VW issue was fixed.

Every 2017 VW Beetle 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 continually detecting conditions while sending 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, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what strictly is inaccurate nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Remarkably Qualified Service high-tech.

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 accurately tightened to a more perilous failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it ample to get the apt code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is continuously between $88 and $111. The ample news, Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to assist determine the cause of your check engine light.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2017 VW Beetle 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 functional, 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 VW Beetle 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 Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.