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. If you check engine light is flashing, we endorse that you pull over and contact Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta to help represent if your vehicle is feasible to commute in or if we endorse a tow truck. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is hard to predict how many miles you can commute with the warning light on. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most commonly misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2017 VW Tiguan 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 flashes 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 Tiguan. Some of these include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name some. With that being said, the check engine light can imply a variety of assorted things. It can be as common as your gas cap being loose or as unstable as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2017 VW Tiguan, contact Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta. Our VW 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. Contact Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta today!
2017 VW Tiguan Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that scant light on your vehicle’s dashboard instantly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear judicious 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 Tiguan. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a scant patience, tackling central diagnostics will give you cooperative knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is truly supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, distinct and excellent vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of accessible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of accessible reasons for the light, including:
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Old Battery
- Emissions controls issues
- Ignition system faults
- O2 Sensor
- Computer output circuit issues
- Transmission issues
This is why it is precarious for someone who does not have a few of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a certified VW mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a admissible concern, you risk damaging your car additional by not repairing the issue proper away. Call Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta at 7706299081 now or schedule your check engine light service online today!
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 appropriately tightened to a more risky failure like a damaging catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it exceptional to get the legal code reading and diagnosis. The average rate for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is constantly between $88 and $111. The exceptional news, Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help hint the cause of your check engine light.
2017 VW Tiguan Check Engine Light
A flashing light indicates that the problem is impressive and if not taken care of shortly may result in considerable damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2017 VW Tiguan starts flashing, that means that the problem needs sudden attention and your VW should be brought in shortly. This flashing light usually indicates a draconian engine misfire allowing unused fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can immediately increase the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where break is likely, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can strictly be the cause. A bad, long-established or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is ignored or you continue to travel to work, 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 blinking, please contact our team of automotive mentors at Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta quickly by calling 7706299081.
Check Engine Light Service 2017 VW Tiguan
What do you do when you’re driving along in your VW Tiguan and abruptly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most VW 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 car over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your 2017 VW Tiguan checked as soon as fair. Ignoring that warning could end up causing finest damage to expensive engine components.
When your 2017 VW Tiguan's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electrical control system that it can’t realistic, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is commonly 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 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 licensed to opt for the issue and repair it.
Is it safe to drive your 2017 VW Tiguan with the check engine light on?
If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a unhealthy issue and it is recommended to service your VW Tiguan shortly. This question is not very prevalent 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 commute. This is consistently 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 unhealthy problem. Call the experts at Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta by dialing 7706299081 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2017 VW to our certified mechanics as soon as conceivable.
2017 VW Tiguan Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are several potential causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are various sufficient causes including something as straightforward as a loose gas cap. Alternative sufficient reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty head gasket, faulty emissions control part, dirty mass airflow sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen sensor, 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 needed 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 serviced.
Every 2017 VW Tiguan was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its difficult 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 absolutely is unsound 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 Highly Qualified Service expert.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2017 VW Tiguan?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as common as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a harsh problem that could cause harsh damage to your engine and come with a enormous repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow typically means something less harsh but a blinking check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in harsh trouble and service is needed suddenly. If your check engine light is blinking in your 2017 VW Tiguan, we hugely recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule VW service now. Below is a list of the most reasonable reasons your check engine light can come on:
- Your 2017 VW Tiguan has a vacuum leak. Every VW Tiguan has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower destructive 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, hugely if they’re exposed to profound heat or extreme cold.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your VW Tiguan is what determines how much fuel is basic 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 actual changes, like altitude. If your VW Tiguan is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a quick change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, admitted 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 competent 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 Tiguan's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the decent collection 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 Tiguan is every basic. 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 bit decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The rate of a new one depends on the type of VW you drive, but check our prevailing service coupons and specials.
- Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2017 VW Tiguan’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 Tiguan 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 divergent problems from overheating.
- One of the most classic and bountiful cause is that your 2017 VW Tiguan gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2017 VW Tiguan 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 suddenly after you put gas in your 2017 VW Tiguan, 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.
- Issues with all aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or divergent item can wreak havoc on your 2017 VW Tiguan if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can eject the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even avert the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound aware, bring your Tiguan to VW and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing all issue. Getting accessories, hugely aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might rate a little 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 basic for your 2017 VW Tiguan. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel collection 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 bad or classic, 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, dominant to more expensive repairs.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2017 VW Tiguan will frequently 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 numerous 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 Tiguan light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you travel to work over that payment 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.