2018 VW Jetta Check Engine Light

Check Engine Light Service 2018 VW Jetta

What do you do when you’re driving along in your VW Jetta and straightaway, a yellow light flashes on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most VW owners, your heart sinks a scant because you have scant idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the rate 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 2018 VW Jetta checked as soon as achievable. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to pricey engine components.

When your 2018 VW Jetta's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t authentic, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is normally 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 investigate tool that is used by our VW auto repair mechanics at Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta. There are also a number of relatively miniature 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 professional to represent the issue and repair it.

2018 VW Jetta 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 illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear proper 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 established as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Jetta. There are hundreds of other codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with some patience, tackling plentiful diagnostics will give you sane 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, detailed and handy vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of likely OBD codes, there are also hundreds of likely reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is accomplished for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue justifiable away. Call Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta at 7706299081 hastily or schedule your check engine light service online today! When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out instantly by a certified VW mechanic.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2018 VW Jetta will commonly shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is serviced. 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 feasible, 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 2018 VW Jetta 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 transport it in to Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

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 recommend that you pull over and contact Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta to help designate if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how countless miles you can drive 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 frequently misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2018 VW Jetta is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in some divergent 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 2018 VW Jetta. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, controlling engine speed, and implementing stability control, just to name several. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a assortment of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as relentless as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2018 VW Jetta, contact Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta. Contact Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta today! Our VW service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or analyze why your check engine light is twinkling.

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

2018 VW Jetta Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless viable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several normal causes comprising something as interesting as a loose gas cap. Extra normal reasons for a Check Engine Light are damaged oxygen sensor, faulty emissions control part, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty head gasket, 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 VW Certified Mechanics and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as crucial 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 repaired.

Every 2018 VW Jetta was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its troublesome systems. The sensors are commonly detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control squad. If the electronic control squad 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 precisely 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 Particularly Qualified Service expert.

2018 VW Jetta Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is alarming and if not taken care of abruptly may result in major damage to the automobile. If the check engine light in your 2018 VW Jetta starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your VW should be brought in abruptly. This glaring light usually indicates a alarming engine misfire allowing unused fuel to be discarded into the exhaust system. There it can expeditiously raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can entirely be the cause. A bad, departed 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 squad of automotive experts at Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta quickly by calling 7706299081.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2018 VW Jetta?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as easy as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a unhealthy problem that could cause unhealthy damage to your engine and come with a substantial repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow typically means something less unhealthy but a glaring check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in unhealthy trouble and service is basic quickly. If your check engine light is glaring in your 2018 VW Jetta, we tremendously suggest not to drive the vehicle and schedule VW service today. Below is a list of the most dependable reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or diverse item can wreak havoc on your 2018 VW Jetta 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 Jetta to VW and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, remarkably aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts original place might price a microscopic bit more but could save you money from having to get microscopic work and damage caused by microscopic installation work corrected.
• One of the most natural and frequent cause is that your 2018 VW Jetta gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2018 VW Jetta 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 long-established 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 instantly after you put gas in your 2018 VW Jetta, original thing you should check is to make hopeful the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
• Your 2018 VW Jetta has a vacuum leak. Every VW Jetta has a vacuum system that performs a colossal variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower combative 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 arid out and crack, remarkably if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme bitter.
• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replenished. The Oxygen sensor, natural as the O2 sensor, measures the drain of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your automobile will be less suitable 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 2018 VW Jetta's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to hint the decent variety 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.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replenished. The mass airflow sensor in your VW Jetta is what determines how much fuel is mandatory to run your engine efficiently by measuring the drain of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to conclusive changes, like altitude. If your VW Jetta 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.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2018 VW Jetta is every vital. 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 microscopic 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 current service coupons and specials.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2018 VW Jetta’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 2018 VW Jetta 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 diverse problems from overheating.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are mandatory for your 2018 VW Jetta. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel variety 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 long-established, you will experience microscopic 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, best to more expensive repairs.

Is it safe to drive your 2018 VW Jetta with the check engine light on?

This question is not exceedingly distinct 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 protected to commute. This is generally 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 hazardous problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a hazardous issue and it is recommended to service your VW Jetta immediately. Call the advisors at Nalley Volkswagen of Alpharetta by dialing 7706299081 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2018 VW to our certified mechanics as soon as viable.