While your car can’t talk, it communicates with you using chimes, icons, and messages. One icon that you should never ignore is the check engine light. It turns on when the car’s onboard computer ...

Three of the main reasons the check engine light or malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) turns on are: a loose fuel cap, issues with the ignition system, and problems with the emissions system. Many ...

Onboard diagnostics (OBD) systems have been around since the 1980s and were developed to help limit harmful automotive exhaust emissions. Between 1988 and 1995, U.S.-built vehicles came with what's ...

It's pretty easy to dismiss the "check engine" light as just stupid, because, well, it is. I suppose if you thought that the cause of smoke coming from under your hood had something to do with the ...

Fear of the unknown is the greatest fear of all, so let’s start by understand exactly what the check engine light is. In automotive terms it is known as MIL (Malfunction-Indicator-Lamp) and is an ...

When the check-engine light snaps on, it is not a suggestion, it is your car’s way of saying something in the powertrain or emissions system needs attention. I see it as an early warning system that ...

Fact: Check engine lights lead to gray hairs and sleepless nights. Just kidding, they’re important warning signs that help you maintain your ride’s health and well-being. But what happens when that ...

When the dreaded malfunction indicator light turns on, it’s not the end of the world. Here’s how to cope with an MIL! Whether you know a lot about cars or nothing about them, it's never fun to see the ...

Although commonly referred to as the “check-engine light,” some cars may instead display the message “Service Engine Soon,” or show a yellow or orange outline of an engine, perhaps with the word ...

The dreaded check engine light has just flashed on on the dashboard of your car. Do you need to pull over right way? Is the car about to stop in its tracks? Why is the light on in the first place?