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What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most generally misunderstood lights or indicators in your Volvo S60 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few diverse 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 Volvo S60. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, controlling engine speed, and implementing stability control, just to name a bit. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a range of chance things. It can be as easy as your gas cap being loose or as precarious as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Volvo S60, contact Volvo of Greenville. Contact Volvo of Greenville today! Our Volvo 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.

How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?

The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is consistently between $88 and $111. The practical news, Volvo of Greenville offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to assist indicate the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not subsequently tightened to a more persuasive failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it practical to get the correct code reading and diagnosis.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Volvo S60 will usually 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 correct, and you did a few 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 Volvo S60 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 Volvo of Greenville so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Volvo S60?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as authentic as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a hazardous problem that could cause hazardous damage to your engine and come with a extraordinary repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A dependable glow commonly means something less hazardous but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in hazardous trouble and service is necessary swiftly. If your check engine light is flashing in your Volvo S60, we notably advise not to drive the vehicle and schedule Volvo service today. Below is a list of the most commonplace reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Volvo S60’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 Volvo of Greenville offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Volvo service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your Volvo S60 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 further problems from overheating.
  • Your Volvo S60 has a vacuum leak. Every Volvo S60 has a vacuum system that performs a imposing 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, particularly if they’re exposed to imposing heat or extreme skittish.
  • One of the most commonplace and frequent cause is that your Volvo S60 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Volvo S60 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 departed 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 pricey. If your check engine light turns on expeditiously after you put gas in your Volvo S60, earliest 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.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are basic for your Volvo S60. 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. 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 departed, 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, fundamental to more pricey repairs.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Volvo S60 is every noteworthy. 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 Volvo you commute, but check our refined service coupons and specials.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, current 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 feasible 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 Volvo S60's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to designate the honest 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.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or further item can wreak havoc on your Volvo S60 if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can discharge the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even avert the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound attentive, bring your S60 to Volvo and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, particularly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts earliest place might cost a little bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Volvo S60 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 distinguishable changes, like altitude. If your Volvo S60 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.

Volvo S60 Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that small light on your vehicle’s dashboard swiftly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear decent 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 known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your S60. There are hundreds of divergent codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a small patience, tackling main diagnostics will give you available knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is absolutely supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, unmistakable and helpful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of practical OBD codes, there are also hundreds of practical reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is strict 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 precarious concern, you risk damaging your car additional by not repairing the issue proper away. Call Volvo of Greenville at 8642077416 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out abruptly by a certified Volvo mechanic.

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. Since every check engine code has its own level of severity, it is hard to predict how diverse miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is twinkling, we recommend that you pull over and contact Volvo of Greenville to help determine if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly.

Check Engine Light Service Volvo S60

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Volvo S60 and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Volvo 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 price of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t find out 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 Volvo S60 checked as soon as convenient. Ignoring that warning could end up causing broad damage to expensive engine components.

When your Volvo S60's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t contractual, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is typically 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 Volvo auto repair mechanics at Volvo of Greenville. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive 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 professional expert to determine the issue and repair it.

Is it safe to drive your Volvo S60 with the check engine light on?

This question is not highly classic 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 commonly indicated by a dependable 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 rigorous problem. If the check engine light is shining, this means that there is a rigorous issue and it is recommended to service your Volvo S60 now. Call the mentors at Volvo of Greenville by dialing 8642077416 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your Volvo to our certified mechanics as soon as applicable.

Volvo S60 Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are many viable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are bountiful natural causes including something as straightforward as a loose gas cap. Assorted natural reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, faulty head gasket, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, dirty mass airflow sensor, 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 Volvo Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as imperative to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Volvo issue was fixed.

Every Volvo S60 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 exactly is inaccurate nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Volvo of Greenville 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 compelling.

Volvo S60 Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is perilous and if not taken care of shortly may result in grand wear and tear to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your Volvo S60 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Volvo should be delivered in shortly. This blinking light commonly indicates a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can quickly surge the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is feasible, requiring an costly repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can really be the cause. A bad, traditional or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is blinking, please contact our team of automotive experts at Volvo of Greenville immediately by calling 8642077416. 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.