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What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most frequently misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2016 Nissan Sentra is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few disparate 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 assortment of things for your 2016 Nissan Sentra. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can imply a variety of other things. It can be as pure as your gas cap being loose or as dangerous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2016 Nissan Sentra, contact Coggin Nissan at the Avenues. Contact Coggin Nissan at the Avenues today! Our Nissan service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is blinking.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2016 Nissan Sentra 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 2016 Nissan Sentra light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that payment and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Coggin Nissan at the Avenues so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

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. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is troublesome to predict how frequent miles you can drive with the warning light on. 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 Coggin Nissan at the Avenues to help embrace if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck.

Check Engine Light Service 2016 Nissan Sentra

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Nissan Sentra and immediately, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Nissan 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 express 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 2016 Nissan Sentra checked as soon as available. Ignoring that warning could end up causing large damage to expensive engine components.

When your 2016 Nissan Sentra's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t prudent, 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 scan tool that is used by our Nissan auto repair mechanics at Coggin Nissan at the Avenues. There are also a number of somewhat cheap code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you designate that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced skilled to designate the issue and repair it.

2016 Nissan Sentra Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are many potential causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are a lot classic causes including something as classic as a loose gas cap. Alternative classic 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 Nissan Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as decisive to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Nissan issue was repaired.

Every 2016 Nissan Sentra was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its accepted systems. The sensors are usually 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 precisely is awry nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Coggin Nissan at the Avenues provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Incredibly Qualified Service experienced.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2016 Nissan Sentra?

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 threatening problem that could cause threatening damage to your engine and come with a grand repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow constantly means something less threatening but a flashing check engine light hints that your vehicle’s engine is in threatening trouble and service is needed at this moment. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2016 Nissan Sentra, we extraordinarily endorse not to drive the vehicle and schedule Nissan service today. Below is a list of the most prevalent reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • One of the most common and many cause is that your 2016 Nissan Sentra gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2016 Nissan Sentra 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 urgently after you put gas in your 2016 Nissan Sentra, first thing you should check is to make courageous the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, common 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 practical 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 2016 Nissan Sentra's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to designate the impartial 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 2016 Nissan Sentra is each notable. 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 Nissan you commute, but check our current service coupons and specials.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2016 Nissan Sentra’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's perform is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is ordinarily caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Coggin Nissan at the Avenues offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with each Nissan service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2016 Nissan Sentra 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 different problems from overheating.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Nissan Sentra 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 confident changes, like altitude. If your Nissan Sentra is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a hasty change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are basic for your 2016 Nissan Sentra. 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 long-established, 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, principal to more expensive repairs.
  • Your 2016 Nissan Sentra has a vacuum leak. Each Nissan Sentra has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps reduce 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 dry out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to extraordinary heat or extreme cold.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or different item can wreak havoc on your 2016 Nissan Sentra if it’s not installed accordingly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can jettison the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even hinder the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound common, bring your Sentra to Nissan and have our squad of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed well and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a microscopic bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.

2016 Nissan Sentra Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is hazardous and if not taken care of suddenly may result in major damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2016 Nissan Sentra starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Nissan should be brought in suddenly. This shining light usually implies a relentless engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can abruptly increase the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where wear and tear is probable, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can exactly be the cause. A bad, erstwhile or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive specialists at Coggin Nissan at the Avenues urgently by calling 9047478567. 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.

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 rangy news, Coggin Nissan at the Avenues offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help determine 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 precarious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it rangy to get the essential code reading and diagnosis.

Is it safe to drive your 2016 Nissan Sentra with the check engine light on?

If the check engine light is glaring, this means that there is a astonishing issue and it is recommended to service your Nissan Sentra immediately. This question is not very 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 commute. This is consistently indicated by a logical glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the automobile, it could be an indication of a more fantastic problem. Call the experts at Coggin Nissan at the Avenues by dialing 9047478567 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and deliver your 2016 Nissan to our certified mechanics as soon as potential.

2016 Nissan Sentra 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 prudent 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 Sentra. There are hundreds of innumerable codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling decisive diagnostics will give you essential knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, coherent and ready vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of achievable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of achievable reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is thrilling for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Coggin Nissan at the Avenues at 9047478567 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a scrupulous concern, you risk damaging your car supplemental by not repairing the issue prudent away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out rapidly by a certified Nissan mechanic.