When you’re driving and your Toyota check engine light turns on, you are likely hit with a feeling of uneasiness and dread. If that happens to you, here’s what it might mean.
Read more: What are Toyota dashboard warning lights and what do they mean?
1. Your gas cap is loose, broken, or missing
Heated engine sign
The first thing you want to check is your gas cap. Since it seals the fuel system and maintains fuel tank pressure, it prevents gas fumes from being released into the atmosphere when your vehicle is not in use. The check engine light alerts you to a loose, broken, or missing gas cap so you can tighten or replace it before you lose too much fuel through evaporation.
2. Your oxygen sensor needs to be replaced
Your vehicle’s oxygen sensor might require replacement. It measures the amount of unburned oxygen in the exhaust system, so, with a faulty oxygen sensor, your engine may burn an unnecessary amount of fuel, reduce your fuel economy, and cause damage to the spark plugs and catalytic converter.
3. Your catalytic converter needs to be replaced
The catalytic converter plays a very important role by converting carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide. If you don’t replace it, your vehicle will not pass an emissions test and you will experience decreased performance and efficiency.
4. Your mass airflow sensor needs to be replaced.
The job of your mass airflow sensor is to measure the amount of air that enters the engine in order to determine how much fuel is necessary to run the engine efficiently. If the sensor is not functioning properly, it can cause damage to the spark plugs, oxygen sensors, or catalytic converter, and your vehicle will experience decreased performance and fuel economy.
5. Your spark plugs or plug wires need to be replaced
The spark plugs ignite the mixture of air and fuel in your vehicle’s combustion chamber. The spark plug wires then transfer the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. Reduced performance and fuel economy may result from faulty spark plugs or plug wires. If they are worn, they may clog the catalytic converter or cause damage to the ignition coils and oxygen sensors.
What to do when your Toyota check engine light turns on
In order to figure out which one of these problems is causing your Toyota check engine light to turn on, you’ll want to bring your vehicle into Toyota Vacaville or a nearby mechanic to have the service professionals read the code that is connected with the issue. Feel free to contact our team with any further questions.
