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Mercedes-Benz Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are many achievable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are a few common causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other common reasons for a Check Engine Light are damaged oxygen sensor, faulty emissions control part, dirty mass airflow sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty head gasket, or defective spark plugs to name several. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Mercedes-Benz Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as needed to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Mercedes-Benz issue was fixed.

Every Mercedes-Benz was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its critical systems. The sensors are usually detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control team. If the electronic control team 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 wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Mercedes-Benz of Tampa provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Tremendously Qualified Service professional.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most normally misunderstood lights or indicators in your Mercedes-Benz is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few assorted 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 Mercedes-Benz. Some of these include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a bit. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of individual things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as appalling as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Mercedes-Benz, contact Mercedes-Benz of Tampa. Contact Mercedes-Benz of Tampa today! Our Mercedes-Benz service department can help you read what code is turning your check engine light on or investigate 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 frequently between $88 and $111. The plentiful news, Mercedes-Benz of Tampa 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 well tightened to a more serious failure like a harmful catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it plentiful to get the common code reading and diagnosis.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Mercedes-Benz?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as prevalent 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 generous repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow typically means something less hazardous but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in hazardous trouble and service is basic quickly. If your check engine light is flashing in your Mercedes-Benz, we extremely endorse not to drive the automobile and schedule Mercedes-Benz service today. Below is a list of the most natural reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Mercedes-Benz is what determines how much fuel is crucial to run your engine efficiently by measuring the payment of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to certain changes, like altitude. If your Mercedes-Benz 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.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or distinctive item can wreak havoc on your Mercedes-Benz if it’s not installed perfectly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even stop the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound noted, bring your to Mercedes-Benz and have our department of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a miniature bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are crucial for your Mercedes-Benz. 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 aged, 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, essential to more expensive repairs.
  • Your Mercedes-Benz has a vacuum leak. Every Mercedes-Benz has a vacuum system that performs a exciting variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower 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, especially if they’re exposed to direct heat or extreme chilled.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Mercedes-Benz is every numerous. Without a vehicle battery, your vehicle won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s vehicle batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The value of a new one depends on the type of Mercedes-Benz you drive, but check our acceptable service coupons and specials.
  • One of the most beneficial and frequent cause is that your Mercedes-Benz gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Mercedes-Benz 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 aged 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 immediately after you put gas in your Mercedes-Benz, first 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.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, acceptable as the O2 sensor, measures the payment 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 Mercedes-Benz 's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to select the prudent mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A bad O2 sensor can also cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Mercedes-Benz ’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 Mercedes-Benz of Tampa offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Mercedes-Benz service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your Mercedes-Benz will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your vehicle may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause distinctive problems from overheating.

Is it safe to drive your Mercedes-Benz with the check engine light on?

This question is not very pure 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 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 perilous problem. If the check engine light is glaring, this means that there is a perilous issue and it is recommended to service your Mercedes-Benz suddenly. Call the experts at Mercedes-Benz of Tampa by dialing 8135438419 so you can describe the issues. Or cut your speed and bring your Mercedes-Benz to our certified mechanics as soon as feasible.

Mercedes-Benz Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your Mercedes-Benz starts shining, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Mercedes-Benz should be brought in immediately. A shining light expresses that the problem is threatening and if not taken care of immediately may result in unusual damage to the vehicle. This blinking light usually implies a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be ejected into the exhaust system. There it can rapidly surge the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is probable, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can absolutely be the cause. A bad, classical or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our squad of automotive mentors at Mercedes-Benz of Tampa quickly by calling 8135438419. 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 excessively expensive repair.

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is laborious to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Mercedes-Benz of Tampa to help determine if your vehicle is secure to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be interchanged. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly.

Check Engine Light Service Mercedes-Benz

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Mercedes-Benz and expeditiously, a yellow light brightens on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Mercedes-Benz owners, your heart sinks a tiny because you have tiny 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 Mercedes-Benz checked as soon as potential. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to expensive engine factors.

When your Mercedes-Benz 's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t suitable, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is generally 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 Mercedes-Benz auto repair mechanics at Mercedes-Benz of Tampa. There are also a number of rather low-cost 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 experienced licensed to indicate the issue and repair it.

Mercedes-Benz Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard abruptly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear polite 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. There are hundreds of apparent codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling gigantic diagnostics will give you appropriate knowledge about your car and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, recognizable and helpful car 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:

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

This is why it is appealing for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Mercedes-Benz of Tampa at 8135438419 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your automobile supplemental by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out abruptly by a certified Mercedes-Benz mechanic.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Mercedes-Benz will frequently 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 Mercedes-Benz 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 bring it in to Mercedes-Benz of Tampa so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.