Mercedes-Benz ML 350 Check Engine Light

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most ordinarily misunderstood lights or indicators in your Mercedes-Benz ML 350 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few various 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 car. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored car performance since the 80s and do a range of things for your Mercedes-Benz ML 350. Some of these include controlling engine speed, ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can embrace a collection of alternative things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as strict as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Mercedes-Benz ML 350, contact Mercedes-Benz of Tampa. Our Mercedes-Benz 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. Contact Mercedes-Benz of Tampa today!

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Mercedes-Benz ML 350?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as easy 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 big repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow naturally means something less hazardous but a shining check engine light suggests that your vehicle’s engine is in hazardous trouble and service is crucial abruptly. If your check engine light is shining in your Mercedes-Benz ML 350, we immensely express not to drive the vehicle and schedule Mercedes-Benz service today. Below is a list of the most prominent reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replenished. The Oxygen sensor, acknowledged as the O2 sensor, measures the sum of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less persuasive 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 ML 350's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the proper mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A bad O2 sensor can also cause a automobile to fail an emissions test.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Mercedes-Benz ML 350’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 ML 350 will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your automobile may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause divergent problems from overheating.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or divergent item can wreak havoc on your Mercedes-Benz ML 350 if it’s not installed accurately. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound receptive, bring your ML 350 to Mercedes-Benz and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed perfectly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, exceedingly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts authentic place might cost a few 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 replenished. The mass airflow sensor in your Mercedes-Benz ML 350 is what determines how much fuel is basic to run your engine efficiently by measuring the sum of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to crucial changes, like altitude. If your Mercedes-Benz ML 350 is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a quick change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
• One of the most favored and several cause is that your Mercedes-Benz ML 350 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Mercedes-Benz ML 350 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 old 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 costly. If your check engine light turns on abruptly after you put gas in your Mercedes-Benz ML 350, authentic 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.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Mercedes-Benz ML 350 is every major. Without a automobile battery, your automobile won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s automobile batteries last much longer than they did a lot decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Mercedes-Benz you commute, but check our current service coupons and specials.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are basic for your Mercedes-Benz ML 350. 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 transport the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or old, 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, major to more costly repairs.
• Your Mercedes-Benz ML 350 has a vacuum leak. Every Mercedes-Benz ML 350 has a vacuum system that performs a giant collection 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, exceedingly if they’re exposed to exciting heat or extreme crisp.

Mercedes-Benz ML 350 Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your Mercedes-Benz ML 350 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs precipitous attention and your Mercedes-Benz should be brought in abruptly. A flashing light indicates that the problem is aggressive and if not taken care of abruptly may result in major damage to the vehicle. This blinking light usually suggests a exacting engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be discharged into the exhaust system. There it can quickly increase the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is convenient, requiring an lavish repair. A Bit owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can exactly be the cause. A bad, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. 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 pricey repair. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive consultants at Mercedes-Benz of Tampa expeditiously by calling 8135438419.

Is it safe to drive your Mercedes-Benz ML 350 with the check engine light on?

This question is not exceedingly plain 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 customarily indicated by a consistent 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 moving problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a moving issue and it is recommended to service your Mercedes-Benz ML 350 hastily. Call the veterans at Mercedes-Benz of Tampa by dialing 8135438419 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your Mercedes-Benz to our certified mechanics as soon as accessible.

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

The central cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is continuously between $88 and $111. The excellent news, Mercedes-Benz of Tampa offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help pick the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not accordingly tightened to a more strict failure like a detrimental catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it excellent to get the tolerable code reading and diagnosis.

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 each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is laborious to predict how several miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is flashing, we imply that you pull over and contact Mercedes-Benz of Tampa to help elect for if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we imply a tow truck. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly.

Check Engine Light Service Mercedes-Benz ML 350

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Mercedes-Benz ML 350 and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Mercedes-Benz 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 cost 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 ML 350 checked as soon as feasible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to expensive engine components.

When your Mercedes-Benz ML 350's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electrical control system that it can’t accurate, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is continuously 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 learn 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 relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you select that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an competent professional to opt for the issue and repair it.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Mercedes-Benz ML 350 will ordinarily 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 relevant, 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 ML 350 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.

Mercedes-Benz ML 350 Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless capacity causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are plentiful prevailing causes comprising something as lucid as a loose gas cap. Other prevailing reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen sensor, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty head gasket, faulty emissions control part, or defective spark plugs to name frequent. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Mercedes-Benz Certified Mechanics 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 Mercedes-Benz issue was fixed.

Every Mercedes-Benz ML 350 was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its troublesome systems. The sensors are constantly detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control company. If the electronic control company detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light brightens 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 Highly Qualified Service skilled.

Mercedes-Benz ML 350 Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that miniature light on your vehicle’s dashboard urgently 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 natural as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your ML 350. There are hundreds of several codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a miniature patience, tackling critical diagnostics will give you available knowledge about your automobile and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, compelling and essential automobile symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of ready for use OBD codes, there are also hundreds of ready for use reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is forceful 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 straightaway or schedule your check engine light service online today! When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out shortly by a certified Mercedes-Benz mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a hazardous concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue good away.