Mercedes-Benz S 550 Check Engine Light

Is it safe to drive your Mercedes-Benz S 550 with the check engine light on?

This question is not very cordial 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 normally indicated by a exact 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 relentless problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a relentless issue and it is recommended to service your Mercedes-Benz S 550 immediately. Call the specialists at Mercedes-Benz of Tampa by dialing 8135438419 so you can describe the issues. Or lower your speed and bring your Mercedes-Benz to our certified mechanics as soon as practical.

Check Engine Light Service Mercedes-Benz S 550

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Mercedes-Benz S 550 and quickly, 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 S 550 checked as soon as accessible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing afraid damage to pricey engine components.

When your Mercedes-Benz S 550's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t honest, 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 learn with an mechanical 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 elect for that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced licensed to elect for the issue and repair it.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Mercedes-Benz S 550?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as classic as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a risky problem that could cause risky damage to your engine and come with a gigantic repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow frequently means something less risky but a flashing check engine light expresses that your vehicle’s engine is in risky trouble and service is necessary instantly. If your check engine light is flashing in your Mercedes-Benz S 550, we incredibly recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Mercedes-Benz service today. Below is a list of the most known reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or additional item can wreak havoc on your Mercedes-Benz S 550 if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can jettison the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound ongoing, bring your S 550 to Mercedes-Benz and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts authentic 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 catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Mercedes-Benz S 550’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 S 550 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 additional problems from overheating.
• One of the most unmistakable and copious cause is that your Mercedes-Benz S 550 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Mercedes-Benz S 550 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 costly. If your check engine light turns on abruptly after you put gas in your Mercedes-Benz S 550, authentic 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 mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Mercedes-Benz S 550 is what determines how much fuel is crucial to run your engine efficiently by measuring the deposit 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 S 550 is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a fast change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Mercedes-Benz S 550 is every essential. 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 some decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The value of a new one depends on the type of Mercedes-Benz you travel to work, but check our ongoing service coupons and specials.
• Your Mercedes-Benz S 550 has a vacuum leak. Every Mercedes-Benz S 550 has a vacuum system that performs a expansive 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 notable heat or extreme bitter.
• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the deposit of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less noble 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 550's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to read the correct 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.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are crucial for your Mercedes-Benz S 550. 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, fundamental to more costly repairs.

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

The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not properly tightened to a more hazardous failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it astonishing to get the constitutional code reading and diagnosis. The average estimate for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is typically between $88 and $111. The astonishing news, Mercedes-Benz of Tampa offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help prefer the cause of your check engine light.

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. If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Mercedes-Benz of Tampa to aid determine if your automobile is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. Since every check engine code has its own level of severity, it is draconian to predict how countless miles you can drive with the warning light on. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly.

Mercedes-Benz S 550 Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are bountiful capacity causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are bountiful simple causes including something as definitive as a loose gas cap. Contrasting simple reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty head gasket, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty emissions control part, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, 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 Mercedes-Benz Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as mandatory 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 S 550 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 frequently detecting conditions while sending data to the mechanical control company. If the mechanical control company 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 definitely 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 professional.

Mercedes-Benz S 550 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 lights up, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear honest 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 accepted as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your S 550. There are hundreds of divergent codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling primary diagnostics will give you awesome knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Regrettably, effortless and helpful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of applicable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of applicable reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is crucial 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 hazardous concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue good away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out promptly by a certified Mercedes-Benz technician. Call Mercedes-Benz of Tampa at 8135438419 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Mercedes-Benz S 550 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 careful, 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 S 550 light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that sum 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.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most naturally misunderstood lights or indicators in your Mercedes-Benz S 550 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few divergent 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 S 550. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name some. With that being said, the check engine light can imply a variety of divergent things. It can be as plain as your gas cap being loose or as dangerous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Mercedes-Benz S 550, contact Mercedes-Benz of Tampa. Contact Mercedes-Benz of Tampa today! Our Mercedes-Benz service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or analyze why your check engine light is twinkling.

Mercedes-Benz S 550 Check Engine Light

A flashing light suggests that the problem is strict and if not taken care of rapidly may result in major damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your Mercedes-Benz S 550 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs urgent attention and your Mercedes-Benz should be brought in rapidly. This blinking light usually indicates a rigid engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can hastily expand the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an costly repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can absolutely be the cause. A combative, 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 very expensive repair. If your check engine light is shining, please contact our squad of automotive experts at Mercedes-Benz of Tampa hastily by calling 8135438419.