Please wait while the page loads...

2012 Acura RDX 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 right 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 RDX. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling vital diagnostics will give you charming 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, discernible and extensive vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of practical OBD codes, there are also hundreds of practical reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is mandatory for someone who does not have various of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out hastily by a certified Acura mechanic. Call Crown Acura Richmond at 8043618447 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a strict concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue prudent away.

Check Engine Light Service 2012 Acura RDX

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Acura RDX and suddenly, a yellow light flashes on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Acura 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 2012 Acura RDX checked as soon as probable. Ignoring that warning could end up causing enormous damage to expensive engine components.

When your 2012 Acura RDX's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t easy, 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 Acura auto repair mechanics at Crown Acura Richmond. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you opt for that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an professional professional to designate the issue and repair it.

Is it safe to drive your 2012 Acura RDX with the check engine light on?

If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a alarming issue and it is recommended to service your Acura RDX abruptly. This question is not very evident 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 regularly 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 horrendous problem. Call the veterans at Crown Acura Richmond by dialing 8043618447 so you can describe the issues. Or cut down your speed and bring your 2012 Acura to our certified mechanics as soon as realistic.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2012 Acura RDX?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as logical as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a perilous problem that could cause perilous 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 dependable glow typically means something less perilous but a flashing check engine light expresses that your vehicle’s engine is in perilous trouble and service is needed suddenly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2012 Acura RDX, we highly advocate not to travel to work the car and schedule Acura service now. Below is a list of the most equitable reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are essential for your 2012 Acura RDX. 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 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, principal to more expensive repairs.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or alternative item can wreak havoc on your 2012 Acura RDX if it’s not installed properly. 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 commonplace, deliver your RDX to Acura and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed perfectly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, particularly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts initial place might price a little bit more but could save you money from having to get poor function and damage caused by poor installation function corrected.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2012 Acura RDX’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 Crown Acura Richmond offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Acura service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2012 Acura RDX 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 alternative problems from overheating.
  • Your 2012 Acura RDX has a vacuum leak. Every Acura RDX has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps cut damaging 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, particularly if they’re exposed to imposing heat or extreme brisk.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Acura RDX is what determines how much fuel is essential to run your engine efficiently by measuring the reward of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to steady changes, like altitude. If your Acura RDX 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.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, admitted as the O2 sensor, measures the reward of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less steady 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 2012 Acura RDX's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to advise the prudent 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.
  • One of the most commonplace and copious cause is that your 2012 Acura RDX gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2012 Acura RDX 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 expensive. If your check engine light turns on suddenly after you put gas in your 2012 Acura RDX, initial thing you should check is to make convinced 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 2012 Acura RDX is every vital. 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 price of a new one depends on the type of Acura you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most consistently misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2012 Acura RDX is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in various 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 variety of things for your 2012 Acura RDX. Some of these include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a lot. With that being said, the check engine light can represent a collection of different things. It can be as commonplace as your gas cap being loose or as serious as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2012 Acura RDX, contact Crown Acura Richmond. Contact Crown Acura Richmond today! Our Acura service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or investigate why your check engine light is shining.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2012 Acura RDX 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 small, 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 2012 Acura RDX light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you travel to work over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to deliver it in to Crown Acura Richmond so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

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

The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is typically between $88 and $111. The excellent news, Crown Acura Richmond offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to aid indicate the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not properly tightened to a more exacting failure like a harmful catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it excellent to get the lawful code reading and diagnosis.

2012 Acura RDX Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is serious and if not taken care of promptly may result in major damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2012 Acura RDX starts flashing, that means that the problem needs speedy attention and your Acura should be brought in promptly. This blinking light usually indicates a scrupulous engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can rapidly surge the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is applicable, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can absolutely be the cause. A destructive, popular or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is twinkling, please contact our team of automotive experts at Crown Acura Richmond suddenly by calling 8043618447. If the problem is ignored or you continue to travel to work, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a incredibly expensive repair.

2012 Acura RDX Check Engine Light Flashing

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

Every 2012 Acura RDX 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 continually 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 flashes 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 amiss nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Crown Acura Richmond provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Exceptionally Qualified Service adequate.

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

If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Crown Acura Richmond to help determine if your automobile is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be changed. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how bountiful miles you can drive with the warning light on. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly.