2012 Acura TLX Check Engine Light Codes
The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that small light on your vehicle’s dashboard urgently flashes, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear proper 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 TLX. There are hundreds of disparate codes that your check engine light can designate. While that sounds daunting, with a small patience, tackling fundamental diagnostics will give you convenient knowledge about your car and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is truly supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, effortless and exceptional car symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of viable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of viable reasons for the light, including:
- Computer output circuit issues
- Bad Spark Plugs
- Transmission issues
- Emissions controls issues
- Fuel and air metering systems problems
- O2 Sensor
- Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
- Ignition system faults
- Old Battery
This is why it is efficient for someone who does not have frequent of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a perilous concern, you risk harmful your car further by not repairing the issue justifiable away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out immediately by a certified Acura mechanic. Call Crown Acura Richmond at 8043618447 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!
2012 Acura TLX Check Engine Light
If the check engine light in your 2012 Acura TLX starts shining, that means that the problem needs precipitous attention and your Acura should be brought in immediately. A shining light indicates that the problem is significant and if not taken care of immediately may result in major break to the vehicle. This blinking light usually indicates a scrupulous engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be discharged into the exhaust system. There it can shortly raise 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 exactly be the cause. A harmful, long-established or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is ignored or you continue to commute, 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 flashing, please contact our team of automotive veterans at Crown Acura Richmond promptly by calling 8043618447.
Check Engine Light Service 2012 Acura TLX
What do you do when you’re driving along in your Acura TLX and suddenly, a yellow light lights up on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Acura 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 cost of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t suggest you have to pull the automobile over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your 2012 Acura TLX checked as soon as pragmatic. Ignoring that warning could end up causing big damage to lavish engine components.
When your 2012 Acura TLX's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t decent, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is frequently 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 elect for that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an active skilled to express the issue and repair it.
Is it safe to drive your 2012 Acura TLX with the check engine light on?
If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a relentless issue and it is recommended to service your Acura TLX immediately. This question is not very distinguishable because it each depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be protected to drive. This is ordinarily indicated by a persistent glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the car, it could be an indication of a more draconian problem. Call the experts at Crown Acura Richmond by dialing 8043618447 so you can describe the issues. Or cut your speed and bring your 2012 Acura to our certified mechanics as soon as competent.
What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?
One of the most mostly misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2012 Acura TLX is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few different 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 automobile. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored automobile performance since the 80s and do a range of things for your 2012 Acura TLX. Some of these include controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can suggest a vary of convincing things. It can be as accepted as your gas cap being loose or as alarming as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2012 Acura TLX, contact Crown Acura Richmond. Our Acura 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 Crown Acura Richmond today!
2012 Acura TLX Check Engine Light Flashing
Although there are countless feasible causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several prevailing causes including something as straightforward as a loose gas cap. Back-up prevailing reasons for a Check Engine Light are damaged oxygen sensor, faulty emissions control part, faulty head gasket, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, dirty mass airflow sensor, or defective spark plugs to name a lot. 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 crucial 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 revamped.
Every 2012 Acura TLX was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its crucial systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending data to the computerized control unit. If the computerized control unit 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 unsound 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 Extraordinarily Qualified Service professional.
Will the check engine light reset itself?
The check engine light on your 2012 Acura TLX 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 acceptable, 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 TLX 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 transport it in to Crown Acura Richmond so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.
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. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is blinking, we endorse that you pull over and contact Crown Acura Richmond to help designate if your vehicle is safe to drive in or if we endorse a tow truck.
What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2012 Acura TLX?
When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a relentless problem that could cause relentless 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 typically means something less relentless but a flashing check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in relentless trouble and service is needed suddenly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2012 Acura TLX, we very advise not to commute the vehicle and schedule Acura service today. Below is a list of the most established reasons your check engine light can come on:
- The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2012 Acura TLX 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 a few decades ago, and they don't definitely require maintenance. The estimate of a new one depends on the type of Acura you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
- New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are essential for your 2012 Acura TLX. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel assortment in the combustion chamber of your car. 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 damaging or classical, 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, best to more expensive repairs.
- Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Acura TLX is what determines how much fuel is essential to run your engine efficiently by measuring the amount of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to actual changes, like altitude. If your Acura TLX 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 damaging mass airflow sensor.
- One of the most regular and bountiful cause is that your 2012 Acura TLX gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2012 Acura TLX 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 damaging fuel cap? If your gas cap is classical 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 quickly after you put gas in your 2012 Acura TLX, earliest thing you should check is to make confident the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
- Your catalytic converter is damaging or going damaging. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2012 Acura TLX’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 frequently 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 TLX 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 extra problems from overheating.
- Your 2012 Acura TLX has a vacuum leak. Every Acura TLX has a vacuum system that performs a colossal 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 arid out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to extraordinary heat or extreme cold.
- Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your car will be less functional 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 TLX's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to opt for the proper assortment of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A damaging O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
- Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or extra item can wreak havoc on your 2012 Acura TLX if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the car from starting. If these issues sound noticeable, bring your TLX to Acura and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed properly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts earliest place might estimate a small bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?
The central cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is frequently between $88 and $111. The honest news, Crown Acura Richmond offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help select the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not correctly tightened to a more alarming failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it honest to get the relevant code reading and diagnosis.