Please wait while the page loads...

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most ordinarily misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2019 Acura MDX is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few distinctive 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 alter of things for your 2019 Acura MDX. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a little. With that being said, the check engine light can represent a variety of disparate things. It can be as pure as your gas cap being loose or as hazardous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2019 Acura MDX, 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 diagnose why your check engine light is flashing.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2019 Acura MDX will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is serviced. 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 consistent, 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 2019 Acura MDX 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 Crown Acura Richmond so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

Is it safe to drive your 2019 Acura MDX with the check engine light on?

This question is not very easy 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 often indicated by a steady 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 detailed problem. If the check engine light is glaring, this means that there is a detailed issue and it is recommended to service your Acura MDX abruptly. Call the experts at Crown Acura Richmond by dialing 8043618447 so you can describe the issues. Or decrease your speed and bring your 2019 Acura to our certified mechanics as soon as persuasive.

2019 Acura MDX Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are frequent viable 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 straightforward as a loose gas cap. Assorted ordinary reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty head gasket, faulty emissions control part, damaged oxygen sensor, or defective spark plugs to name several. 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 mandatory 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 2019 Acura MDX was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its important systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control unit. If the electronic 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 totally is wrong 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 Highly Qualified Service mechanical.

2019 Acura MDX Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard quickly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear good 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 usual as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your MDX. There are hundreds of chance codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with some patience, tackling primary diagnostics will give you useful knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is genuinely supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, accessible and fundamental vehicle 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:

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

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

Check Engine Light Service 2019 Acura MDX

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Acura MDX and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates 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 price 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 2019 Acura MDX checked as soon as practical. Ignoring that warning could end up causing colossal damage to expensive engine components.

When your 2019 Acura MDX'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 often 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 observe tool that is used by our Acura auto repair mechanics at Crown Acura Richmond. There are also a number of somewhat economical 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 professional to mean the issue and repair it.

2019 Acura MDX Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your 2019 Acura MDX starts flashing, that means that the problem needs abrupt attention and your Acura should be transported in abruptly. A flashing light indicates that the problem is hazardous and if not taken care of abruptly may result in primary damage to the vehicle. This blinking light generally indicates a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be drained into the exhaust system. There it can suddenly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can exclusively be the cause. A destructive, historic 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 highly expensive repair. If your check engine light is glaring, please contact our team of automotive mentors at Crown Acura Richmond instantly by calling 8043618447.

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

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

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 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 good to get the instinctive code reading and diagnosis. The central cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is customarily between $88 and $111. The good news, Crown Acura Richmond offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help pick the cause of your check engine light.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2019 Acura MDX?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as distinguishable 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 huge repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady 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 imperative urgently. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2019 Acura MDX, we highly recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Acura service today. Below is a list of the most ongoing reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • One of the most commonplace and frequent cause is that your 2019 Acura MDX gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2019 Acura MDX 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 detrimental fuel cap? If your gas cap is common 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 fancy. If your check engine light turns on urgently after you put gas in your 2019 Acura MDX, original thing you should check is to make bold the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
  • Your 2019 Acura MDX has a vacuum leak. Every Acura MDX has a vacuum system that performs a humongous variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps reduce contentious 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 dehydrated out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to massive heat or extreme chilly.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Acura MDX 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 paramount changes, like altitude. If your Acura MDX is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a brisk change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a detrimental mass airflow sensor.
  • Your catalytic converter is detrimental or going detrimental. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2019 Acura MDX’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's perform is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is normally 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 2019 Acura MDX 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 O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, admitted 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 vehicle will be fewer reasonable 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 2019 Acura MDX's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to endorse the proper mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A detrimental O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2019 Acura MDX 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 absolutely require maintenance. The rate of a new one depends on the type of Acura you drive, but check our existing service coupons and specials.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or alternative item can wreak havoc on your 2019 Acura MDX if it’s not installed well. These aftermarket parts and accessories can deposit the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even stop the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound commonplace, bring your MDX to Acura 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 original 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.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are essential for your 2019 Acura MDX. 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 detrimental or common, 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 fancy repairs.