Diagnosing Check Engine Lights & Misfires - Tire Review Magazine

Diagnosing Check Engine Lights & Misfires

A flashing check engine light is different from a check engine light that’s lit up and not flashing, and it usually indicates a problem. This content is sponsored by the Automotive Auto Parts Alliance.

Sponsored by Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance

When it comes to lights popping up on the dash, customers sometimes don’t know what they need or if their vehicle needs immediate attention. This is especially true when it comes to the check engine light. A flashing check engine light is different from a check engine light that’s lit up and not flashing, and it usually indicates a problem.

When the check engine light stays on solid, that means the car is safe to drive. But what if you have a customer who comes into your shop saying they have a flashing check engine light and the ride was pretty bumpy? Well, they probably shouldn’t have been driving at all as a flashing check engine light indicates it’s not safe to drive the vehicle.

The flashing light means harm to other components of the vehicle can occur if the vehicle continues to be driven, and one major component that could be harmed is the catalytic converter.

Diagnosing an Engine Misfire

When a car with a flashing check engine light rolls into your shop, a good place to start the diagnosis process is by using a scan tool to assess what’s going on. Let’s say, for example, the scan brings up a DTC P0301 code. This indicates that cylinder No. 1 is experiencing misfires.

From here, you might check the spark plugs to see if that’s the problem, but the spark plugs look to be in good shape. Since the coils are off, you could replace the cylinder one with cylinder two coil and restart the vehicle. If you find that the misfire is now happening in cylinder No. 2, this means there was a faulty coil over plug. In this scenario, the misfire was fairly easy to figure out, but that’s not always the case. Figuring out the cause of a misfire can sometimes take additional diagnosis.

So, how do you fix this to ensure the vehicle is running smoothly again?

It often depends on the vehicle’s mileage and the condition of the spark plugs. If the spark plugs are in good working condition and the vehicle has lower miles, it’s safe to only replace the cylinder No. 1 coil to get the vehicle up and running again. If the vehicle has high miles and is more than 10 years old, you might recommend to your customer that you replace all of the coil over plugs at the same time.

This article is sponsored by the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance.

You May Also Like

Proper Tire Repair Techniques for PLT Tires

Brent Blackburn and Rich Watts talk about why a high level of care is just as important for techniques used during the tire repair process.

When it comes to tire repairs, there's no room for cutting corners. Every skipped step can lead to improper repairs and issues for customers’ tires down the line. For your shop's safety and reputation, meticulous technique during tire repair is a must.

Brent Blackburn, national accounts sales manager at Myers and Rich Watts, tire repair consultant at Myers, talk about why a high level of care is just as important for techniques used during the tire repair process.

The Importance of Tire Inspection Before Repair

Myers Tire Supply experts caution that skipping the inspection step can have dangerous consequences.

K&M Tire Dealer Benefits: Yokohama’s Boost Program

Shops will receive a cash payout based on the number of Yokohama tire units purchased each quarter.

Beyond the Tread: The Crucial Role of Tire Construction in Performance

Tire construction plays a critical role in optimizing attributes like wear, rolling resistance, load distribution, traction and durability, and it varies significantly depending on the intended application.

Kumho Road Venture AT52 “Road and Trail Review”

The AT52’s tread design has been optimized to dig deep in mud and sand while also evacuating water and slush when the trails get wet or snowy.

Other Posts

BEV brake service tips

To disconnect the 12-volt power system on the Model S you must access the “frunk” or front trunk. And before you disconnect the 12-volt battery you need to do two things.

bendpakEVgarage1400
The Alliance promotes new field sales manager

Kendall Schaus will focus on member sales efforts including national service retail chain accounts and programs.

Kendall-Schaus-Alliance-Field-Sales-Manager
The Alliance promotes JC Washbish to president

As president, Washbish will work with the Alliance board of directors on organizational directives, business development and industry relations.

JC-Washbish_Alliance-President-1400
Gawley Tire and Repair Owner: ‘There’s nobody like K&M’

We spoke with Gawley at the 2023 K&M Tire Dealer Conference & Trade Show to learn more about the challenges and opportunities from being in the tire business.