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Toyota Avalon Check Engine Light

A flashing light expresses that the problem is hazardous and if not taken care of abruptly may result in fundamental damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your Toyota Avalon starts flashing, that means that the problem needs urgent attention and your Toyota should be brought in abruptly. This blinking light usually implies a strict engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can abruptly boost the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is functional, requiring an pricey repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can exclusively be the cause. A bad, aged 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 flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Nalley Toyota Stonecrest shortly by calling 7706290279.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most commonly misunderstood lights or indicators in your Toyota Avalon is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few contrasting 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 Toyota Avalon. Some of these include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can imply a variety of chance things. It can be as familiar as your gas cap being loose or as effective as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Toyota Avalon, contact Nalley Toyota Stonecrest. Our Toyota 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 Nalley Toyota Stonecrest today!

Toyota Avalon Check Engine Light Flashing

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

Every Toyota Avalon was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its hard systems. The sensors are frequently 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 strictly is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Nalley Toyota Stonecrest provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Immensely Qualified Service professional.

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

The average price for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is usually between $88 and $111. The courageous news, Nalley Toyota Stonecrest offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help favor 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 imposing failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it courageous to get the helpful code reading and diagnosis.

Toyota Avalon Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that miniature light on your vehicle’s dashboard quickly 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 common as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Avalon. There are hundreds of distinctive codes that your check engine light can opt for. While that sounds daunting, with a miniature patience, tackling dominant 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. Unfortunately, overt and helpful 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:

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

This is why it is strict 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 admissible concern, you risk damaging your car supplemental by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a certified Toyota mechanic. Call Nalley Toyota Stonecrest at 7706290279 now or schedule your check engine light service online today!

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. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is stern to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is flashing, we illustrate that you pull over and contact Nalley Toyota Stonecrest to aid determine if your vehicle is capable to drive in or if we illustrate a tow truck.

Check Engine Light Service Toyota Avalon

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Toyota Avalon and urgently, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Toyota 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 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 Toyota Avalon checked as soon as prudent. Ignoring that warning could end up causing leading wear and tear to expensive engine components.

When your Toyota Avalon's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t legal, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is constantly labeled ā€œcheck engineā€ or ā€œservice engine soonā€, or the light may be nothing more than a picture of an engine, or a picture of the engine with the word ā€œcheck.ā€

When the light turns on, the ECM stores an engine code or ā€œtrouble codeā€ in its memory that identifies as the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is find out with an electronic scan tool that is used by our Toyota auto repair mechanics at Nalley Toyota Stonecrest. There are also a number of relatively economical code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you embrace that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an skilled trained to find out the issue and repair it.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Toyota Avalon will commonly 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 adequate, 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 Toyota Avalon 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 Nalley Toyota Stonecrest so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Toyota Avalon?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as beneficial as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a exacting problem that could cause exacting damage to your engine and come with a generous repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A persistent glow generally means something less exacting but a twinkling check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in exacting trouble and service is crucial expeditiously. If your check engine light is twinkling in your Toyota Avalon, we remarkably recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Toyota service now. Below is a list of the most present reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Toyota Avalon is every hard. 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 plentiful decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The estimate of a new one depends on the type of Toyota you drive, but check our prevailing service coupons and specials.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are necessary for your Toyota Avalon. 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 departed, 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, considerable to more expensive repairs.
  • Issues with each aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or added item can wreak havoc on your Toyota Avalon if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can eject the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound prevailing, bring your Avalon to Toyota and have our unit of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing each issue. Getting accessories, notably aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a miniature bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
  • Your Toyota Avalon has a vacuum leak. Every Toyota Avalon has a vacuum system that performs a wide collection 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, notably if they’re exposed to dominant heat or extreme nice.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Toyota Avalon’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 usually caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Nalley Toyota Stonecrest offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Toyota service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it serviced, your Toyota Avalon 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 added problems from overheating.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Toyota Avalon is what determines how much fuel is necessary 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 specific changes, like altitude. If your Toyota Avalon 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 bad mass airflow sensor.
  • 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 vehicle will be less marvelous 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 Toyota Avalon's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to mean the right 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 classical and copious cause is that your Toyota Avalon gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your Toyota Avalon 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 departed 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 today after you put gas in your Toyota Avalon, first 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.

Is it safe to drive your Toyota Avalon with the check engine light on?

If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a dangerous issue and it is recommended to service your Toyota Avalon rapidly. This question is not particularly simple because it any depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be capable to drive. This is continuously 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 critical problem. Call the experts at Nalley Toyota Stonecrest by dialing 7706290279 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and transport your Toyota to our certified mechanics as soon as realistic.