Ford Expedition Check Engine Light

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a Ford Expedition?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Still, the check engine light could also be a warning of a meaningful problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and expensive repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady and continuous glow generally means something less serious but a flashing check engine light signifies that your vehicle’s engine is in meaningful trouble and helpful service is required instantly. If your check engine light is flashing in your Ford Expedition, we exceptionally recommend not to drive the car and schedule Ford service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your Ford Expedition is every vital. Without a vehicle battery, your vehicle won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s vehicle batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't genuinely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Ford you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are required for your Ford Expedition. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel combination in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run smooth. 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 undergo a noticeable 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, leading to more costly repairs.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Ford Expedition is what determines how much fuel is required 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 certain changes, like altitude. If your Ford Expedition is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden speedy change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a crucial sign of a defective mass airflow sensor.
• Your Ford Expedition has a vacuum leak. Every Ford Expedition has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower adverse 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, exceptionally if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your Ford Expedition if it’s not installed perfectly. These aftermarket components and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even impede the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound familiar, bring your Expedition to Ford and have our team of accomplished certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, exceptionally aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM components first place might cost a little bit more but could support you save considerably from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
• One of the most regular and frequent cause is that your Ford Expedition gas cap is loose, broken or missing. The gas cap for your Ford Expedition serves different purposes. It prevents hazardous gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps cultivate pressure within the fuel tank. What results if you have a defective 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 and be more expensive. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't costly. If your check engine light turns on quickly after you put gas in your Ford Expedition, first thing you should check is to make sure the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
• 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 more swiftly and your vehicle will be less efficient when it comes to fuel economy. So what results if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A defective sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause significant damage to your catalytic converter and your Ford Expedition's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the precisely correct combination of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A defective O2 sensor can also cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your Ford Expedition’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A broken catalytic converter is usually caused by consistently neglected maintenance, which is why Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa offers a free multi-point check with every Ford service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your Ford Expedition will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your vehicle may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause other dangerous problems from overheating.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most frequently misunderstood lights or indicators in your Ford Expedition is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the vital onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a variety of 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 vehicle. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored vehicle performance since the 80s and do a variety of things for your Ford Expedition. Some of these essential duties include controlling engine speed, ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing cohesion control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean an assortment of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as dangerous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your Ford Expedition, contact Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa. Our Ford service department can support you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing. Contact Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa today!

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 accurately tightened to a more serious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it good to get the proper code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is ordinarily between $88 and $111. The good news, Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa offers totally free multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to assist determine the cause of your check engine light.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your Ford Expedition 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 instantly turn itself off. Also, if your catalytic converter is working accurately, 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 Ford Expedition 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 Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

Ford Expedition Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, particularly to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminate, 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 Expedition. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can properly represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you advantageous knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that important Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, obvious and helpful vehicle symptoms do not repeatedly 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
• Fuel and air metering systems problems
• Ignition system faults
• Old Battery
• Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
• Computer output circuit issues
• Emissions controls issues
• O2 Sensor
• Transmission issues

This is why it is essential for someone who does not have a lot of prevailing automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out expeditiously by a skillful certified Ford mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue right away. Call Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa at 4806901279 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!

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. If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa to support determine if your car is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. Since any check engine code has its own level of severity, it is usually difficult to predict how multiple miles you can be safe in driving with the warning light on.

Ford Expedition Check Engine Light Flashing

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

Every Ford Expedition 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 fast sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending essential 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. Nevertheless, sadly that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what exactly is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa 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 professional.

Ford Expedition Check Engine Light

A flashing light signifies that the problem is very serious and if not taken care of instantly may result in extensive and significant damage to the car. If the check engine light in your Ford Expedition starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention instantly and your Ford should be brought in instantly. This blinking light frequently reveals a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can swiftly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an costly and considerable repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can definitely be the cause. A broken, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is constantly flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa swiftly by calling 4806901279. If the problem is totally 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.

Is it safe to drive your Ford Expedition with the check engine light on?

This question is not very simple 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 secure to drive. This is usually 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 serious problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is suggested to service your Ford Expedition promptly. Call the experts at Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa by dialing 4806901279 so you can describe the issues. Or lessen your speed and bring your Ford to our certified mechanics as soon as conceivable.

Check Engine Light Service Ford Expedition

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Ford Expedition and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Ford owners, your heart sinks extremely because you may have explicitly 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, tranquil 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 advised that you get your Ford Expedition checked quickly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing extensive, considerable damage to expensive engine components.

When your Ford Expedition's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t appropriate, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is generally 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 can immediately identify 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 Ford auto repair mechanics at Larry H. Miller Ford Mesa. There are likewise a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you pick that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced professional to determine the specifically appropriate issue and repair it.