Your beloved vehicle contains a lot of car parts that can create an issue if it goes bad. If the owner does not diagnose it with proper care and on time, then it can make a painful bill. For this indication only, a car body runs with a lot of indicator lights. Among all of them, the check engine light is the most superior one. This light indicates that there is something wrong with the engine compartment and you should consider repairing it as soon as possible. Sometimes you may get panic while driving with the turned-on check engine light on the dashboard. But in rare cases, you may notice that you have a flashing check engine light then stops. What are the possible scenarios when this sign can come to your dashboard? And what indications can it make?
In this following blog, we are going to discuss all the possible reasons behind this situation.
Flashing Check Engine Light Then Stops: The Actual Meaning Behind It
Your check engine light is a real-time indicator that your car’s engine compartment is going through a problem. It has a general location in the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. When the collected data by the ECM (engine control module) is different from the normal values, it throws a signal to the sensor, and the check engine light turns on the dashboard. It can give you a really uneasy feeling when it is on the dashboard. However, if you have a flashing check engine light then stops, there are some reasons that can cause this kind of situation.
It may possible that you have touched the reset button mistakenly. It can give a glow in two ways. Either it can be turned on continuously, or it may flash and then stops. In both ways, you should give proper attention to the light and tow your car to any of the professional, trusted mechanics just to address the issue. The flashing check engine light can indicate that your engine has a serious misfire probability or any issue with the ignition fuel timing and compressor. Let’s know all the details in a detailed view.
Reasons If Your Check Engine Is Flashing And Then Stops
There could be several possible reasons behind a blinking check engine light. Let’s discuss some of the major ones.
A Failing Oxygen Sensor:
An oxygen sensor is installed in the car as an electronic device that measures the amount of oxygen in the exhaust gases. It controls the combustion process. The sensor sets a standard amount of oxygen during the emission process. If it goes bad, the combustion process will be affected, and fuel consumption can increase by 30%. So, if your vehicle is consuming more fuel, it might possible that your oxygen sensor is creating an issue. The reason behind a failed sensor can be broken wires or an amount of mixed gasoline with highly concentrated ethanol.
In this case, you should consider replacing the oxygen sensor with a new one, or else your catalytic converter can burst.
A Loose Gas Cap
A gas cap prevents the fuel vapors from getting evaporated. So, if the gas cap got loose, then the gas amount increases, and the fuel-consuming process gets slow. So having a good quality gas cap is very necessary for the car‘s health. However, a loose gas cap can be the reason behind a blinking check engine light.
Faulty Catalytic Converter
The present catalytic converter in your car purifies the emitted gases from the combustion process. It increases the number of gases like Oxygen and nitrogen and decreases the number of harmful gasses. If the converter is failing, that means the number of harmful gasses will be increased before realizing it in the environment. So, as a result, the check engine light can get turned on.
In this case, you should not compromise your health and replace it with a new one.
Defective MAF
The mass airflow sensor calculates the amount of air that goes inside the engine compartment for the combustion process. If it gets defective or gets clogged with dust or debris, then the air amount will be decreased, and the combustion process will affect the car’s health. The check engine can flash, then stop in this scenario, also.
Damaged Air Filter Valve
Gasoline is a crucial component of engine operation. So, when the air filter valve gets into a problem, gasoline evaporates, and all the vapors go into the environment. This filter valve recovers the gasoline vapors and injects them into the combustion chamber. So that the combustion can run smoothly without any issues. As a failed air filter valve symptom, the check engine light can be lit up on the dashboard.
Also, Read – How To Replace The Engine Air Filter of the 2011 Toyota
Defective Spark Plugs
The spark plugs help the ignition and the car to start. If there is any defective spark plug installed on the car, the check engine light can come up on the dashboard. Damaged spark plugs can cause weak sparks at the wrong time and affect the gas-fuel mixture.
These are some of the most common and foremost reasons behind a blinking check engine light. Apart from these, a broken thermostat valve and a faulty EGR system can also cause this situation.
What Is the Solution of a Blinking Check Engine Light?
Suppose you are driving your car, and suddenly, the check engine starts to blink; you may get into a panic situation. First, you should park your car on the side of the road. Then you can diagnose it with a scanner and fix it. There are many available scanners in the market in a budget range, and they work well. On the other hand, you can also end up going to a professional mechanic. He will rectify the issue properly.
When the check engine light is flashing, but no codes are showing, you should check the spark plugs properly. There can be another reason, as we discussed before, so before fixing any particular part, go through every possible scenario behind it. On the upper side, we have already discussed why you may face a flashing check engine light then stops and how you can get a solution to this problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Well, it can indicate a lot of problems. But most commonly, it signifies a problem like a misfire or unburnt fuel getting into the combustion chamber. This may cause a high temperature in the catalytic converter. You should address the issue right away.
Yes, you can drive your vehicle with a blinking check engine light. But as per experts, you should not drive in this situation as the light can indicate any major problem. So a driver should not ignore it.
Well, when the fixing comes to replacement, the cost depends on the spark plug quality. But on average, engine misfire replacement cost is between $150-$1000.
Yes, a clogged catalytic converter can cause a flashing check engine light. It increases the number of harmful gases in the emitting gases. As a result, the check engine can be turned on when the catalytic converter gets clogged.
