Why is My Vehicle's Check Engine Light On? | Service FAQs at Carter Subaru Ballard

When that amber check engine light illuminates in your car, don't panic! It doesn't necessarily mean your engine is about to experience a catastrophic failure. A check engine light can happen for a multitude of reasons - including something as minor as a loose gas cap. Determining what exactly causes your check engine light to come on can be tricky. That's why our service technicians are factory trained in all things Subaru while equipped with the advanced tools needed to read the codes responsible for the check engine light coming on. We can help you diagnose the problem fast, and recommend an affordable approach to any necessary repairs.

Check Engine Light and Diagnostic Trouble Codes

Your vehicle has a built-in computer that constantly monitors all the critical systems of your powertrain, exhaust, brakes and more. When the computer detects a problem it can't solve, or something else unusual, it'll illuminate the check engine light (NOTE: if your check engine light is blinking, that does indicate the potential for a severe, imminent maintenance issue. It's a good idea to get your vehicle to our service center as quickly and carefully as possible). When you take it to our service center, we'll connect to your vehicle's computer, and retrieve the diagnostic trouble code. That tells us what your vehicle thinks is wrong - but the root cause could be underlying maintenance issues upstream from the source of the check engine light. The only way to be sure is to have your vehicle evaluated by a professional. And who better than the experienced pros at Carter Subaru Ballard?