“Check Engine” warning light on a dashboard.
My car’s “Check Engine” warning light flashes intermittently. It goes off when I cut the engine and restart it, but it will re-appear.
Most times, it is triggered when I accelerate with full throttle.
My car is a six-year-old family saloon with a turbocharged 2-litre 4-cylinder engine.
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS A SERIOUS WARNING
This warning, dreaded by many, indicates a variety of faults – ranging from something as simple as a worn spark plug to a serious and expensive issue such as damaged cylinder head.
However, the driver has no way to pinpoint the defect. Only service centres or workshops with the necessary computer and software are able to find the exact source of the fault message.
ONE OF THE MOST COMMON FAULTS
If the light comes on when you are accelerating with full throttle, then it is highly likely that the engine is misfiring.
“Check Engine” warnings resulting from misfires are common.
A misfire is a relatively minor issue. But if left unattended to, this engine problem can lead to degradation of performance and economy in the long run.
In fact, very often, a misfire could be caused by worn spark plugs or one or more failing ignition coil-packs. Ignition coil packs are electrical devices which supply high voltage to the spark plugs.
Both these components do have a lifespan.
Should I worry if my check-engine light stays on longer than usual?
MODIFIED COMPONENTS CAN CAUSE PROBLEMS
Although it may be rare, full throttle misfire in a turbocharged car could be caused by overboost.
This happens if you somehow manage to increase the boost pressure or if the electronic boost controller malfunctions.
Either of these should be rectified immediately. Unintended overboost is extremely detrimental to the engine.
If a workshop without the proper expertise modifies your car, you could be facing huge repair bills down the road.
