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

The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is usually between $88 and $111. The good news, Bill Estes Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM offers entirely free multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help determine the cause of your check engine light. 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.

Check Engine Light Service 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van

What do you do when you’re driving along in your RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most RAM owners, your heart sinks exceptionally 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, calm 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 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van checked immediately. Ignoring that warning could end up causing considerable, huge damage to pricey engine parts.

When your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van'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 usually 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 promptly 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 RAM auto repair mechanics at Bill Estes Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you select 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 correct issue and repair it.

Is it safe to drive your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van 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 safe 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 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van quickly. Call the experts at Bill Estes Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM by dialing 3178540239 so you can describe the issues. Or decrease your speed and bring your 2021 RAM to our certified mechanics as soon as imaginable.

2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, especially 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 ProMaster 2500 Window Van. 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 helpful knowledge about your car and will also allow that vital Check Engine Light to do what it is genuinely supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, clear and useful car symptoms do not consistently accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of conceivable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of conceivable reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is vital for someone who does not have a lot of prevailing automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Bill Estes Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM at 3178540239 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your vehicle further by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out rapidly by a skillful certified RAM mechanic.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most generally misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van 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 car. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored car performance since the 80s and do a variety of things for your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van. Some of these essential duties include controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as perilous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van, contact Bill Estes Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM. Our RAM 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 Bill Estes Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM today!

2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van 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 usually common reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen sensor, damaged emissions control part, damaged head gasket, dirty mass airflow sensor, or damaged spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the RAM Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and totally repair it as needed to restore factory specifications. When this hits, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your RAM issue was entirely fixed.

Every 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van 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 quick sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending vital 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. Nonetheless, unfortunately that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what definitely is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Bill Estes Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Very Knowledgeable Service professional.

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

Since any check engine code has its own level of severity, it is usually difficult to predict how numerous miles you can be secure in driving with the warning light on. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. If you check engine light is flashing, we advise that you pull over and contact Bill Estes Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM to help determine if your vehicle is secure to drive in or if we advise a tow truck.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van will normally 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 immediately turn itself off. Likewise, if your catalytic converter is working perfectly, 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 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van 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 Bill Estes Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van?

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 still be a warning of an essential 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 typically means something less serious but a flashing check engine light signifies that your vehicle’s engine is in meaningful trouble and useful service is needed promptly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van, we extremely advise not to drive the car and schedule RAM service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • One of the most common and frequent cause is that your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van serves numerous purposes. It prevents hazardous gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. What occurs 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 pricey. If your check engine light turns on quickly after you put gas in your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van, 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 catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is ordinarily caused by regularly neglected maintenance, which is why Bill Estes Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with each RAM service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van 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 other delicate problems from overheating.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van if it’s not installed correctly. These aftermarket parts 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 ProMaster 2500 Window Van to RAM and have our team of skilled certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or utilizing OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could help you save considerably from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van is each vital. Without a car battery, your car won’t start, light up the road in front, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s car 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 RAM you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
  • 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 occurs 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 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the absolutely appropriate mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A defective O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
  • Your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van has a vacuum leak. Each RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van 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, especially if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van. 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 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 endure a conspicuous 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 obstructed catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, leading to more pricey repairs.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van is what determines how much fuel is needed 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 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden quick change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a critical sign of a defective mass airflow sensor.

2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your 2021 RAM ProMaster 2500 Window Van starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention instantly and your RAM should be brought in swiftly. A flashing light reveals that the problem is very serious and if not taken care of instantly may result in major and meaningful damage to the vehicle. This blinking light usually reveals a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can rapidly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an costly and huge repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can definitely be the cause. A faulty, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is completely 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 costly repair. If your check engine light is repeatedly flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Bill Estes Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM instantly by calling 3178540239.