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Automotive vocabulary · Diagnostics, Service and Repair

Check engine light

Meaning in automotive, with examples

nounCore term

In automotive, check engine light means: The amber engine-shaped warning light on the dashboard that comes on when the engine or emission control system detects a fault and stores a code.

In Turkish: motor arıza lambası, motor arıza ışığı, check engine lambası

How it is used

Customers say the check engine light is on or came on. The official name is MIL (malfunction indicator lamp). A steady light means a fault should be checked soon; a flashing light usually means a serious misfire that can damage the catalytic converter.

Example sentences

  1. The check engine light came on yesterday, and the car feels down on power.

  2. If the check engine light is flashing, slow down and have the car checked as soon as possible.

Common collocations

  • check engine light comes on
  • flashing check engine light
  • MIL
  • clear the light
  • diagnostic trouble codeA standard code stored by a control unit when it detects a fault, such as P0300. The first letter shows the system: P for powertrain, B for body, C for chassis and U for network.
  • OBD-IIShort for On-Board Diagnostics, second generation: a standard self-diagnosis system with a 16-pin connector that lets any scan tool read emission-related fault codes and live data.
  • misfireA failure of the fuel and air in one or more cylinders to burn properly. The engine shakes, runs rough and loses power, and unburned fuel can overheat the catalytic converter.
  • scan toolA handheld device or laptop software that connects to the vehicle's diagnostic port to read and clear fault codes, view live data and run tests on control units.

More terms: Diagnostics, Service and Repair

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