Why Is My Hyundai Check Engine Light On?

It’s not always evident why your car’s check engine light is on. Sometimes, this elusive light illuminates when minor issues crop up like a faulty or loose gas cap. Other times, the check engine light can turn on for much more serious reasons, like a head gasket that’s on the fritz. Most often, the Hyundai check engine light illuminates due to an issue occurring with the vehicle’s engine or emissions system. Read on or contact us at the Morrie's 394 Hyundai service center to learn more. Otherwise, schedule service online now.

How to Fix a Hyundai Check Engine Light

Whether it’s your Hyundai Elantra check engine light that’s illuminating or Hyundai Sonata check engine light, typically, you can reset this light on your own with a code reader *if* you know that the reason the light is coming on is 100% minor. Otherwise, it’s best to take your vehicle to our service center for diagnostics. Here are some more tips on fixing a check engine light:

• Understand why your check engine light is coming on. This is essential. You can refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual for further assistance with this task. If you don’t feel up to troubleshooting on your own, then scheduling service ASAP is strongly encouraged.
• Your Hyundai dashboard lights have a color code to them. Yellow lights mean that there’s a problem you should investigate soon, whereas a red check engine light will come on when an important component has malfunctioned and you need to stop driving immediately.
• If your vehicle’s check engine light is on in Minneapolis, make sure you look for signs of low oil pressure or vehicle overheating. In the event of a more serious issue, it’s best to stop driving as soon as you safely can. 
• Remember, the expert technicians at Morrie's 394 Hyundai will be able to read your engine’s code, diagnose the problem, and fix it in no time. We’re the best place to go if this issue pops up.

What Triggers The Check Engine Light?

The check engine light in your Hyundai’s dash acts almost like a “catch-all” light for a wide variety of different vehicle maintenance issues. It can indicate a many different things, such as the following:

• Loose Gas Cap: The easiest issue related to your Hyundai Sonata check engine light or Elantra check engine light is an unsecured gas cap or cap with a worn-out seal. If your check engine light is on, it’s definitely worth checking this!
• Oxygen Sensor: The oxygen sensor in a car is used to detect how much oxygen is in the exhaust to measure how much fuel is being used. A faulty O2 sensor can trigger your Hyundai CEL.
• Mass Airflow Sensor: The Mass Airflow Sensor (also known as the MAF), measures how much air is flowing through the engine so the correct amount of fuel can be added to the mixture. If your MAF is malfunctioning, your check engine light will illuminate. Sometimes changing your engine air filter can stop the MAF from triggering the CEL.
• Catalytic Converter: The catalytic converter converts carbon monoxide into safer compounds in order to create less pollution. Replacing this could remedy the issue.

Trust Morrie's 394 Hyundai for All Your Car Service Needs!

If your vehicle has broken down on the side of the road in Richfield or Minnetonka, call Hyundai Roadside Assistance to get your vehicle started or towed to the nearest Hyundai service center. In the meantime, if you’re looking for help with vehicle diagnostics or dash light diagnostics, or more detailed information about your Hyundai check engine light, check out our service and parts tips. Want to save more on your next repair in St. Louis Park? Check out our service specials.