Oh No, the Car's "Check Engine" Light is On. Shade Tree Garage Tells Why It Comes on and What to Do.

One of the most misunderstood of an automobile's dashboard warning lights is the "Check Engine" Light. Shade Tree Garage helps car owner's understand what this light means and what needs to be done.

Morristown, NJ, August 07, 2010 --(PR.com)-- You’re driving along in your car or truck and suddenly a yellow “Check Engine” or “Service Engine Soon” light illuminates on the dashboard. Most car owners have little idea what this light is telling them and often don’t know what they should do. Shade Tree Garage is a local independent automotive repair shop and is considered a trusted resource when it comes to issues with cars. To help car owners, their Service Advisor, Dan O'Connor provides valuable information on why this light comes on and what you should do about it.

What does the light mean?

“While the ‘Check Engine’ or ‘Service Engine Soon’ light doesn’t mean you have an immediate problem, it does indicate a situation that needs to be checked as soon as possible,” states Dan O’Connor, Service Advisor at Shade Tree Garage. Here’s a simple rule of thumb. Think of your car’s dashboard lights like “stop” lights. If the light is “red,” you should pull over to the side of the road immediately and call a tow truck. If “yellow,” you should take precautions and schedule service for your vehicle as soon as possible.

The “Check Engine” or “Service Engine Soon” light is primarily an emissions monitor and is part of your vehicle’s Onboard Diagnostics (OBD) system. The OBD system is constantly monitoring vehicle performance and regulates engine speed, the fuel mixture, and ignition timing. According to O’Connor, “Think of this lamp as if it were the glowing tip of a cigarette. Your car is polluting, but it is also performing below its design potential.”

What should you do?

“The best thing about the ‘Check Engine’ light is that it often detects little problems before they become big, expensive problems. Not every problem gives you obvious indications like hard starting, rough running, or stalling,” states O’Connor. “That’s why we recommend scheduling service with a reputable automotive repair facility like the trusted experts at Shade Tree Garage. A good repair facility will have the proper scan tools to read the codes from your car’s OBD system and they’ll also have the Master Technicians to diagnose and correct the problem.”

One final reminder

You may have heard about Governor Christie eliminating the safety inspections for automobiles. While this is true for the safety inspections, and will be forthcoming in the very near future, emissions inspections are still required every other year. Shade Tree Garage is a State-Certified Emissions Repair Facility. Not only can they test your car’s emissions, they’re expert technicians can complete any repair work to bring your vehicle’s emissions into compliance with State standards.

Shade Tree Garage is a trusted independent automotive repair shop located in Morristown, New Jersey. They work hard to accomplish their mission: “To give you peace of mind about the safety and reliability of your car.” They are located at 171 Washington Street, just past Mills and next to Golden Cleaners. For more information, visit their web site at www.shadetreegarage.com.

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Contact
Shade Tree Garage
John O'Connor
973-540-9880
www.shadetreegarage.com
171 Washington Street
Morristown, NJ 07960
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