Watching Your Check Engine Light
March 12, 2020
Did you know that most of the cars driving around Brighton, Michigan, carry more computer power than the Apollo 121 Lunar Module that landed on the moon in 1969?
New cars sold in the Brighton area have as many as 12 networked computers and over five miles (eight kilometers) of wiring. In fact, for the last decade or so, auto computers have been controlling about 85 percent of your vehicle's functions.
Cars have sensors for manifold air temperature, coolant temperature, manifold air pressure, airflow, throttle position, vehicle speed and oxygen content. All of this electronic wizardry is pretty complicated. So how do Brighton drivers know when there is a problem?
It's simple; the Check Engine light comes on. The computer monitors all the sensors and uses that information to decide what to adjust such as the fuel mix, spark timing and idle speed. In addition, the computer monitors its own circuits. When it finds a fault, it turns on the Check Engine light and stores a trouble code in the computer.
It can be pretty disturbing for Brighton drivers when the Check Engine light comes on. We wonder just how urgent it is. Generally speaking, it is not critical like a temperature or oil pressure light. When you get one of those it means STOP NOW! When the Check Engine light shows up, you should come in to Spartan Tire Brighton in Brighton to find out what the matter is as soon as possible.
Since 1996, there has been a strong emissions control component to the Check Engine diagnostic. But if your Check Engine light flashes on and off, you know that it is more urgent and you need to get it checked immediately to prevent damage. You should slow down and avoid towing or heavy loads until you can get it checked out.
Your friendly and knowledgeable technicians at Spartan Tire Brighton have special diagnostic equipment that will retrieve the trouble code from the computer and help him determine what is wrong. From there, we can fix it and get you back on the road.
Stop by if you're Check Engine light is on.
Spartan Tire Brighton
4880 Old U.S. 23
Brighton, Michigan 48114
810-355-4388
Need Service?
More articles from Spartan Tire Brighton
Your Brakes Are Telling You Something: When Rotor Replacement Makes Sense
August 23, 2026
You may not realize it, but your vehicle is communicating with you all the time. For example, your brakes talk to you through sounds, vibrations and changes in how your vehicle feels when you stop. And one of your brakes components that eventually needs attention is the brake rotor. Brake rotors... More
Why Timing Belt Maintenance Can Save Your Engine
August 16, 2026
One part of your vehicle you probably never think of is the timing belt. It coordinates the rotation of the crankshaft (which converts the up and down motion of the pistons into rotation motion) and the camshaft (which opens and closes your engines valves). Its vital that the timing of these mov... More
Timing Cover Replacement
August 9, 2026
Your engine has a lot of parts that need to work in harmony in order to keep you powering down the road. Some of those parts need to be protected in order to keep things running smoothly, and one that does the job is called a timing cover. It is in the front of your engine and shields components... More