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Nothing will sour your day quite the same as when your ‘Check Engine’ light comes on. Is it something minor? Will you be needing some expensive repairs? Probably the most common question after those is simple, “What should I do next?”
When the Check Engine light comes on you should definitely get your Mercedes into the shop, but the good news is that it’s not always going to be something awful – Especially if you’ve been getting your recommended maintenance done like clockwork..
Today we’ll talk a little more about why the Check Engine light comes on, whether or not you can get more information when it does, and how preventative maintenance can help to keep you from seeing that light at all.
Reasons Why Your Check Engine Light Might Suddenly Come On
As it turns out, the Check Engine light in your Mercedes can come up for a number of various reasons. For instance, if your engine is stalling, then this will likely trigger the Check Engine light. It may also come up when you are having charging issues with the battery, low oil pressure, or the engine is overheating.
In fact, any one of these scenarios will result in a Check Engine light showing up:
- Damaged Oxygen Sensor
- Problems with ignition timing
- Air/Fuel ratio issues
- Catalytic converter problems
- Faulty Ignition timing
- Worn-out spark plugs
- Mass airflow sensor needs replacement
With so many different scenarios being capable of activating your Check Engine light, you might think that it’s sort of useless, but it really isn’t. You just want to get into the habit of getting your vehicle in for a checkup whenever that light makes an appearance.
It could be very minor but consider this – Your Mercedes is precision-engineered and that warning light is your first line of defense against something major that could hurt your car soon or something minor that could quickly get worse.
Of course if you want to know a little more, there IS a way to get more information and it comes in the form of an electronic tool that we’ll tell you about next.
Is There a Way to Get More Information Out of My Check Engine Light?
With so many things that can set off your Check Engine light, it’s only natural to wonder if there is some sort of way to decode it more. There is, but it’s a tool that you’ll only usually see in a service garage or at the home of a hobbyist or professional mechanic.
The tool is called an OBD II Diagnostic scanner, and when it’s plugged underneath your steering wheel then it can take the data that your Mercedes is sending and turn that ‘Check Engine’ message into a list of codes that can narrow down the issue.
These tools will also allow you to reset the check engine light and clear previous codes, so that after you’ve gotten an issue addressed you can ‘wipe the slate clean’ and use it the next time your Check Engine light comes on and all of the data listed there should be fresh.
Most people don’t have a tool like that, but the good news is that you really don’t need to. Vehicles like your Mercedes are marvels of engineering, that will definitely go that extra mile for you if you take good care of them, which brings us to our next section!
Regular Preventative Maintenance Can Help Keep That Light at Bay
While that ODB II scanner is a pretty cool tool, your best is to simply keep up with the regular preventative maintenance that your Mercedes needs. While you could go to a ‘generalist’ garage, it’s really better to go to someone who knows your Mercede’s right down to any model-specific issues – like the good folks at Houston’s own Bimmer Performance!
At Bimmer Performance we specialize in servicing European brands such as Mercedes, as well as Audi, Jaguar, MINI, Porsche, Volkswagen, and ESPECIALLY BMW.
Serving Sugar Land, Mission Bend, Cinco Ranch, Katy, 
and Houston,TX, whether you need preventative maintenance, repairs, or upgrades – we do it ALL – and we know exactly what kind of specific routine maintenance that each make and model needs.
Having an expert on your side will save you time and money, plus you won’t have to worry that unfamiliarity with your vehicle might mean a partial fix and more trouble down the line.
Give Bimmer Performance a call today and you can see for yourself the difference that certified expert mechanics who know your car can make – we promise that it will be well worth your while!