May 13, 2022 – It’s important to know what the dashboard light is actually telling you. In some vehicles, there are separate warning lights labeled Service Engine or Maintenance Due, versus a more traditional Check Engine light.
You can find out what’s ailing your engine through the vehicle’s OBD-II port. If your main reason for buying an inexpensive scanner is to reset the check-engine light, know this: clearing the code and turning the light off doesn’t mean your issue has gone away.
Some check-engine light warnings are temporary—like loose fuel-filler cap or a rare engine misfire. It’s possible that the warning light won’t come back on after you clear the code. If the light does come on again soon, you have an issue that needs to be addressed. Failure to do so could cost you a lot more later.
