Check Engine Light Diagnostics in Orem, UT, Found Before We Quote

When you need check engine light diagnostics

A solid light means the car's computer found a problem. It's usually safe to drive for a short time, but get it checked soon. A flashing light is different. It usually means the engine is misfiring. Unburned fuel can overheat and ruin the catalytic converter, which is a costly part. If the light is flashing, slow down and stop driving as soon as you safely can.

Have it checked soon if you notice:

• A solid check engine light that stays on
• A flashing light, or the car shaking or running rough
• Worse gas mileage than usual
• A fuel smell, or the car hesitates when you step on the gas
• The light came on right after you got gas

Our check engine light diagnostics process

First, the easy one. A loose or worn gas cap can turn the light on. Tighten it until it clicks. The light may go off on its own after a few days of driving.

If it stays on, we read the codes. But a code points to a system, not a part. A code for a lean engine could be a vacuum leak, a dirty sensor, a weak fuel pump, or a cracked hose. That's why a free code read at a parts store isn't a diagnosis. It tells you where to look. It doesn't tell you what failed.

So we go further. We road test the car with live data, look it over, and run tests on the system the code points to. The ones we run most are a smoke test for boost and vacuum leaks, a compression test, and a leak-down test. Some problems only show up under load. For those, we can put the car on our dyno and hold it at full speed and load, safely, while we watch and listen to the engine. If the cause is inside the engine, we can handle the engine repair too.

Problems that come and go are the hardest. If there's no code and we can't make it happen, there's nothing to test yet. We'll tell you that plainly, and it can take more time to catch.

Check engine light diagnostics cost in Orem

Our diagnostic is $175. It covers the time it takes to find the real cause. Whether it goes toward the repair depends on the job, and we'll tell you up front. Some problems show up in minutes. Others come and go, and take more testing to catch. The repair price depends on what we find. You get the diagnosis and the repair price in writing before we fix anything.

Check engine lights and Utah County emissions

Utah County requires emissions testing on most vehicles. If the check engine light is on, the car will fail. Clearing the code right before the test won't help either. The car's self tests need time and driving to reset, and the test checks for that.

The right fix is to find and repair the cause, then drive the car so it's ready for the test. We'll tell you how long to drive before you go. We don't do emissions testing at the shop, so you'll take it to a testing station after the fix.

The cause first, then the part

We find the cause before we sell you a part. That saves money when the answer is a hose, not a sensor. We tune engines for a living, so we can tell how they're supposed to run. And we've fixed cars on Center Street since 1999, for Orem drivers.