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2012 Acura MDX Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your 2012 Acura MDX starts flashing, that means that the problem needs urgent attention and your Acura should be brought in rapidly. A flashing light indicates that the problem is threatening and if not taken care of rapidly may result in vigorous damage to the vehicle. This blinking light usually indicates a relentless engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can quickly boost the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an costly repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can actually be the cause. A precarious, common or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is ignored or you continue to drive, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a very expensive repair. If your check engine light is shining, please contact our squad of automotive experts at Coggin Acura Fort Pierce instantly by calling 7727424342.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most commonly misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2012 Acura MDX is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few disparate ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light illuminates in either an amber or red color and is part of the diagnostics system found on your vehicle. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored vehicle performance since the 80s and do a mixture of things for your 2012 Acura MDX. Some of these include ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of different things. It can be as detectable as your gas cap being loose or as serious as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2012 Acura MDX, contact Coggin Acura Fort Pierce. Contact Coggin Acura Fort Pierce today! Our Acura service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or probe why your check engine light is flashing.

2012 Acura MDX Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminates, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear polite away. If you hear the term, diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), these are just another name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, also known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your MDX. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can mean. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling main diagnostics will give you impartial knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is entirely supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, clear and main vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of likely OBD codes, there are also hundreds of likely reasons for the light, including:

  • Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
  • Bad Spark Plugs
  • Fuel and air metering systems problems
  • Emissions controls issues
  • Ignition system faults
  • O2 Sensor
  • Transmission issues
  • Old Battery
  • Computer output circuit issues

This is why it is hard for someone who does not have assorted of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a unhealthy concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue correct away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a certified Acura mechanic. Call Coggin Acura Fort Pierce at 7727424342 now or schedule your check engine light service online today!

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2012 Acura MDX?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as common as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a scrupulous problem that could cause scrupulous damage to your engine and come with a large repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow generally means something less scrupulous but a glaring check engine light suggests that your vehicle’s engine is in scrupulous trouble and service is basic swiftly. If your check engine light is glaring in your 2012 Acura MDX, we particularly endorse not to drive the vehicle and schedule Acura service quickly. Below is a list of the most cognizant reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, famous as the O2 sensor, measures the sum of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less attentive when it comes to fuel economy. So what happens if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A faulty sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause damage to your catalytic converter and your 2012 Acura MDX's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to select the honorable collection of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A harmful O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
  • One of the most classic and plentiful cause is that your 2012 Acura MDX gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2012 Acura MDX serves multiple purposes. It prevents gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. What happens if you have a harmful fuel cap? If your gas cap is old or has a ruptured seal, you can lose fuel through evaporation which will result in more trips to the pump. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't expensive. If your check engine light turns on instantly after you put gas in your 2012 Acura MDX, first thing you should check is to make fearless the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Acura MDX is what determines how much fuel is fundamental to run your engine efficiently by measuring the sum of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to courageous changes, like altitude. If your Acura MDX is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a harmful mass airflow sensor.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2012 Acura MDX is every fundamental. Without a car battery, your car won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s car batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't genuinely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Acura you commute, but check our present service coupons and specials.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or alternative item can wreak havoc on your 2012 Acura MDX if it’s not installed accordingly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even stop the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound cognizant, bring your MDX to Acura and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might price a miniature bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
  • Your 2012 Acura MDX has a vacuum leak. Every Acura MDX has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower harmful emissions by routing the fumes as gasoline evaporates through the engine. If you notice that your RPM is high in idle or randomly surges, a vacuum leak could be the cause. Over time, vacuum hoses can dry out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to exciting heat or extreme bleak.
  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are fundamental for your 2012 Acura MDX. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel collection in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are harmful or old, you will experience poor performance and reduced power. In some extreme cases, your engine will have trouble starting or continuing to run. Worn spark plugs and plug wires can cause clogged catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, finest to more expensive repairs.
  • Your catalytic converter is harmful or going harmful. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2012 Acura MDX’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is usually caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Coggin Acura Fort Pierce offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Acura service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2012 Acura MDX will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your car may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause alternative problems from overheating.

Is it safe to drive your 2012 Acura MDX with the check engine light on?

This question is not very pure because it any depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be safe to drive. This is commonly indicated by a persistent glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the car, it could be an indication of a more harsh problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a harsh issue and it is recommended to service your Acura MDX abruptly. Call the experts at Coggin Acura Fort Pierce by dialing 7727424342 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2012 Acura to our certified mechanics as soon as efficient.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2012 Acura MDX will commonly shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is repaired. For example, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will turn itself off. Likewise, if your catalytic converter is going functional, and you did contrasting of stop-and-go driving, that may have turned on the check engine light due to the high usage of the converter. In most cases, your 2012 Acura MDX light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Coggin Acura Fort Pierce so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Coggin Acura Fort Pierce to help imply if your vehicle is able to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced.

Check Engine Light Service 2012 Acura MDX

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Acura MDX and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Acura owners, your heart sinks a tiny because you have tiny idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the value of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t suggest you have to pull the car over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your 2012 Acura MDX checked as soon as adequate. Ignoring that warning could end up causing exemplary damage to expensive engine components.

When your 2012 Acura MDX's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t creative, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is continually labeled “check engine” or “service engine soon”, or the light may be nothing more than a picture of an engine, or a picture of the engine with the word “check.”

When the light turns on, the ECM stores an engine code or “trouble code” in its memory that identifies as the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is read with an computerized observe tool that is used by our Acura auto repair mechanics at Coggin Acura Fort Pierce. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you opt for that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an trained professional to determine the issue and repair it.

How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?

The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not perfectly tightened to a more alarming failure like a detrimental catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it handy to get the natural code reading and diagnosis. The middle cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is typically between $88 and $111. The handy news, Coggin Acura Fort Pierce offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help choose the cause of your check engine light.

2012 Acura MDX Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless possible causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are plentiful visible causes including something as visible as a loose gas cap. Extra visible reasons for a Check Engine Light are dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty head gasket, damaged oxygen sensor, faulty emissions control part, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, or defective spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Acura Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as basic to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Acura issue was fixed.

Every 2012 Acura MDX was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its crucial systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control company. If the electronic control company detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light brightens telling you that there is a problem. However, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what exactly is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Coggin Acura Fort Pierce provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Exceptionally Qualified Service technical.