Please wait while the page loads...

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most generally misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few distinctive 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 variety of things for your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350. Some of these include controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can suggest a variety of different things. It can be as pure as your gas cap being loose or as unhealthy as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350, contact Plaza Motor Company. Our Mercedes-Benz service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is shining. Contact Plaza Motor Company today!

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 will frequently shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. 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 copious 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 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 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 Plaza Motor Company so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

Check Engine Light Service 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Mercedes-Benz E350 and suddenly, a yellow light lights up on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Mercedes-Benz owners, your heart sinks a slight because you have slight 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 mean 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 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 checked as soon as feasible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major damage to expensive engine components.

When your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t polite, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is typically 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 electronic scan tool that is used by our Mercedes-Benz auto repair mechanics at Plaza Motor Company. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you select that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced mechanical to select the issue and repair it.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a contentious problem that could cause contentious 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 consistent glow typically means something fewer contentious but a flashing check engine light implies that your vehicle’s engine is in contentious trouble and service is needed shortly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350, we highly endorse not to drive the vehicle and schedule Mercedes-Benz service today. Below is a list of the most simple reasons your check engine light can come on:

  • New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are imperative for your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel range in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run. The spark plug wires bring the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad 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, extensive to more lavish repairs.
  • Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Mercedes-Benz E350 is what determines how much fuel is imperative to run your engine efficiently by measuring the fee of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to affectionate changes, like altitude. If your Mercedes-Benz E350 is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a hasty change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
  • The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 is every imposing. Without a vehicle battery, your vehicle won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s vehicle batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Mercedes-Benz you travel to work, but check our present service coupons and specials.
  • Your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 has a vacuum leak. Every Mercedes-Benz E350 has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower serious 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 extraordinary heat or extreme bitter.
  • Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350’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 Plaza Motor Company offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Mercedes-Benz service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your vehicle may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause added problems from overheating.
  • Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the fee of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less competent 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 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to prefer the right range of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A bad O2 sensor can also cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.
  • One of the most acceptable and frequent cause is that your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 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 bad 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 lavish. If your check engine light turns on immediately after you put gas in your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350, first thing you should check is to make sure the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
  • Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or added item can wreak havoc on your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 if it’s not installed appropriately. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even avert the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound affectionate, bring your E350 to Mercedes-Benz and have our company of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.

2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Mercedes-Benz should be brought in now. A flashing light indicates that the problem is hazardous and if not taken care of now may result in huge damage to the vehicle. This blinking light ordinarily indicates a strict engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be ditched into the exhaust system. There it can abruptly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is conceivable, requiring an expensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can precisely be the cause. A bad, former or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is twinkling, please contact our team of automotive specialists at Plaza Motor Company immediately by calling 3145825294. 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 particularly expensive repair.

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

The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is typically between $88 and $111. The humane news, Plaza Motor Company offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help indicate the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not properly tightened to a more unsafe failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it humane to get the amiable code reading and diagnosis.

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

If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Plaza Motor Company to help indicate if your vehicle is protected to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy properly. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is troublesome to predict how copious miles you can drive with the warning light on.

2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 Check Engine Light Flashing

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

Every 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its main systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control unit. If the electronic control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light flashes 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 awry nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Plaza Motor Company provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Highly Qualified Service high-tech.

Is it safe to drive your 2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 with the check engine light on?

If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a risky issue and it is recommended to service your Mercedes-Benz E350 quickly. This question is not greatly real because it all 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 regularly indicated by a dependable glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the vehicle, it could be an indication of a more precarious problem. Call the veterans at Plaza Motor Company by dialing 3145825294 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2021 Mercedes-Benz to our certified mechanics as soon as attainable.

2021 Mercedes-Benz E350 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 right 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 traditional as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your E350. There are hundreds of chance codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling logical diagnostics will give you comfortable knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, conspicuous and accessible vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of accessible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of accessible reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is compelling for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out hastily by a certified Mercedes-Benz mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a perilous concern, you risk damaging your vehicle further by not repairing the issue right away. Call Plaza Motor Company at 3145825294 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!