The document provides advice on what to do when your vehicle's check engine light comes on. It recommends observing how the light is behaving - whether it is flashing or staying on - as that indicates the seriousness of the problem. It also explains that the vehicle's computer records diagnostic information when the light comes on, and that information can be accessed using an OBD2 code reader to determine the specific issue. It advises that while a mechanic has advanced diagnostic tools, getting a personal code reader allows checking the problem yourself before taking it to the shop and can save on repair costs if the issue is fixable.

1. Don’t Freak Out When Your Check Engine Light Comes On

2. We have all been there. Driving along when that dreaded light on your dashboard lights up and says " Check Engine ".

3. So what do you do?

5. I know I've been guilty of the latter.

6. What should you do?

7. After talking with my mechanic buddy I learned that when that light comes on you need to observe what the light is doing to decide what your next step should be.

9. Whenever the Check Engine light comes on the vehicle's computer will record all the sensor readings at the time of the malfunction.

10. This is known as a 'freeze frame '. This picture of the status of your engine is very valuable for figuring out what the problem is.

14. Owning your own OBDII scan tool makes sense if you want to know what the problem is before you go into the shop.

16. Think you're ready to tackle that Check Engine light and save some money with your own OBD2 scan tool?

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