2020 Subaru Legacy Check Engine Light

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2020 Subaru Legacy will ordinarily 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 quickly turn itself off. Likewise, if your catalytic converter is working correctly, and you did a lot 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 2020 Subaru Legacy 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 Larry H. Miller Subaru Boise so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

Is it safe to drive your 2020 Subaru Legacy with the check engine light on?

If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is advised to service your Subaru Legacy expeditiously. This question is not very simple 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 secure to drive. This is ordinarily indicated by a steady 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 serious problem. Call the experts at Larry H. Miller Subaru Boise by dialing 2089952310 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2020 Subaru to our certified mechanics as soon as likely.

2020 Subaru Legacy Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your 2020 Subaru Legacy starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention instantly and your Subaru should be brought in expeditiously. A flashing light signifies that the problem is very serious and if not taken care of instantly may result in significant and serious damage to the vehicle. This blinking light normally indicates a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can swiftly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an costly and considerable repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can exactly be the cause. A faulty, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is invariably flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Larry H. Miller Subaru Boise swiftly by calling 2089952310. If the problem is completely 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 pricey repair.

Check Engine Light Service 2020 Subaru Legacy

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Subaru Legacy and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Subaru owners, your heart sinks extremely because you may have precisely idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the cost of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep, tranquil 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 2020 Subaru Legacy checked promptly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing extensive, extensive damage to costly engine parts.

When your 2020 Subaru Legacy's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t right, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is usually 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 can promptly identify 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 Subaru auto repair mechanics at Larry H. Miller Subaru Boise. There are also a number of comparatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you pick that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced professional to determine the exactly right issue and repair it.

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

Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is usually difficult to predict how multiple miles you can be safe in driving with the warning light on. If you check engine light is flashing, we advise that you pull over and contact Larry H. Miller Subaru Boise to help determine if your car is safe to drive in or if we advise a tow truck. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2020 Subaru Legacy?

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 still be a warning of a significant problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and costly repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady and continuous glow ordinarily means something less serious but a flashing check engine light signifies that your vehicle’s engine is in significant trouble and helpful service is needed quickly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2020 Subaru Legacy, we very endorse not to drive the car and schedule Subaru service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

• One of the most typical and frequent cause is that your 2020 Subaru Legacy gas cap is loose, broken or missing. The gas cap for your 2020 Subaru Legacy serves various purposes. It prevents unpredictable gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps cultivate pressure within the fuel tank. What results if you have a faulty 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 and be more costly. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't expensive. If your check engine light turns on expeditiously after you put gas in your 2020 Subaru Legacy, 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.
• Your 2020 Subaru Legacy has a vacuum leak. Every Subaru Legacy has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower unhealthy 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, particularly if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns more instantly and your car will be less efficient when it comes to fuel economy. So what results if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A faulty sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause serious damage to your catalytic converter and your 2020 Subaru Legacy's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the definitely correct mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A faulty O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your 2020 Subaru Legacy if it’s not installed perfectly. These aftermarket components and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the car from starting. If these issues sound familiar, bring your Legacy to Subaru and have our team of skilled certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed properly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, particularly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM components first place might cost a little bit more but could help you save substantially from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2020 Subaru Legacy is every vital. Without a car battery, your car won’t start, light up the road in front, 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 Subaru you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Subaru Legacy is what determines how much fuel is needed to run your engine efficiently by measuring the amount of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to certain changes, like altitude. If your Subaru Legacy is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden quick change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a critical sign of a faulty mass airflow sensor.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2020 Subaru Legacy’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A broken catalytic converter is normally caused by repeatedly neglected maintenance, which is why Larry H. Miller Subaru Boise offers a free multi-point examination with every Subaru service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2020 Subaru Legacy 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 other dangerous problems from overheating.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your 2020 Subaru Legacy. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your car. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run smooth. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or old, you will undergo a evident poor performance and decreased 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, leading to more expensive repairs.

2020 Subaru Legacy Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, especially to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminate, 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, still known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Legacy. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can accurately represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you helpful knowledge about your vehicle and will still allow that essential Check Engine Light to do what it is absolutely supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, clear and useful vehicle symptoms do not constantly accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of likely OBD codes, there are still hundreds of likely reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is vital for someone who does not have a lot of predominant automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out immediately by a adept certified Subaru mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your vehicle further by not repairing the issue right away. Call Larry H. Miller Subaru Boise at 2089952310 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!

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 good news, Larry H. Miller Subaru Boise offers completely free multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to support determine the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not perfectly tightened to a more serious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it good to get the proper code reading and diagnosis.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most frequently misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2020 Subaru Legacy is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the important onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a variety of different 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 car. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored car performance since the 80s and do a variety of things for your 2020 Subaru Legacy. Some of these essential duties include controlling engine speed, ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a wide range of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as dangerous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2020 Subaru Legacy, contact Larry H. Miller Subaru Boise. Our Subaru service department can support you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing. Contact Larry H. Miller Subaru Boise today!

2020 Subaru Legacy Check Engine Light Flashing

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

Every 2020 Subaru Legacy was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the car on its crucial systems. The speedy sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending important data to the electronic control unit. If the electronic control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light illuminates telling you that there is a problem. Nevertheless, unfortunately that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what specifically is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Larry H. Miller Subaru Boise provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Extremely Certified Service professional.