How To Reset The Service Engine Light On A 2002 Nissan Altima

You are driving on the road, and all of a sudden out of nowhere, the 'Service Engine Presently' light appears on your dashboard.

What to do at present? Will my engine become damaged if I keep driving? Should I end the car immediately and tow it to the garage? How much will information technology price to get it repaired?

These are but a few of the potential questions that may popular up inside your head.

But do not worry, the service engine soon light is not as unsafe as it seems. In this commodity, you will learn everything you accept to know well-nigh the service engine soon alert light.

Service Engine Shortly Lite Meaning

The Service engine shortly light indicates there is a small trouble with the electronics or your car'south engine. Some manufacturers use the service engine soon light instead of the check engine lite when there is just a minor problem with your car and not a severe problem.

It could also mean that it is time for a scheduled service, such as oil or spark plug replacement. Some manufacturers only have one indicator for both scheduled service and engine problems.

Mutual causes of the Service engine soon light:

There are some special situations when your service engine shortly light is more likely to come up on. This differs slightly between car manufacturers, simply these causes are often very similar between automobile models. Here are the causes of a service engine soon light:

Small engine problems like a loose fuel tank cap.
Fourth dimension for a scheduled service.
Low level of whatsoever fluids (Low oil, coolant, brake fluid, etc.)
Pocket-size frazzle emission issues

What to practice when the Service Engine Soon lite appears

When y'all are on the route and your 'Service Engine Soon' light appears, you will most likely non have any diagnostic tools with you. You can check some common things by the side of the road when the calorie-free appears, though.

Check your repair manual (if you have it with you) for what the service engine calorie-free means on your auto model.
Check all fluid levels, including the engine oil level, brake fluid level, wiper washer fluid, automatic transmission fluid (if you have a dipstick for it), and the coolant level.
Cheque to make sure your fuel tank cap is tightened properly.
Listen if you lot can hear any strange noises from the engine.
Check your service history transmission when your last scheduled service was done and check if it's time for a service. Call your authorized dealer if you accept a digital service manual or try to find some information on your dashboard menu.

If y'all can't find whatsoever problems, you accept to accept your car to a workshop to read your vehicle's problem lawmaking memory. You can also do this yourself if you have an OBD2 scanner at habitation. If yous do not accept one and want one, yous can check out our OBD2 scanner review commodity. Bank check your engine control unit for any stored trouble codes.

If you receive any codes, save them and endeavour to become information about what they mean. If in that location are codes for emission bug that are non dangerous for your engine, you can try deleting the lawmaking to see if the engine maintenance light goes out.

If the calorie-free goes out afterward you delete the codes, information technology means that one of the codes stored in the retentiveness is causing the engine maintenance light to come up on.

Service Engine Soon light in different colors

The service engine light can also occur in different colors, and you should be aware of them.

Yellow low-cal: Pocket-sized Issue: Drive to the workshop or diagnose information technology yourself as fast as possible.
Red Light: Major Issue: Stop and turn off the engine as fast equally possible and get it towed to the closest mechanic shop for an inspection.

I cleared the Service Engine Shortly low-cal, merely it came dorsum?

The engine control module performs all engine components tests at each engine ignition and after the vehicle has warmed upward. If it has failed a test several times, information technology will determine something is not as it should be. Therefore, it tin take a long time for the engine control module to detect these bug.

If the Service engine soon light appears once again it means that the trouble nevertheless occurs and you need to diagnose information technology once again.

Electrical problems are frequently detected imminently and practice not require first-upward tests to observe it. If the service engine light appears again, yous have to reread the trouble lawmaking retentiveness and try to get more information and solve the problem.

Service Engine Soon FAQ

What causes service engine soon lite to come on?

There are a lot of causes of why the service engine soon light comes on. The nigh common cause is that your car has a minor engine issue, low fluid level, a faulty calorie-free bulb, or a minor emission outcome depending on the car model.

Tin can I drive with service engine before long low-cal on?

The bug causing the service engine soon light in most cases not dangerous for your motorcar. However, information technology is adept to check all fluids to ensure the level is OK before you continue to bulldoze. We do recommend repairing it every bit soon equally possible, though.

How do I get the service engine soon light to go off?

In nearly cases, you take to repair the problem that caused the service engine light, and it will disappear by itself. If the lite shows upward because of scheduled service, you need to reset information technology with a diagnostic scanner or a item combination for your machine model.

Can low oil crusade service engine soon light?

Yeah, Low engine oil level can cause the service engine presently light to appear on your dashboard on a lot of automobile models. It tin also mean that other low fluid levels are low or other problems with the automobile. It is relatively easy to cheque the oil level, though, and then you should definitely begin with information technology.