2014 Toyota Tacoma Check Engine Light

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most commonly misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2014 Toyota Tacoma is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in innumerable contrasting 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 range of things for your 2014 Toyota Tacoma. Some of these include ignition timing, controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of contrasting things. It can be as authentic as your gas cap being loose or as draconian as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2014 Toyota Tacoma, contact Nalley Toyota Union City. Contact Nalley Toyota Union City today! Our Toyota service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or observe why your check engine light is flashing.

2014 Toyota Tacoma 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 colossal accepted causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Back-up accepted reasons for a Check Engine Light are a malfunction with the fuel injection system, damaged oxygen sensor, faulty head gasket, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty emissions control part, or defective spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Toyota Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as essential to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Toyota issue was fixed.

Every 2014 Toyota Tacoma was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its normal systems. The sensors are frequently 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 illuminates 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 incorrect nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Nalley Toyota Union City provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Immensely Qualified Service experienced.

2014 Toyota Tacoma Check Engine Light

A flashing light expresses that the problem is relentless and if not taken care of at this moment may result in leading damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2014 Toyota Tacoma starts flashing, that means that the problem needs prompt attention and your Toyota should be brought in at this moment. This blinking light usually indicates a relentless engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can quickly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an pricey repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can altogether be the cause. A bad, classical or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If the problem is ignored or you continue to travel to work, 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 flashing, please contact our department of automotive mentors at Nalley Toyota Union City promptly by calling 7702848361.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2014 Toyota Tacoma?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as consistent as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a hazardous problem that could cause hazardous damage to your engine and come with a extraordinary repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow continually means something fewer hazardous but a flashing check engine light hints that your vehicle’s engine is in hazardous trouble and service is needed immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2014 Toyota Tacoma, we extraordinarily designate not to drive the vehicle and schedule Toyota service today. Below is a list of the most daily reasons your check engine light can come on:

• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2014 Toyota Tacoma is every imperative. 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 absolutely require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Toyota you drive, but check our extant service coupons and specials.
• Your catalytic converter is detrimental or going detrimental. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2014 Toyota Tacoma’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 Nalley Toyota Union City offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Toyota service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2014 Toyota Tacoma 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 back-up problems from overheating.
• Your 2014 Toyota Tacoma has a vacuum leak. Every Toyota Tacoma has a vacuum system that performs a wide mixture 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, particularly if they’re exposed to astonishing heat or extreme chilly.
• 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 faster and your car will be less accessible 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 2014 Toyota Tacoma's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the right assortment of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A detrimental O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are decisive for your 2014 Toyota Tacoma. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel assortment in the combustion chamber of your car. 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 detrimental or popular, 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 lavish repairs.
• One of the most regular and countless cause is that your 2014 Toyota Tacoma gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2014 Toyota Tacoma 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 detrimental fuel cap? If your gas cap is popular 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 2014 Toyota Tacoma, first thing you should check is to make hopeful 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 Toyota Tacoma is what determines how much fuel is decisive 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 Toyota Tacoma is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a brisk change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a detrimental mass airflow sensor.
• Issues with all aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or back-up item can wreak havoc on your 2014 Toyota Tacoma if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can discharge the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even impede the car from starting. If these issues sound cognizant, bring your Tacoma to Toyota and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed perfectly and aren't causing all issue. Getting accessories, particularly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a miniature bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.

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 well tightened to a more perilous failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it marvelous to get the coherent code reading and diagnosis. The central cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is typically between $88 and $111. The marvelous news, Nalley Toyota Union City offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help mean the cause of your check engine light.

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 Nalley Toyota Union City to help determine if your vehicle is safe 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 interchanged. 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.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2014 Toyota Tacoma will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is serviced. 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 accessible, 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 2014 Toyota Tacoma 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 Nalley Toyota Union City so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

Check Engine Light Service 2014 Toyota Tacoma

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Toyota Tacoma and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Toyota owners, your heart sinks a little because you have little idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the estimate 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 2014 Toyota Tacoma checked as soon as possible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing necessary damage to expensive engine components.

When your 2014 Toyota Tacoma's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t fair, 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 electronic audit tool that is used by our Toyota auto repair mechanics at Nalley Toyota Union City. There are also a number of rather inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you choose that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an skilled experienced to mean the issue and repair it.

Is it safe to drive your 2014 Toyota Tacoma with the check engine light on?

This question is not very easy 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 often indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the automobile, it could be an indication of a more effective problem. If the check engine light is blinking, this means that there is a effective issue and it is recommended to service your Toyota Tacoma expeditiously. Call the experts at Nalley Toyota Union City by dialing 7702848361 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2014 Toyota to our certified mechanics as soon as probable.

2014 Toyota Tacoma Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard expeditiously 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 normal as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Tacoma. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling important diagnostics will give you positive knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is genuinely supposed to do: be your guide. Regrettably, distinguishable and steady vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of conceivable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of conceivable reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is towering for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a relentless concern, you risk harmful your car further by not repairing the issue right away. Call Nalley Toyota Union City at 7702848361 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out expeditiously by a certified Toyota technician.