HOW LONG WOULD YOU LEAVE A ‘CHECK ENGINE’ LIGHT?

A third of British drivers think nothing of waiting up to two or more weeks before investigating a ‘check engine warning’ light on the dashboard, according to a recent survey.

The check engine indicator warns of faults picked up by a car’s engine management system and can be caused by anything from minor problems, such as a dodgy sensor or loose petrol cap – to more serious issues which could damage expensive-to-replace car components.

Often a check engine light is accompanied by a perceived loss of power – this could be the car entering safe or ‘limp’ mode, when the car’s ECU prevents further damage to the engine by limiting speed and performance.

When the check engine light comes on, the car’s processor stores a fault code to allow mechanics to diagnose quickly any issues with the car.

The survey of 2,000 drivers, conducted by Opinium on behalf of online car repair marketplace Clickmechanic, revealed that younger drivers were least likely to take immediate action, while 83 per cent of drivers aged over 55 will take immediate action.

In total, 29 per cent would be happy to wait weeks before checking, while four per cent said they would completely ignore the light until they noticed an effect on the performance of the car.

Location wise, with 77 per cent, Cardiff, Sheffield and Leeds all join to take the top spot for having the highest percentage of drivers which will immediately address an engine light.

Whereas Norwich ranks as the worst with only 59 per cent of drivers taking prompt action. Belfast, on the other hand, has the highest percentage of drivers ignoring the light completely with a total of 10 per cent of motorists admitting to this.

Andrew Jervis, Co-founder of Clickmechanic, said: “The check engine light is designed to alert the driver to what could be a serious problem with the engine and, as such, it should always be dealt with immediately. The longer the driver waits to investigate, the more likely the problem will affect the car itself.”

Even if your check engine light is on, your vehicle should be safe to drive provided there are no other issues with the engine. However, the longer you do so, the more chance you run of causing serious – possibly irreparable – damage to your car.

A flashing check engine light generally indicates a more serious fault than a solid light.

The AA advise the following if your car displays a flashing check engine light: n Slow down until the light stops flashing n If the light won’t stop flashing, stop in a safe place and turn off the engine n Contact your roadside assistance provider or a mechanic as soon as possible.