If you have owned a car for an extended period of time you know sooner or later your check engine light, which is also known as the malfunction indicator light will come on. Whether the time is convenient or not is beside the point. What you should know is that a check engine light is not something to be ignored. Performing basic maintenance on your car not only will extend the life of your car, but will also maintain its value if you should decide to sell it in the future. So, if this light goes off make sure you get it taken care of by your mechanic as soon as possible. A red check engine light, or a blinking check engine light may indicate a very serious problem, so pull over immediately and call for assistance.

One reason your check engine light might go off is because you have a loose or missing cap. More than likely in this situation it is loose, because you would have noticed by now that your gas cap has disappeared. If this is the reason the check engine light is going off your mechanic will tighten your gas cap for you or replace it if it does happen to be missing. One way you can prevent this from occurring is to always remember to tighten your gas cap yourself after you pump your gas. Always do a double check that your gas cap is not on top of your car before you drive away from the gas station.

Another reason your check engine light might have gone off is because is that you have a faulty oxygen sensor. The oxygen sensor tells your car how much gasoline is in the tank, and if it is not working properly your gas mileage could very well drop. Make sure you get this replaced.

One other reason the light may have gone off is because your mass air flow sensor is malfunctioning. Its job is to measure how much air is going to the engine. This in turn will tell how much fuel you car will need. Your car may lose power if this is not operating properly so take care not to ignore this problem, and get it fixed as soon as you can.

You may also find out that the reason the light went off is because your catalytic converter is not working. Its job is to take carbon monoxide out of your exhaust. So, when this is broken it is not only bad for your car, but also the environment as well. This is also something you will need to replace if you want your car to run properly.

Other reasons the light may go off is because a bad tank of gas, or filling the gas up when the car is running. Be sure to avoid doing that.

You may also have forgotten to tighten the dipstick when you were checking your oil. Be sure to tighten it next time instead of having to have your mechanic do it for you. Be sure to have this taken care of.