Sometimes it’s easy to forget that today’s vehicles are basically giant computers on wheels. And with all that impressive and advanced circuitry, the days of popping open the hood and knowing exactly what to tweak to tune things up are long, long gone. In fact, when it comes to auto body repair, repairing sensor systems is critical and very specialized. This especially true when it comes to all the new self-guidance, blind spot, and lane departure systems. We take extra care making sure those are working, while other body shops overlook those. But…we digress…..with the number of sensors that can go off at any given time, it can get kind of confusing when one (or a few) go off on your dashboard. Making sure to keep an eye out for those sensors and knowing what to do when one goes off is an important part of owning and operating a vehicle, but no one said you had to guess at it alone. Here are some things to know before the lights go off.
What Those Sensors Are For
The sensors in your vehicle are there to let you know that something’s up. Though the issue typically isn’t dire unless paired with other symptoms, it is an indicator that you should get your vehicle checked out as soon as possible. The reason behind a particular sensor going off can mean a wide range of things, but when a light pops on, it shouldn’t be ignored. Even if it’s nothing at all and the sensor itself malfunctioned, that’s better to know than assuming that’s the case and doing serious damage to your car in the long run.
How to Know What They Mean
We know this is every car owner’s least favorite sentence but: consult the owner’s manual. It’s the best place to start, and going there can help you start to unravel the mystery of what’s going on with your vehicle. The information you find there will give you a foundation to build upon, and help inform the conversations you have with your repair shop when you bring your vehicle in for a checkup.
Remain Calm
The sudden appearance of a check engine light can be very disconcerting, especially if you’re in the middle of a long trip or simply weren’t anticipating it at all. Really, the sudden appearance of any unexpected sensor light on your dashboard can be a bit of a shock, and googling it can lead o some pretty terrifying results sometimes. However, it’s our motto to remain calm and call your trusted auto body shop. Panicking won’t make the light go away, nor will it solve the problem. Instead, keep your cool and get to an auto body shop to get to the bottom of it.
It can be concerning when the sensors in your car go off, but the important thing is to know what they may mean and be informed when you take your vehicle in. Once you’re with a mechanic, you can work together to determine what’s going on and what needs to be done about it. Most auto repair shops will provide you with a range of options to choose from so you can decide on what fits your budget and situation best.
