Many of us have encountered such a problem as turning on the engine icon (Check engine ...), the appearance of which scares car drivers. We offer you 5 of the most common reasons why the check engine light on the dashboard lights up.
The appearance of the engine indicator icon occurs, as a rule, without warning. The reason for the appearance of the Check engine cannot be immediately understood. Even if the car has auto diagnostics (for example, in cars such as,), which scans all car systems for errors and, if any, displays a decryption on the information panel, the reasons for the appearance of an engine check will not be deciphered.
For most drivers, the appearance of this warning icon on the instrument panel means the need to urgently go to a car repair shop to diagnose and fix the cause of the "Check Engine" warning sign. But in fact, in most cases, when the "Check" indication appears, you can, and in some cases, possibly, eliminate the cause yourself without a trip to a car service, which will save you money.
1. Replace the oxygen sensor (lambda probe)
The oxygen sensor in your car is part of the exhaust aftertreatment system that monitors how much oxygen has not been burned in the engine's combustion chamber. This sensor helps to control the fuel consumption of the car. A malfunctioning oxygen sensor (lambda probe) means that the car computer is not receiving correct data, which can significantly increase fuel consumption and reduce engine power. Most cars have 2 to 4 oxygen sensors. If you have a home automotive error scanner, then by connecting it to the car, you can easily find out which sensor needs to be replaced.
For what reason does the oxygen sensor in the car become unusable: Over time, the sensor becomes covered with a layer of used and engine oil (oil soot), which reduces the accuracy of reading the sensor readings to regulate the gasoline mixture and distribute the optimal one. A malfunction of the oxygen sensor in a car leads not only to, but also to an increased content of harmful CO2 substances in the exhaust.
What needs to be done: If you do not change a faulty car oxygen sensor, this can lead to the failure of your car's catalyst (may burst), which will result in an expensive repair. The cost of new catalysts is very high due to the content of precious alloys. On some cars, there are several catalysts, the cost of which can reach up to 90,000 rubles. So do not pull with the replacement of the sensor. Although the replacement of the sensor and its cost is not very small, but it is not commensurate with the cost of the exhaust gas converter system. You can also save on replacement costs by doing it yourself. Many car manuals have detailed instructions on how to replace the oxygen sensor yourself. If you know where the oxygen sensor is located, then it will not be difficult for you to disconnect the faulty "lambda probe" and replace it with a new one. Remember that you can’t pull with the replacement of this important element!
2. Check the fuel filler cap
Many drivers, in most cases, when the "check engine" indication appears, they will think of serious problems in the car's engine, but will not even think to check the tightness of the fuel system, which may be broken due to a defect or insufficiently tightened fuel filler cap. This is a very common reason for the "Check" engine icon to appear.
Reason for the error: Leakage of the fuel system due to the passage of air by the fuel filler cap will increase the fuel consumption of the vehicle, to which the vehicle diagnostic system will issue an engine error by turning on the “Check engine” indication on the instrument panel of the vehicle.
What needs to be done: If, when the "Check" indication appears, your car does not lose power, and there are no sound signs of engine damage (engine knocking, hum, squeaking, etc.), then first of all check the tightness of the gas tank. Your gas tank cap may be cracked or not tight enough. If the cap was not tightened enough, after tightening it all the way, continue driving the car for a while to see if the engine error disappears. To prevent the appearance of an engine check for this reason, regularly check the fuel filler cap. Remember that periodically the cover must be replaced with a new one!
3. Car exhaust catalyst
The car catalyst helps the car to make the exhaust gases of the engine more environmentally friendly. It converts carbon monoxide and other harmful substances into harmless compounds. If your exhaust gas catalyst has become unusable, you will notice this not only when the engine icon (check) appears, but long before that, when the car's power drops by 2 times. For example, when you press the gas pedal, the car, as before, will not have good acceleration dynamics.
What can cause a car catalytic converter to fail: if you regularly service your car, in accordance with the maintenance regulations of the car company, then the catalyst should not fail. The main reason for the failure of the catalyst is the untimely replacement of a faulty oxygen sensor, as well as the irregular replacement of spark plugs at the end of their expiration date. When the oxygen sensor or spark plugs fail, the conversion of carbon monoxide in the catalyst to harmless chemical elements stops, which leads to overheating of the catalyst, which can fail because of this.
What needs to be done: If your catalytic converter has become unusable, then you cannot drive a car, as the engine will not work correctly, warning about this by indicating the engine icon (check) on the dashboard. Also, you will have very much increased fuel consumption, and there will be no engine thrust. Although the replacement of the catalyst is a very expensive repair, there is nowhere to go from the repair. Although there is an alternative in replacing the catalyst with a flame arrester, but this is not a 100 percent option. Unfortunately, if you are not an experienced auto mechanic, then you cannot replace a faulty exhaust gas catalyst yourself. In any case, you will have to contact the auto repair shop. Remember that timely replacement of oxygen sensors and spark plugs protects your catalytic converter from damage!
4. Replace mass air flow sensor
The mass air flow sensor regulates how much air must be added to the gasoline mixture for optimum ignition of the fuel. The sensor constantly informs the car's computer about the amount of oxygen supplied. A defective mass air flow sensor increases fuel consumption, increases CO2 levels in the exhaust gas, and reduces engine power and ride quality. Also, with a faulty sensor, poor acceleration dynamics are observed. In cold weather, a car with a faulty sensor does not start well.
What are the reasons for the failure of the mass air flow sensor: Most sensor failures occur due to improper installation of the air filter during its scheduled replacement. Also, if the air filter is not changed regularly, as required by the vehicle maintenance schedule recommended by the manufacturer, the mass air flow sensor may fail.
What needs to be done: Theoretically, you can drive for a long time with a broken mass air flow sensor (several weeks or months). But you will notice that the longer you drive, the more fuel consumption increases. Replacing the sensor in a car service is not so expensive, since the work itself does not take much time and is quite simple. The main costs are associated with the cost of the sensor, which for some car models can be 11,000-14,000 rubles if it is an original sensor or up to 6,000 rubles if it is an analog substitute. Self-replacing the sensor is very simple. But due to the low cost of replacing the sensor, you can entrust this work to a master in a car service. Remember that it is necessary to change the air filter regularly, following the vehicle maintenance regulations!
5. Replacing spark plugs and high voltage wires
Spark plugs in a car are the main parts for igniting the fuel mixture. With faulty spark plugs, there is an incorrect spark supply to ignite the gasoline mixture. Faulty plugs often have no spark or an incorrect spark interval, resulting in improper engine operation. If the spark plugs do not work properly during acceleration, especially from a standstill, you may feel slight jolts.
What are the reasons for the failure of spark plugs: Most spark plugs in pre-1996 vehicles need to be changed every 25,000-30,000 kilometers. In newer cars, spark plugs last more than 150,000 km. However, these scheduled spark plug replacement times may be reduced due to various factors related to fuel quality and driving style.
What needs to be done: If your candles have not been changed for a long time, or if you feel ignition-related failures in the engine, then you should immediately replace them with new ones without delay. Do not try to save money on late replacement of spark plugs, as the cost of candles is not very expensive, as well as the work of replacing them. By changing old spark plugs, you will improve engine performance and reduce vehicle fuel consumption. It is quite easy to change the spark plugs yourself. Basically, they are easily accessible under the hood of the car. You need an ordinary spark plug wrench to unscrew the spark plugs from the engine. It is also advisable to monitor the condition of the high-voltage wires, as over time they can become unusable and pass electricity that is transmitted to the spark plugs, which will reduce the strength of the spark. Remember that regularly changing your spark plugs, in accordance with your vehicle's maintenance schedule, keeps your exhaust catalyst from breaking down and improves engine performance!
For the driver of Lifan X60, it is no secret that the indicator on the dashboard "Check-Engene" is a Lifan malfunction signal. In the normal state, this icon should light up when the ignition is turned on, at this moment the check of all Lifan X60 systems begins, in a working car, the indicator goes out after a few seconds.If something is wrong with the Lifan X60, then the “Check-Engene” does not go out, or it lights up again after a while. It can also blink, which clearly indicates a serious malfunction. This indicator will not tell the owner of Lifan what exactly the problem is, he draws attention to the fact that diagnostics of the Lifan X60 engine are required.
Since all foreign cars, not excluding the Lifan X60, are tightly tied to electronics, A huge number of sensors monitor the operation of the car. Therefore, the diagnosis of the Lifan X60 engine is, by and large, a check of the most important unit of the machine, with the exception of the suspension, which is checked mechanically.
There is a large number of specialized equipment for diagnosing the Lifan X60 engine. There are compact and fairly versatile scanners that not only professionals can afford. But there are cases when conventional portable scanners do not detect malfunctions in the operation of the Lifan X60 engine, then diagnostics must be carried out exclusively by licensed software and a scanner from Lifan.
Lifan diagnostic scanner shows:
- Throttle opening value in percent;
- Engine speed in rpm;
- Lifan X60 engine temperature;
- Voltage in the onboard network Lifan X60;
- The temperature of the air drawn into the engine;
- Ignition timing Lifan X60;
- Injector fuel injection time. Displayed in milliseconds;
- Indications of the air flow sensor Lifan X60;
- Indications of the Lifan X60 oxygen sensor;
1. To diagnose the Lifan X60 engine, first of all, the engine compartment is visually inspected. On a serviceable engine, there should not be any smudges of technical fluids, be it oil, coolant, brake fluid. In general, it is important to periodically clean the Lifan X60 engine from dust, sand, dirt, this is necessary not only for aesthetics, but also for normal heat dissipation!
2. Checking the level and condition of the oil in the Lifan X60 engine, the second step of testing. To do this, you need to pull out the dipstick, as well as look at the oil by unscrewing the filler cap. If the oil is black, and even worse black and thick, then this indicates that the oil has been changed for a long time.
If there is a white emulsion on the filler cap or if the oil is visible foaming, then this may indicate that water or coolant has entered the oil.
3. Checking the Lifan X60 spark plugs. Remove all spark plugs from the engine, they can be checked one by one. They must be dry. If the candles are covered with a slight layer of yellowish or light brown soot, then you should not worry, such soot is quite a normal and acceptable phenomenon, it does not affect the work.
If there are traces of liquid oil on the Lifan X60 candles, then most likely the piston rings or valve stem seals will have to be replaced. Black soot indicates a re-enriched fuel mixture. The reason is the improper operation of the Lifan fuel system, or an overly clogged air filter. The main symptom will be increased fuel consumption.
Red plaque on candles Lifan X60 is formed due to low-quality gasoline, which contains a large amount of metal particles (for example, manganese, which increases the octane number of fuel). Such a plaque conducts current well, which means that with a significant layer of this plaque, the current will flow through it without forming a spark.
4. The Lifan X60 ignition coil fails infrequently, most often this happens due to old age, the insulation is damaged and a short circuit occurs. It is better to change coils in accordance with the mileage according to the regulations. But sometimes a breakdown is caused by bad candles or broken high-voltage wires. To check the Lifan coil, it must be removed.
After removal, you need to make sure that the insulation is intact, there should not be black spots or cracks. Next, a multimeter should go into action, if the coil is burned out, then the device will show the maximum possible value. You should not check the Lifan X60 coil with the old-fashioned method for the presence of a spark between the candles and the metal part of the car. This method takes place in old cars, while on the Lifan X60, due to such manipulations, not only the coil, but also the entire electrics of the car can burn out.
5. Is it possible to diagnose an engine malfunction by the smoke from the Lifan X60 exhaust pipe? An exhaust can tell a lot about the condition of an engine. From a serviceable car in the warm season, thick or blue-gray smoke should not be visible at all.
If white smoke is visible, then this may indicate a burnt gasket or leaks in the Lifan X60 cooling system. If the smoke is black, then at best these are problems due to the over-enriched fuel mixture. At worst - problems with the piston group.
If the smoke has a bluish tint, then this indicates that the Lifan X60 engine is consuming oil. In the best case, the valve stem seals will need to be replaced, in the worst case, the piston group will need to be repaired. All this cinder heavily clogs and reduces the life of the Lifan X60 catalyst, which cannot cope with the purification of such impurities.
6. Diagnostics of the Lifan X60 engine by sound. Sound is a gap, that's what the theory of mechanics says. There are gaps in almost all movable joints. This small gap contains an oil film that prevents the parts from touching. But over time, the gap expands, the oil film can no longer be distributed evenly, friction of the parts of the Lifan X60 motor occurs, as a result of which very intense wear begins.
Each node in the Lifan X60 engine is characterized by a specific sound:
- A loud, frequent sound heard at all engine speeds indicates the need to adjust the valves;
- A smooth knock, which does not depend on the speed, is caused by the valve-distributing mechanism, which indicates the wear of its elements;
- A distinct short knock, increasing at higher speeds, warns of the imminent end of the connecting rod bearing.
7. Diagnostics of the Lifan X60 engine cooling system. With the correct operation of the cooling system and sufficient heat dissipation, after starting the engine, the liquid circulates only in a small circle through the stove radiator, which contributes to the rapid heating of both the engine itself and the Lifan X60 interior in the cold season.
When the normal operating temperature of the Lifan X60 engine is reached (about 60-80 degrees), the valve opens slightly to a large circle, i.e. the liquid partially flows into the radiator, where it gives off heat through it. If a critical mark of 100 degrees is reached, the Lifan X60 thermostat opens to the full, and the entire volume of liquid passes through the radiator.
At the same time, the Lifan X60 radiator fan turns on, it contributes to a better blowing of hot air between the radiator cells. Overheating can damage the engine and require costly repairs.
8. Typical malfunctions of the Lifan X60 cooling system. If the fan does not work when the critical temperature is reached, then first of all it is necessary to check the fuse, then the Lifan X60 fan itself and the integrity of the wires to it are examined. But the problem may turn out to be more global, the temperature sensor (thermostat) may have failed.
The operability of the Lifan X60 thermostat is checked as follows: the motor is preheated, a hand is applied to the bottom of the thermostat, if it is hot, then it is working.
More serious problems may arise: the pump fails, the Lifan X60 radiator leaks or becomes clogged, the valve in the filler cap breaks. If problems arose after replacing the coolant, then most likely the air lock is to blame.
In the Lifan X60 car, the operation of electronic equipment and various sensors is controlled by the control unit. It is a microcontroller with a single processor running at a clock speed of 40 MHz. The electronic control unit (ECU) receives data from the sensors. They are located in the engine block, intake and exhaust manifolds, exhaust system. The computer, according to the firmware program, processes the information and controls the operation of the engine through other actuators.
The instrument panel on the Lifan X60 at the moment the “check” lights up
After starting the Lifan X60 engine, the on-board computer diagnoses the components and monitors their condition in real time. If some sensor gives a signal about a malfunction, then the microcontroller fixes this and in some cases gives a light signal - a check. The indicator is located on the dashboard on the right side. Most drivers are intimidated by this lit indicator. But before we learn how to reset the check on the Lifan X60, we will study the main causes of the malfunction.
When a problem occurs, the car computer fixes an error code. It is written to the memory of the microcontroller. The vehicle control system enters a safe mode, which allows you to drive to a technical station for repair and maintenance. The driver may not leave his Lifan X60 just on the road.
Most often, the check lights up when the level of harmful substances in the exhaust gases is exceeded. The cause of the signaling device may be low-quality fuel. The driver should avoid refueling the Lifan X60 with gasoline with an octane rating of less than 93. The second reason is the failure of one or more sensors.
When the error indicator goes out
The indicator may turn off by itself if the ECU does not find any errors or failures within 3 driving cycles. But the error code will remain in memory. You can read it and erase it using a diagnostic scanner, it connects to a special EOBD chip.
The electronic control unit Lifan X60 can independently erase the error, this occurs after 40 cycles of warming up the engine to operating temperature, provided that the malfunction no longer occurs.
Remember that if a malfunction is found, the system will independently try to solve the problem or make changes to the engine management program so that the car owner can get to the service station and carry out repairs there.
Reset errors by improvised means
Here we will not be innovators, but there is only one way. Disconnect the battery terminal for 5 minutes. A check with an error may go out, depending on the severity. For example, it should go away, but with our quality of gasoline this is the most common problem.
You can purchase an ELM-327 adapter - this is a cheap Chinese analogue of some eminent device, but it will be enough. You will also need an Android phone. We install the Torque program, connect to the machine, and send a signal through the program to reset errors in the ECU. Also included with ELM is a free program with which you can connect a laptop to a car. And already with the help of a laptop, reset the check for Lifan X60. In both versions (laptop and Torque) you can read the bugs and get a short annotation along with the code.
