2012 Lexus RX 350 Check Engine Light

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2012 Lexus RX 350 will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. 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 lucid, 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 2012 Lexus RX 350 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 Lexus Smyrna so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

2012 Lexus RX 350 Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless conceivable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are plentiful commonplace causes consisting something as uncomplicated as a loose gas cap. Assorted commonplace reasons for a Check Engine Light are dirty mass airflow sensor, damaged oxygen sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, faulty emissions control part, faulty head gasket, or defective spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Lexus Certified Mechanics and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as needed to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Lexus issue was repaired.

Every 2012 Lexus RX 350 was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the automobile on its broad systems. The sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending data to the electronic control unit. If the electronic control unit 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 strictly is incorrect nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Nalley Lexus Smyrna 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 professional.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most naturally misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2012 Lexus RX 350 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a few various 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 variety of things for your 2012 Lexus RX 350. Some of these include ignition timing, shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can designate a variety of chance things. It can be as classic as your gas cap being loose or as treacherous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2012 Lexus RX 350, contact Nalley Lexus Smyrna. Contact Nalley Lexus Smyrna today! Our Lexus service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is shining.

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is hard to predict how many miles you can drive with the warning light on. If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Nalley Lexus Smyrna to help determine if your car is protected to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck.

2012 Lexus RX 350 Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your 2012 Lexus RX 350 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs immediate attention and your Lexus should be brought in expeditiously. A flashing light indicates that the problem is critical and if not taken care of expeditiously may result in major damage to the automobile. This blinking light usually indicates a rigid engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be ejected into the exhaust system. There it can quickly hike the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an lavish repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can absolutely be the cause. A harmful, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Nalley Lexus Smyrna shortly by calling 7706187908. If the problem is ignored or you continue to drive, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a very expensive repair.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2012 Lexus RX 350?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple 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 big repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady glow generally means something fewer hazardous but a shining check engine light indicates that your vehicle’s engine is in hazardous trouble and service is needed instantly. If your check engine light is shining in your 2012 Lexus RX 350, we tremendously recommend not to drive the vehicle and schedule Lexus service today. Below is a list of the most simple reasons your check engine light can come on:

• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are crucial for your 2012 Lexus RX 350. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. 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 bad or old, 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, big to more expensive repairs.
• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, simple as the O2 sensor, measures the sum of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less active 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 2012 Lexus RX 350's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the right mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A bad O2 sensor can also cause a car to fail an emissions test.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Lexus RX 350 is what determines how much fuel is crucial to run your engine efficiently by measuring the sum of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to extant changes, like altitude. If your Lexus RX 350 is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a hasty change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
• One of the most simple and frequent cause is that your 2012 Lexus RX 350 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2012 Lexus RX 350 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 bad fuel cap? If your gas cap is old 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 expensive. If your check engine light turns on promptly after you put gas in your 2012 Lexus RX 350, 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 2012 Lexus RX 350 has a vacuum leak. Every Lexus RX 350 has a vacuum system that performs a expansive variety of functions. The vacuum system also helps deduction 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, greatly if they’re exposed to splendid heat or extreme frosty.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2012 Lexus RX 350’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's work is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is frequently caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Nalley Lexus Smyrna offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Lexus service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2012 Lexus RX 350 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 different problems from overheating.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2012 Lexus RX 350 is every vital. 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 really require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Lexus you drive, but check our ongoing service coupons and specials.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or different item can wreak havoc on your 2012 Lexus RX 350 if it’s not installed correctly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can jettison the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even impede the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound simple, transport your RX 350 to Lexus and have our team of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed correctly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, greatly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.

Check Engine Light Service 2012 Lexus RX 350

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Lexus RX 350 and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Lexus 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 2012 Lexus RX 350 checked as soon as feasible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing large damage to pricey engine parts.

When your 2012 Lexus RX 350's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t apt, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is commonly 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 investigate tool that is used by our Lexus auto repair mechanics at Nalley Lexus Smyrna. There are also a number of rather inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you elect for that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an professional professional to imply the issue and repair it.

2012 Lexus RX 350 Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard swiftly brightens, 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 known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your RX 350. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling principal diagnostics will give you available knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, indisputable and helpful vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of practical OBD codes, there are also hundreds of practical reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is important for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. Call Nalley Lexus Smyrna at 7706187908 today or schedule your check engine light service online today! If the engine light comes on due to a strict concern, you risk damaging your car further by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out rapidly by a certified Lexus mechanic.

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 subsequently tightened to a more rigid failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it definite to get the good code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is mostly between $88 and $111. The definite news, Nalley Lexus Smyrna offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to aid imply the cause of your check engine light.

Is it safe to drive your 2012 Lexus RX 350 with the check engine light on?

If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a hazardous issue and it is recommended to service your Lexus RX 350 hastily. This question is not very plain 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 generally indicated by a dependable glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the vehicle, it could be an indication of a more hazardous problem. Call the consultants at Nalley Lexus Smyrna by dialing 7706187908 so you can describe the issues. Or lessen your speed and bring your 2012 Lexus to our certified mechanics as soon as feasible.