2023 Lexus NX 350h Check Engine Light

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

Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is usually difficult to predict how multiple miles you can be secure in driving with the warning light on. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. If you check engine light is flashing, we suggest that you pull over and contact Stevinson Lexus of Frederick to assist determine if your vehicle is secure to drive in or if we suggest a tow truck. It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced.

2023 Lexus NX 350h Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, exceptionally to see that little light on your vehicle's dashboard suddenly illuminate, 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, likewise known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your NX 350h. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can accurately represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you useful knowledge about your vehicle and will likewise allow that vital Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Sadly, evident and helpful vehicle symptoms do not invariably accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of likely OBD codes, there are likewise hundreds of likely reasons for the light, including:

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

This is why it is important for someone who does not have a lot of predominant automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a serious 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 adept certified Lexus mechanic. Call Stevinson Lexus of Frederick at 7207343855 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2023 Lexus NX 350h?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Still, the check engine light could still be a warning of a meaningful problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and expensive repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady and continuous glow usually means something less serious but a flashing check engine light signifies that your vehicle's engine is in significant trouble and helpful service is required immediately. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2023 Lexus NX 350h, we exceedingly propose not to drive the car and schedule Lexus service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are necessary for your 2023 Lexus NX 350h. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel combination in the combustion chamber of your car. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run smooth. 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 go through a noticeable 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 obstructed catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, leading to more pricey repairs.
• One of the most common and frequent cause is that your 2023 Lexus NX 350h gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2023 Lexus NX 350h serves numerous purposes. It prevents unpredictable gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps control pressure within the fuel tank. What hits if you have a damaged 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 and be more expensive. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't pricey. If your check engine light turns on instantly after you put gas in your 2023 Lexus NX 350h, first thing you should check is to make sure the cap isn't loose — or that it's still on your car's roof or at the fuel pump.
• Your 2023 Lexus NX 350h has a vacuum leak. Each Lexus NX 350h has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system again helps lower adverse 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, especially if they're exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Lexus NX 350h is what determines how much fuel is necessary to run your engine efficiently by measuring the amount of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to certain changes, like altitude. If your Lexus NX 350h is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden quick change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a vital sign of a damaged mass airflow sensor.
• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns more instantly and your car will be less efficient when it comes to fuel economy. So what hits if I don't replace your O2 sensor? A damaged sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause serious damage to your catalytic converter and your 2023 Lexus NX 350h's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle's onboard computer to determine the absolutely correct combination of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A damaged O2 sensor can again cause a car to fail an emissions test.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2023 Lexus NX 350h's exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is usually caused by constantly neglected maintenance, which is why Stevinson Lexus of Frederick offers a free multi-point examination with each Lexus service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2023 Lexus NX 350h 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 other perilous problems from overheating.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2023 Lexus NX 350h is each vital. Without a car battery, your car won't start, light up the road in front, 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 current service coupons and specials.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your 2023 Lexus NX 350h if it's not installed accurately. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even limit the car from starting. If these issues sound familiar, bring your NX 350h to Lexus and have our team of accomplished certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or utilizing OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could support you save substantially from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.

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 perfectly tightened to a more serious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it good to get the proper code reading and diagnosis. The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is usually between $88 and $111. The good news, Stevinson Lexus of Frederick offers entirely free multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to support determine the cause of your check engine light.

2023 Lexus NX 350h Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless potential causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are various common causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other often common reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, broken oxygen sensor, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, dirty mass airflow sensor, defective 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 Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and utterly 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 totally fixed.

Every 2023 Lexus NX 350h was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its vital systems. The fast sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending vital 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, sadly that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won't tell you what specifically is wrong nor what to do about it. That's where we come in; Stevinson Lexus of Frederick provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Exceedingly Qualified Service professional.

Is it safe to drive your 2023 Lexus NX 350h with the check engine light on?

This question is not very simple 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 usually indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the car, it could be an indication of a more serious problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is suggested to service your Lexus NX 350h swiftly. Call the experts at Stevinson Lexus of Frederick by dialing 7207343855 so you can describe the issues. Or decrease your speed and bring your 2023 Lexus to our certified mechanics as soon as conceivable.

Check Engine Light Service 2023 Lexus NX 350h

What do you do when you're driving along in your Lexus NX 350h and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you're like most Lexus owners, your heart sinks exceptionally because you may have specifically idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the cost of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep, tranquil 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 advised that you get your 2023 Lexus NX 350h checked quickly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing significant, major damage to expensive engine components.

When your 2023 Lexus NX 350h's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can't appropriate, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is typically 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 can instantly identify the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is read with an electronic scan tool that is used by our Lexus auto repair mechanics at Stevinson Lexus of Frederick. There are also a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you select that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced professional to determine the definitely appropriate issue and repair it.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most commonly misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2023 Lexus NX 350h is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the vital onboard diagnostics system, and displays in a wide range of different 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 wide range of things for your 2023 Lexus NX 350h. Some of these essential duties include shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, controlling engine speed, and implementing security control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean a variety of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as dangerous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2023 Lexus NX 350h, contact Stevinson Lexus of Frederick. 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 flashing. Contact Stevinson Lexus of Frederick today!

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2023 Lexus NX 350h will normally shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. For instance, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will swiftly turn itself off. Again, if your catalytic converter is working properly, 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 2023 Lexus NX 350h 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 Stevinson Lexus of Frederick so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

2023 Lexus NX 350h Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your 2023 Lexus NX 350h starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention quickly and your Lexus should be brought in quickly. A flashing light indicates that the problem is very serious and if not taken care of quickly may result in extensive and significant damage to the vehicle. This blinking light usually reveals a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can immediately raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an expensive and extensive repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can precisely be the cause. A defective, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is always flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Stevinson Lexus of Frederick expeditiously by calling 7207343855. If the problem is totally 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.