How Long Can You Drive With A Blinking Engine Light?

When your car indicators are lit, it’s time to take them seriously. If you don’t, there can be some serious malfunction or fault in the component which later you’ll have to replace altogether.

Car has a lot of indicators on the dashboard, and one such indicator is the engine light. Many drivers seem to ignore it. Therefore, today we shall talk about how long you can drive with a blinking engine light.

Although there is not any hard and fast rule for how many miles or how far you should drive with the engine light on, if you see it lit, you should not keep on driving the vehicle. This is to ensure the drivers as well as vehicle safety.

First you should not continue to drive when checking engine lights blinking because it can further make the fault serious. But if you have to keep on driving, turn on your flashers for a few miles.

For example if you drive 100 miles and the light is still blinking, don;t drive farther.

And if you ignore the light, it can cause damage to the engine and other components for not so alien reasons. The flashing engine light indicates something isn’t right with the engine. So what should you do if you see the flashing engine light while driving? Let’s find out.

What to do when engine light flashes while driving?

If you are driving and the check engine light starts to blink or flashes it means there is something wrong in the car engine. It can also be a problem with the emission control system of your car.

Now, if you see this light, the only wise thing to do is to turn your car toward the car mechanic for an instant and timely solution. However, sometimes the solution is a simple easy fix depending on the problem.

So it’s not always an engine repair. Whatever the cause is, you should rush to the car mechanic or technician to get the engine light fixed (the problem that is causing the light to blink).

What to do if the engine light is flashing?

Check engine light flashes due to various reasons. Whatever the reason is you need to take your vehicle to the mechanic for quick repair or solution. Some common reasons for blinking engine light are:

Faulty oxygen sensor
Problem with the catalytic converter
Spark plugs that need a replacement

Is driving with a blinking engine light dangerous?

Yes, it can be dangerous if you drive while the engine light is blinking. This can cause a serious fault in the engine or in the component in your vehicle. However, depending on the problem, the component that gets impacted would be different. Driving with engine lights blinking comes more as a hazard.

Reason for blinking check engine light

Wobbly gas cap
Faulty fuel injectors
Faulty oxygen sensors
Fuel system problems
Engine misfire or overheating
Sticking mass airflow sensor (MAF)
spark plugs or plug wires wear out/fault
Low coolant or bad coolant level sensor
Low oil pressure or engine oil, replace it if so
Fault with the emissions, ignition, or exhaust systems
Problems with the emissions system, such as a failed or stolen catalytic converter

How do I shut off the check engine light?

Check engine light indicates that there is a fault in the engine. It’s a type of malfunction indicator light (MIL).

If you fix the reason that made the light lit, it will automatically turn off. However, if you don’t fix the problem and want to shut off the engine light you need to reset for manual shut off.

Use an OBD-II scanner by linking the scanner to the OBD connector (under steering wheel) and starting the car. You will get access to the computer’s stored trouble codes. Now use the owner’s manual to solve check engine light blinking.
Disconnect the battery by taking out the negative car battery terminal and drain any electricity in the capacitor by turning on lights or depressing the horn for 25 seconds. Leave the car for about 15 minutes and then reconnect the electricity.
Switch the ignition on and off by turning the engine on and off repeatedly after inserting the key.