What does the "Service Engine Soon" light mean? And yes I have checked the gas gap.?

C'mon now! Do you really think ALL CARS are the same?? LIST YEAR< MODEL< MILEAGE< country of ORIGIN and even Trans type here! BETTER YET< open your car manaual and actually READ IT! If you are LAZY call the dealership and ask them what it's all about! It MAY only mean you need an OIL CHANGE! IIt can also meant hat the ONVERTER is going out of range or overheating. IT can ALSO mean that your o@ sensors are ALSO out of range! Depends on WHO made the car and WHEN!

It means the car is due for regular service. It's a mileage thing, not a fault thing. That light comes on at a set mileage past when the last service was done, for instance, on the 2010 Corolla, it comes on every 5000 miles. There's a special way to turn it off, not with an OBD2 code checker either.

Good . . . gas gaps need checking.

There are two lights that may illuminate on your dash (depending on your make and model) and it is good to know the difference between them as well as what they mean.

The “Check Engine” light is a notification that something is wrong, the range can be anything from a loose gas cap to a faulty ignition coil. It is important to bring your vehicle in to be checked as soon as possible when this light is illuminated.

The “Service Engine Soon” light indicates that your vehicle is due for its next service maintenance. The light comes on depending on your vehicles service interval. For Volvos it is usually every 5,000 (older models) or 7,500 miles (newer models). For BMWs it is generally every 5,000 or 10,000 miles, depending on your model. After the maintenance is performed the service light is reset. If your repair shop forgets to reset the light then it will stay on - or if it had not illuminated yet - then it would come on too soon.

In summary if the light says, “Check Engine” then you should have your vehicle checked right away. If the light states, “Service Engine Soon” then call your service provider (for the Car, not Cell Phone) to set an appointment at your convenience.

It means that the car's computer has detected a flaw in the system.
Modern cars rely on a number of sensors to tell the computer how much fuel is needed by the engine and when to ignite the fuel.
It can be caused by anything from a wire that became disconnected to a sensor that has failed.
To help mechanics diagnose the problem, the computer will store one or more codes to indicate what malfunction has been detected.
For example, a code may be stored that indicates a problem with the oxygen sensor.
It does not necessarily mean that the sensor is bad, since a corroded connection, broken wire or disconnected connector can all trigger the same code.
Basically, the codes need to be read with a scan tool and then troubleshooting to determine the cause is done.

You need to have the car serviced every year (or every so many miles - which ever comes sooner - see your manual for the number of miles between services). There is a timer in the computer system that tells it when the car has done so many miles since it was last reset. After that time the service engine soon light will start coming on (mine at the moment says "INSP" because the last time I had it serviced it wasn't reset properly.

Some garages don't reset it so you might get the message prematurely. If you've only recently had it serviced take it back to the garage that serviced it and see if they can reset it properly 'cos they haven't. If you've not had it serviced in a while then it might be time to book it in for a service (oil change, filters, etc). If you didn't have it serviced at a main dealer you may find that the company you took it to didn't have the right tool to reset it and so has just left it.

Uh, it means that you need to pay attention to something in your vehicle system that isn't correct.

Without knowing the make, model, and year of the vehicle, it could mean anything from a normal, routine, service (changing the oil, filters, etc) to a serious problem in your engine. You would think, with technology today, they could cut back on cell phone crap and help a car owner out by having the vehicle state exactly what is wrong, clearly, so we have a clue.

You can either purchase a device to read your codes/check engine light, or you can cheat and go to O'Reilly's, Auto Zone, or Advance Auto and have them check it for you (it's usually free). This will usually help. At worse, it will give you a code that they have to look up or you have to look up online. The third option is to go to the dealer and have them charge you big bucks to read this and then service it. Well, unless it's under warranty.

Don't let this intimidate you. Many times it's a simple fix, like checking your gas cap. All you have to do is find out what, correct it, and then reset the code. Others can be a bit more complicated, such as an EGR valve, vacuum leak, or an oil change. Every now and again it can be something major that can really damage your engine. Usually, though, it's a simple fix that prevents major damage.

Most vehicles have the check engine light symbol, few vehicles have the "service engine soon light" . In the last 18 years, it has been the same OBDII system ;for starters, need a recent ODBII scanner to find out the code is to see if something simple or complex.

Forget all the rubbish here about faults. You car needs servicing that's all. Probably just an oil and filter change and maybe other small things like air filters and possibly spark plugs. All modern cars have this inbuilt reminder. Don't ignore it as your car will only perform well if you look after it.

It can mean 100 different things,it happens to my girl friend a dozen times a year.Every thing from putting gas in with the car running,to a emmission device failing.so what i do now is reset the computer by disconnection of neg. bat terminal for a minute or 2,reconnect and wait x # of miles or a few days if regular driver (you have to reset clock and radio pre-sets)if condition returns get code read a your local parts store it is free.
I usually don't do it first because SHE usually does some thing to cause it...lol
Anyone that thinks they can tell you exactly on line is FULL OF IT!
Andy

My engine light on a '90 GMC Sierra comes on (mostly on highway driving) and sometimes goes off again. It never stays on when I start it again next day. The truck runs fine but starting to bug me a little. Probably some sensor that is malfunctioning or experiencing intermittent problems.