You’re on your way home from work, you’ve rewarded yourself for a hard day with a delicious cupcake from Coccadotts, everything is going swell. Then you see it… the sinister orange-red glow of the check engine light. MISERY! DESPAIR! SUFFERING!!! THE UNADULTERATED HORROR!!!! *Starts ugly crying*

Hold up!

There are NUMEROUS reasons your check engine light may have come on, but the good news is that there’s typically no need to panic. So let’s wipe those tears away and take a few deep, cleansing breaths. Good good. MUCH better. Now that we have all taken a collective chill pill, we can go over why there is no need to panic.

1. It might be your gas cap

DID YOU KNOW that a loose, cracked, or faulty gas cap can cause fuel to evaporate, which could totally result in your check engine light coming on? I feel ya. This would be a silly reason to get all worked up. It feels oddly similar to when you are desperately looking for your glasses, but it turns out that they are on your face. *Face Palm* So as a first order of business before you panic, check the gas cap. If this was indeed the issue, your check engine light should go off within 10 or 20 miles once you’re back on the road.

2. A certified mechanic should be able to diagnose the problem easily

No need to sit and wonder what is wrong with your vehicle. You can stop by Destination Kia, where one of our certified mechanics can help sort out what’s caused the light to go on and what can be done. These folks are the SUPERHEROES of automotives. But like…no capes, because that would be SUUUUCH a hazard.

3. It’s typically not an urgent situation

While you 100% should not just ignore your check engine light, there is no need to freak the second that light comes on. You will have plenty of time to drive yourself safely to Destination Kia where we can get you situated. You can let out that breath you’ve been holding. It’s all good. We’ve got this!

4. There are numerous reasons the light may come on

Other than the quick fix of the gas cap, the other potential issues would be a little bit more challenging to diagnose yourself. Some causes include, but are not limited to damaged vacuum hose or ignition coil(s), a failing catalytic converter, or even worn out spark plugs. I’m gonna be real, I knew maybe 4 of those words. Which is why I trust all of my diagnostics to the certified mechanics at Destination Kia. They’ll tell you what’s up and have you back on the road in no time.

So if your check engine light has been a source of distress in the past now you know that it’s not something to be ignored, it definitely doesn’t mean that the end is near. It’s ok to keep going, just make sure you have it checked out as soon as you can.