How to Reset Your Check Engine Light

If you noticed an amber glow on your dashboard during recent Chatham drives, what did you do? While it’s always a good idea to get an expert’s eye at our service department, a DIY fix can reset the check engine light automatically, so long as there isn’t a more serious reason it came on. In this guide, we’ll let you know how to diagnose the issue and how to reset check engine light in your own garage!

Why Did My Check Engine Light Come On?

Your check engine light pops on when it senses trouble, so it’s important to take the warning seriously. Even if your car appears to be completely normal, you never know what’s happening under the hood. We recommend scheduling an inspection to see what’s going on; you can even get your seasonal maintenance done while you’re at the dealership!

Before you make your appointment, though, it’s not a bad idea to check the most common culprit of a check engine light: the gas cap.

• Grab your gas cap and twist it. If it is loose, the fumes released will trigger your check engine light to pop on.
• Inspect your gas cap for wear and tear. A cracked or damaged gas cap will also turn on the engine light.
• Once you’ve tightened the cap and inspected the area, try turning on your car one more time to make sure the light hasn’t turned itself off.

Steps to Reset Check Engine Light

If you still can’t figure out the problem, you can reset the check engine light in just a few minutes by following these simple steps:

1. Turn your car off, and wait until the engine is completely cool.
2. Put on safety glasses and gloves as a precaution.
3. Look for the negative terminal with a black cap and (-) symbol.
4. Loosen the nut with a wrench, and pull out the connector from the battery.
5. Leave the connector disconnected for a minute or more.
6. Reconnect the cable, and tighten the nut with the wrench.

Your light should reset at this point, but be aware that this process can also reset other systems like Uconnect. Feel free to let us know if you need additional advice.

Get Your Check Engine Light Diagnosed at Green Dodge

Do you have any questions about how to reset your check engine light? Contact us for recommendations, or schedule your service to take care of the problem for good!