I'm sure it has happened to all of us at one point or another, you are driving along, minding your own business, and that yellow light comes on and say "Service Engine Soon". So what exactly are you supposed to do when this happens? Well the first thing you don't want to do is panic, because sometimes it's really nothing to worry about.

The Service Engine Soon Light is simply an on board indicator light that is connected to your vehicles computer. When the computer senses a failure in a component of your car, it will illuminate the Service Engine Soon Light to make you aware of the problem. Often times people rush out and spend $100 to get the Service Engine Soon Light diagnosed, only to find out it was a pretty simple fix. So before you drop a ton of cash on repairs, there are a few things you will want to check.

When was the last time you got gas?

If you have just gotten gas, and failed to properly secure the gas cap, this will cause a leak in the vacuum and cause the light to come on. The simple fix for this would be to just tighten down the gas cap. Wait a couple days or so, and if this was indeed the cause, the Service Engine Soon Light should turn off by itself.

Have You Had Your Fuel System Cleaned?

Often times the Service Engine Soon Light will be turned on simply because of buildup on the components of your gas and exhaust systems. It is always a good idea to have your fuel system serviced every 30k miles or so. If you have this service performed, often times it will turn off your Service Engine Soon Light because it has cleaned the carbon off what's called the EGR Valve. When that valve gets gunked up, it is unable to open and close, but after cleaning, it operates correctly.

If your Service Engine Soon Light has come on, remember to stay calm, and go through some of the possible causes for it. If you are even more advanced in car repair, you might opt to purchase a Scan Tool that will allow you to check for specific diagnostic trouble codes in your vehicle.