Red Engine sign on the dash board

Hi,

I would appreciate if someone can help me out on this one. I have started getting a red light on my dash board, which makes me believe that there is something wrong in the engine.

My mechanic is not sure about the problem and has adviced a couple of options with the hope that one will work.

I would appreciate if someone can help me out on this one.

Thanks,
Keyur

OMG I don't mean to sound mean but how can anyone help based on that? You need to describe what is wrong with your car. Is the light on but not effecting anything? Do you notice anything different since this had occured? What did your mechanic advise you to do?

Basically I am seeing the "check engine light" on my dash. The mechanic says that there is a possibility of the Oxygen sensor gone bad of the back or the front. He suggested buying the same for the front first and then for the back if it doesn't work.

The car is not having any problems as such right now. However, I have stopped using it just to be cautious.

If the "check engine" light itself is lit, to find out what is wrong you need to have the car diagnosed by a mechanic. If you know how, you can check the ECU for the trouble code. If you can get a hold of a CHILTON or HAYNES repair manual, it should give you a step by step process on how to diagnose the car based on the codes given by the ECU. If not, it should be taken to the dealer or mechanic with the equipment to diagnose it. I'm not sure what year your car is, but if it's new or 2000-newer, you might have to bring it to the dealer. What year is your car?

On my 91 Civic, the few instances where I had a check engine light, all I had to do was pull the carpet back on the passenger side under the dash. That's where the ECU is on 88-91 Civics. On the protective plate, there is a window with a single LED light. When there is a problem with the engine that triggers the check engine light, this LED blinks a certain amount of times and in the CHILTON repair manual is the trouble codes based on the number of blinks/flashes given by the ECU. On my dad's 96 Maxima, the process was different but still based on FLASHES. For the Maxima, the ECU was in the center under the stereo. On it there is a turn knob/switch that you have to fiddle with to get the trouble code but instead of an LED light on the ECU itself (like the Civic), the Maxima uses the actual "Check Engine" light to flash the trouble codes. Again, it's all based on the number of times that the light flashes, you just need to find out what it means. Crazy when you think about it though, you pay around $80-$100 for a diagnostic when you bring your car into a dealership. That $80-$100 is paying the technician basically to count from 1 to 20, and the process usually only takes a few minutes.