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Check engine light on: Codes, Causes & Fixes

A steady check engine light means the engine computer has stored a fault that affects emissions or engine management. In most cases you can keep driving normally for now, but have the code read soon – many auto parts stores and any OBD-II scanner can do this. If the light came on right after refueling, check that the gas cap is tight; loose caps are a classic trigger for EVAP codes.

558Codes
2.7Average severity
12%High or critical
18%DIY-friendly
Severity distributionSeverity distribution

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All codes (558)

P0117 Powertrain The coolant temperature signal is pinned near zero volts, which the PCM reads as an impossibly… Low P0118 Powertrain The coolant sensor signal sits near 5 volts, so the PCM thinks the engine is frozen solid… Low P0120 Powertrain The throttle position signal dropped out or glitched, so the PCM no longer trusts the throttle… Moderate P0121 Powertrain The throttle position reading is electrically valid but doesn't agree with engine load, airflow… Moderate P0122 Powertrain The throttle position signal fell to nearly 0 volts, lower than a closed throttle could ever… Moderate P0123 Powertrain The throttle position signal is stuck near 5 volts, so the PCM sees wide open throttle even… Moderate P0125 Powertrain The engine stayed too cold for too long to switch to closed-loop fueling based on the oxygen… Low P0126 Powertrain The engine didn't reach, or couldn't hold, the coolant temperature the ECU needs for stable… Low P0128 Powertrain The engine takes too long to warm up, which almost always points to a thermostat stuck open. Low P0130 Powertrain The upstream oxygen sensor on bank 1 sent a signal the engine computer could not make sense of. Low P0131 Powertrain The upstream oxygen sensor on bank 1 keeps reporting a voltage so low that it reads as a lean… Low P0132 Powertrain The upstream oxygen sensor on bank 1 reads too high: the engine is running rich or the signal… Moderate P0133 Powertrain The upstream oxygen sensor on bank 1 still works, but it reacts to mixture changes too slowly. Low P0134 Powertrain The upstream oxygen sensor on bank 1 isn't switching at all: its signal stays flat after… Low P0135 Powertrain The heater inside the upstream oxygen sensor on bank 1 isn't working or its circuit is faulty. Low P0136 Powertrain The oxygen sensor behind the catalytic converter on bank 1 is sending a signal that fails… Low P0137 Powertrain The oxygen sensor after the catalytic converter on bank 1 stays at a low, lean-looking voltage. Low P0138 Powertrain The oxygen sensor behind the converter on bank 1 reads too high, often from an internal short… Low P0139 Powertrain The oxygen sensor after the converter on bank 1 takes too long to react when fuel is cut… Minor P0140 Powertrain The oxygen sensor after the converter on bank 1 shows a dead-flat signal that never reacts. Low P0141 Powertrain The heater in the oxygen sensor behind the converter on bank 1 has failed or its circuit… Low P0150 Powertrain The upstream O2 sensor circuit on bank 2 is sending readings the ECU can't use, usually wiring… Low P0151 Powertrain Bank 2's front O2 sensor is stuck at a lean reading – often a manifold leak on that side… Low P0152 Powertrain Bank 2's front O2 sensor is pinned high – usually voltage leaking in from its heater wire… Moderate P0153 Powertrain Bank 2's front O2 sensor still switches, but too slowly between rich and lean; usually aged… Low P0154 Powertrain Bank 2's front O2 sensor never started switching; the ECU sees only a flat voltage from it. Low P0155 Powertrain The heater in bank 2's front O2 sensor, or its fuse, power feed or ECU-controlled ground, has… Low P0156 Powertrain The O2 sensor behind the bank 2 catalytic converter is sending an erratic or implausible signal. Low P0157 Powertrain The O2 sensor after the bank 2 converter reads near zero volts – often a nearby exhaust leak… Low P0158 Powertrain The O2 sensor after the bank 2 converter reads too high – often a short to heater power… Low

Symptoms