If you’re looking for how to reset check engine light, you must have identified and fixed the issue that caused the check engine light to be illuminated.
Vehicles have countless electronic systems. One of these electronic systems is an On-Board Diagnosis System (OBD system).
An OBD system, is responsible for warning you about the hidden problems of cars (i.e. problems you might not identify with weird sounds or physical symptoms).
Some system warnings include a “check engine light.” A check engine light will light up if there is either an internal mechanical or electrical problem.
The check engine light can either continuously be illuminated or it can be flashing. Continuous illumination indicates simple, cheaper fix problems, while flashing check engine lights indicate severe engine problems that can incur significant damages.
Once you: fixed the problem causing the check engine to illuminate, the next step will be the car computer will need your assistance to let it know that the problem is fixed.
If you do not reset your check engine light, you will not pass the emission or smog test, but more importantly, you will not be able to notice new problem happening to your internal system and as a result can incur severe damages to your car.
In this article we will show you four ways to help you reset your check engine light. Before you attempt to use any of the methods below, be sure that you first identified and fixed the physical problem causing the “check engine” light to be illuminated.
How To Reset Check Engine Light?
#1. Drive The Car, and It Will Go Away By Itself.
Most of the internal computer issues with vehicles can go away by just driving it.
The easiest and simplest way to turn off a check engine light is to drive it for a little bit and it will turn off by itself.
When you have driven your car for a few days (e.g., normally three days) the check engine light should be off.
However, when you haven’t driven the car for a few days and the check engine light is still illuminating this means that either the original issue was not fixed or there is a new issue with the car you need to pay attention to.
Again, if the check engine light is flashing then you need to stop the car immediately and request a tow to a professional mechanic.
Technique pros
- Using the technique to get rid of your check engine light by just driving the car requires the least amount of work.
Technique cons
- The check engine light may not turn off.
- It is very time consuming and can take days before the check engine light turns off, in that time other issues could arise. You will never have proper information as to what the check engine light is telling you: is it a major issue and I need to take the car to the mechanic immediately? or is it the original issue and I should wait until it goes away?
- You could also drive the car and cause sever internal issues without knowing.
#2. Try The “Restart The Car” Technique.
To reset the check engine light, one easy method is to quickly start and stop the vehicle three times.
Put the key in the ignition, on for a second, off for a second. Repeat three times.
After you have turned the car on and off three times the check engine light should disappear on its own. If this technique did not help, keep progressing down this list and see if any of the other techniques work.
Otherwise, you’ll have to take your car in to have a professional mechanic look for other issues with the car’s internal system.
Technique Pros
- Reseting your check engine light with the “restart the car” technique takes less technical effort than the previous methods.
Technique Cons
- The check engine light may not turn off.
#3. The ECM Hard Reset technique
This ECM hard reset technique is all about disconnecting your vehicle’s battery. You’ll need a wrench for this step. Complete the following steps:
- Open the car’s hood
- Use the wrench to disconnect the negative cable on the battery
- Then, drain any remaining electricity (e.g., honk the horn for 20-30 seconds, turn on the lights, etc.)
- Once you drain all remaining power in the battery, put the key in the ignition and turn the car on/off for three times
- This step should clear the emission/flag from the internal memory.
- Wait for 10-15 minutes
- Then re-attach the battery’s negative wire.
- Be careful re-attaching the battery’s cable tightly, so it does not spark.
- Turn the vehicle back on using the key
- Then, wait a couple of minutes. The check engine light should be gone.
The success of this technique can depend on the make, model, and year of the car. Some of the vehicle’s ECM does not depend on voltage.
As with the previous techniques mentioned, if the check engine light did not go away, you will need to try the latest technologies in order. If that also failed, you will likely need to take it to the mechanic.
Technique pros
- As long as you have a couple of wrenches, you can reset your check engine light (to some extent) for free.
Technique cons
- Resetting the check engine light using the ECM “hard reset” technique can reset your clock, radio, and seat memory.
- It takes time to do (around 15-20 minutes)
- It might take a lot of effort especially if you have to access the battery and it is not readily available to you.
- You most likely would have to get out of the vehicle, potentially get a little bit dirty, which could be challenging in very cold or some cases sweltering conditions.
#4. Use An OBD Reader.
The last and the most effective way for resetting your check engine light is to use an OBD reader.
For this method, you will need an OBD reader tool that you can either buy or borrow from a friend or mechanic.
Some of the most common OBD readers are:
- Kobra OBD reader
- Innova 5110
- Next Peak T501
- OBD-11 Scanner
The price of the OBD reader can range from $20 to a couple of thousands of dollars, depending on the OBD reader’s complexity and amount of information it can provide.
Below is a list of common types of OBD readers:
1. Bluetooth OBD Readers.
The Bluetooth OBD readers are the smallest and least expensive type of OBDs. You can use a Bluetooth OBD only if you have a smartphone and compatible application.
The OBD smartphone apps can either be paid or free. Paid OBD apps usually provide more information and capabilities which include live testing and live data; flexible paid supported data; whereas free OBD apps can only read and erase OBD memory data.
2. USB OBD Readers.
USB OBD readers are some of the most common types of OBD readers used by dealerships and independent auto repair shops.
For the USB OBD reader, in addition to the USB cable, you will need a computer and software as a USB adapter. As with Bluetooth smartphone apps, there are free or paid computer OBD reader adapter software options.
Again, the paid software has more capabilities to do advanced functionality compared to free OBD reader software.
3. Stand-alone OBD Scanners.
A stand-alone OBD scanner can cost any amount between the lowest priced USB OBD scanner and a couple thousand dollars.
Normally, it would not be advisable to purchase the most expensive OBD scanning tool for the DIYer. In other words, if you really only plan to perform the simple task of resetting your check engine light, you do not want to purchase a $1,000 worth OBD scanner.
Doesn’t matter the type or cost of the OBD scanner, there are specific procedures you would have to follow to successfully reset your check engine light using an OBD scanner:
- Locate the vehicle’s OBD port: it would typically reside above the right footwell beneath the dashboard.
- Connect the OBD scanner to the OBD port
- When the OBD scanner is correctly plugged into your cars OBD port, on the OBD scanner screen, you will want to press enter
- Depending on the OBD scanner type, additional vehicle information may need to be entered (e.g., car make, model, year, VIN)
- The OBD scanner will begin to scan for your cars error codes
- Once the scanning has been completed, codes will be displayed on the OBD scanner screen indicating the error.Again, some types of OBD scanners allow you to see more information (the type of issue, name of the vehicle’s part causing the problem, price of parts, where to purchase parts).
- The amount of details in the scan will lead you to decide whether you get a more complex OBD scanner or not. If you want to learn more about what is causing the plant to light up, how to repair it, expected price to fix, etc., you will want to get ahold of a more complex OBD scanner. However, if you only plan to use an OBD scanner to reset the check engine light, or a couple other technical tasks, you might not need to buy an OBD scanner and only borrow one.
- It is important to make a note of the codes on the screen. If resetting the check engine light did not work the list of codes can help the mechanic troubleshoot the issue, and a list of codes can help to identify a potential fishing attempt of the mechanic trying to charge you for problems that do not exist. You can refer to the codes and manual for information on what each system means and how to fix it, and this can give you an idea of how much money to expect.
- Click “erase”: which will erase the codes and reset check engine light by clicking “enter”.
As stated above, using an OBD scanner to reset the check engine light is the easiest and most reliable option.
If the check engine light did not turn off, you will need to take your car to the mechanic to verify there are no other potential issues still occurring.
This is where the list of codes you made notes of can help save time and effort you and the mechanic in troubleshooting the problems in your vehicle and can help inform you if the problem you repaired previously was not able to be repaired by the mechanic.
Technique pros
- This is by far the most successful technique to reset your check engine light. So, if this technique fails, you have a problem in your internals, and you need a professional mechanic.
- This technique will not reset the radio, clock, or seat memory.
- You will not get dirty. You can reset the light while setting in your vehicle.
Technique cons
You have to have an OBD scanner to do this technique. ODB scanners can be expensive. Many people simply borrow an OBD scanner from a friend or a mechanic.
What if the check engine light returns?
Many folks complain they followed the normal techniques to get rid of the check engine light, only to have it return.
While some of those techniques may not successfully reset the check engine light, you can be successful at resetting your check engine light using an OBD scanner.
If you used an OBD scanner, but the check engine light, did not turn off or returned, you still have an issue with your internal parts.
It is worth repeating; if the check engine light is solid, it is not an emergency, but you need to get it fixed. If the check engine light is flashing, you have a serious issue with your engine, so shut the vehicle down, and have it towed to the shop.
Conclusion
Before looking for a technique to reset the check engine light, you MUST fix the issue, causing the check engine light to come on.
Once you confirmed you fixed the issue with your engine, you can then the techniques mentioned above to reset the check engine light.
Techniques involving driving or starting your car several times are the least effort/price techniques but will not guarantee success at resetting the check engine light.
Disconnecting the battery technique may be successful at resetting the check engine light; however, you might need to get your hands a bit dirty, as well as you may not have easy access to the battery.
Finally, the OBD scanner technique is the most likely successful technique to reset your check engine; but you must first have an OBD scanner.
If you used all of the techniques above to reset your check engine light, you still have an issue with your engine, and you need to have it fixed.