2012 Audi A8 Check Engine Light

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most generally misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2012 Audi A8 is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the vital onboard diagnostics system, and displays in an assortment of different ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light illuminates in either an amber or red color and is part of the diagnostics system found on your vehicle. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored vehicle performance since the 80s and do an assortment of things for your 2012 Audi A8. Some of these essential duties include controlling engine speed, shifting automatic transmissions ignition timing, and implementing security control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can mean an assortment of different things. It can be as simple as your gas cap being loose or as hazardous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2012 Audi A8, contact Audi Creve Coeur. Our Audi service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or diagnose why your check engine light is flashing. Contact Audi Creve Coeur today!

Check Engine Light Service 2012 Audi A8

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Audi A8 and suddenly, a yellow light illuminates on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Audi owners, your heart sinks drastically because you may have specifically idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the cost of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep, calm breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t mean you have to pull the vehicle over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is advised that you get your 2012 Audi A8 checked promptly. Ignoring that warning could end up causing major, major damage to pricey engine parts.

When your 2012 Audi A8's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t correct, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is usually labeled “check engine” or “service engine soon”, or the light may be nothing more than a picture of an engine, or a picture of the engine with the word “check.”

When the light turns on, the ECM stores an engine code or “trouble code” in its memory that can instantly identify the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is read with an electronic scan tool that is used by our Audi auto repair mechanics at Audi Creve Coeur. There are still a number of relatively inexpensive code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you prefer that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an experienced professional to determine the definitely correct issue and repair it.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2012 Audi A8?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as simple as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Still, the check engine light could also be a warning of a meaningful problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a hefty and pricey repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A steady and continuous glow typically means something less serious but a flashing check engine light reveals that your vehicle’s engine is in serious trouble and helpful service is necessary quickly. If your check engine light is flashing in your 2012 Audi A8, we very endorse not to drive the car and schedule Audi service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2012 Audi A8 is every crucial. Without a car battery, your car won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s car batteries last much longer than they did a few decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Audi you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Audi A8 is what determines how much fuel is needed to run your engine efficiently by measuring the amount of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to certain changes, like altitude. If your Audi A8 is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a sudden quick change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a important sign of a defective mass airflow sensor.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are needed for your 2012 Audi A8. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel combination in the combustion chamber of your car. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run smooth. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or old, you will experience a conspicuous poor performance and reduced power. In some extreme cases, your engine will have trouble starting or continuing to run. Worn spark plugs and plug wires can cause clogged catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, leading to more costly repairs.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2012 Audi A8’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is usually caused by consistently neglected maintenance, which is why Audi Creve Coeur offers a complimentary multi-point check with every Audi service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2012 Audi A8 will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your car may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause other perilous problems from overheating.
• Your 2012 Audi A8 has a vacuum leak. Every Audi A8 has a vacuum system that performs a wide variety of functions. The vacuum system still helps lower unhealthy emissions by routing the fumes as gasoline evaporates through the engine. If you notice that your RPM is high in idle or randomly surges, a vacuum leak could be the cause. Over time, vacuum hoses can dry out and crack, particularly if they’re exposed to intense heat or extreme cold.
• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, known as the O2 sensor, measures the amount of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns more promptly and your car will be less efficient when it comes to fuel economy. So what happens if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A defective sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause meaningful damage to your catalytic converter and your 2012 Audi A8's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to determine the absolutely correct combination of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A defective O2 sensor can still cause a car to fail an emissions test.
• One of the most common and frequent cause is that your 2012 Audi A8 gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2012 Audi A8 serves different purposes. It prevents unpredictable gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. What happens if you have a defective fuel cap? If your gas cap is old or has a ruptured seal, you can lose fuel through evaporation which will result in more trips to the pump and be more costly. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't costly. If your check engine light turns on expeditiously after you put gas in your 2012 Audi A8, first thing you should check is to make sure the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or other item can wreak extreme havoc on your 2012 Audi A8 if it’s not installed perfectly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can drain the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the car from starting. If these issues sound familiar, bring your A8 to Audi and have our team of accomplished certified mechanics guarantee that your aftermarket items were installed accurately and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, particularly aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might cost a little bit more but could help you save substantially from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.

2012 Audi A8 Check Engine Light

A flashing light indicates that the problem is tremendously serious and if not taken care of rapidly may result in major and significant damage to the vehicle. If the check engine light in your 2012 Audi A8 starts flashing, that means that the problem needs attention rapidly and your Audi should be brought in instantly. This blinking light normally reveals a severe engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can rapidly raise the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is likely, requiring an pricey and huge repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can precisely be the cause. A damaged, old or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is invariably flashing, please contact our team of automotive experts at Audi Creve Coeur instantly by calling 3145824659. If the problem is completely ignored or you continue to drive, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a tremendously pricey repair.

2012 Audi A8 Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating, exceptionally to see that little light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly illuminate, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear right away. If you hear the term, diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), these are just another name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, also known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your A8. There are hundreds of different codes that your check engine light can accurately represent. While that sounds daunting, with a little patience, tackling basic diagnostics will give you useful knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that essential Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, evident and useful vehicle symptoms do not regularly accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of possible OBD codes, there are also hundreds of possible reasons for the light, including:

• Bad Spark Plugs
• Ignition system faults
• O2 Sensor
• Transmission issues
• Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
• Computer output circuit issues
• Old Battery
• Fuel and air metering systems problems
• Emissions controls issues

This is why it is critical for someone who does not have a lot of predominant automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. If the engine light comes on due to a serious concern, you risk damaging your vehicle further by not repairing the issue right away. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out swiftly by a adept certified Audi mechanic. Call Audi Creve Coeur at 3145824659 today or schedule your check engine light service online today!

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

It could be anything from a bad sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is ordinarily difficult to predict how many miles you can be secure in driving with the warning light on. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. If you check engine light is flashing, we advocate that you pull over and contact Audi Creve Coeur to help determine if your vehicle is secure to drive in or if we advocate a tow truck.

2012 Audi A8 Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless potential causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are several common causes including something as simple as a loose gas cap. Other generally common reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty head gasket, dirty mass airflow sensor, damaged oxygen sensor, defective emissions control part, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, or faulty spark plugs to name a few. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Audi Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and entirely repair it as necessary to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Audi issue was completely fixed.

Every 2012 Audi A8 was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the car on its important systems. The speedy sensors are continually detecting conditions while sending crucial data to the electronic control unit. If the electronic control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light illuminates telling you that there is a problem. Nonetheless, sadly that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what exactly is wrong nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Audi Creve Coeur provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Extremely Qualified Service professional.

Is it safe to drive your 2012 Audi A8 with the check engine light on?

This question is not remarkably simple because it all depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be safe to drive. This is usually indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the vehicle, it could be an indication of a more serious problem. If the check engine light is flashing, this means that there is a serious issue and it is suggested to service your Audi A8 swiftly. Call the experts at Audi Creve Coeur by dialing 3145824659 so you can describe the issues. Or lessen your speed and bring your 2012 Audi to our certified mechanics as in the near future as imaginable.

How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?

The average cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is typically between $88 and $111. The good news, Audi Creve Coeur offers entirely free multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help determine the cause of your check engine light. The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not properly tightened to a more serious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it good to get the proper code reading and diagnosis.

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2012 Audi A8 will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. For example, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will quickly turn itself off. Still, if your catalytic converter is working accurately, and you did a lot of stop-and-go driving, that may have turned on the check engine light due to the high usage of the converter. In most cases, your 2012 Audi A8 light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that amount and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Audi Creve Coeur so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.