Q: Blinking engine light
Last night my car started shaking after getting off the interstate. Engine light was flashing and I got the message "service emission system". With acceleration, the car shook and would idle very rough once I got it home about three miles away.
My car has 168000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
The engine shaking and idling rough with a flashing check engine light is an indication you have a misfire in the engine. If you have a computer scan it should show ignition misfire codes to one or more cylinders misfiring. For instance if cylinder number two was misfiring you would get a code P0302 in the computer when tested. This directs you to the cylinder to look for problems. You may have a bad coil, spark plug or plug wire boot. You would need to isolate the cause of the misfire once the codes are retrieved. If you need assistance then have a mechanic like one from YourMechanic scan for codes and locate the problem or cause of the misfire.
Get an instant quote for your car
Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing