Q: I just jumped my sons car off and now my check engine light is on. What happened?

asked by on November 21, 2016

My son jumped his car off with my car and now my check engine light is on. I'm not sure what could have caused this. Any ideas?

My car has 151000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

Check Engine Light is on Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

When you jump started the other vehicle you may have caused a voltage surge or drop in your computer system that set a code causing the check engine light to come on. You will need a mechanic like one from YourMechanic come to you and scan the computer to see what the code is and diagnose the code. If it is a low voltage code then all the mechanic will need to do is clear the code and check your voltage at the battery to make sure nothing was damaged when you jump started the other vehicle. In the future when jump starting another vehicle do not have your vehicle running when the other vehicle is cranked over.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

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


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

How do I use the air conditioning?
Turning on the air conditioning couldn’t be easier. Simply press the A/C button, which you’ll find in the climate control cluster on the center console. A light will illuminate on the button confirming that the air conditioning has turned on....
Put key in ignition, but nothing happens
The battery would of been drained after sitting for a year. The battery may have been drained to the point it may not be able to be charged and would need a replacement. Also the fuel in the car may...
Transmission slamming into gear
When the transmission bangs into gear, it is usually due to either the engine or transmission mounts (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-engine-mount). When the mounts are worn out, they allow excessive movement that is noticed when switching between drive, park, neutral, and reverse at...
Transmission slipping only in reverse
What a technician would do is first check the level and condition of the transmission fluid (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/transmission-fluid-service) on your 2001 Audi A8 Quattro. Next, they would use a Volkswagen-compatable scan tool which will allow the Transmission Control Module (TCM) to...
Van shuts off - 1992 Dodge B350
A common failure item that may show similar symptoms to your vehicle is the idle air control valve (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/idle-control-valve-replacement). The vehicle may start, but will generally stall soon or immediately. The idle air control valve meters airflow through the throttle...
What causes the fuel pump to keep burning out?
The first thing to come to mind is the quality (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-buy-a-good-quality-fuel-pump) of your replacement pumps. There are many manufacturers in the business of making inferior pumps and selling them for a tempting price. These are often what you get at...
Transmission won't shift into second gear
This is often a sign of low transmission fluid (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/transmission-fluid-service) or a faulty transmission control solenoid. As you know, automatic transmissions use pressurized hydraulic fluid to change gears. Every time a gear change is required, the car's computer activates a...
2007 Audi A3 daytime running lights do not work
There is a technical service bulletin (TSB) for this issue that states the daytime running lamp thumb wheel may get switched off by mistake. Check to make sure the thumb wheel is in the corrector position. It is located next...
I put gas in my chevy equinox 2013, i drove approximately 5miles and i saw ENGINE POWER REDUCED sign on the dashboard. I was in th
Hi Juliet. Thanks for contacting us today. The reduced power light usually indicates a rather major system failure, ranging from a damaged throttle body, engine control unit, or throttle position sensor. It's also common for bad O2 sensors to trigger...

Related articles

4 Essential Things to Know About Your Car’s Check Engine Light
The Check Engine Light turns on when there's an engine problem. A bad oxygen sensor or failed spark plug are common causes for the Check Engine Light.
P0020 OBD-II Trouble Code: Camshaft Position (A) Actuator Circuit (Bank 2)
P0020 P0020 code definition Camshaft Position (A) Actuator Circuit (Bank 2) What the P0020 code means P0020 is the OBD-II generic code indicating that the engine control module (ECM) has determined that the bank 2 intake camshaft Oil Control Valve...
P0048 OBD-II Trouble Code: Turbo/Super Charger Boost Control Solenoid Circuit High
P0048 P0048 Trouble Code definition Turbo/Super Charger Boost Control Solenoid Circuit High What the P0048 code means This code has varied definitions as provided by the manufacturer. The code means that the ECU (Engine Control Unit) has detected an out...