Q: No MIL light

asked by on May 01, 2017

The check engine light will not come on for pre-start. Therefore, they busted my emissions because the light is not working and I've changed the bulb.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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The check engine light (CEL) has to be working to pass inspection in most states. When you turn on the key before starting the car, it should be illuminated, as should most of the other warning lights on the dashboard. If none of the lights are coming on, you might have a problem in your instrument cluster. If it’s just the CEL that is not coming on it could be a problem in the dash or a problem in the controller. Sometimes those little dashboard lights are fickle. You might have to wiggle the light in its mount to get it to make contact. I’ve also seen cases where someone has put tape over the light in the dashboard so they could sell the car without disclosing the problems it had. A scan tool will tell you whether the controller is trying to turn the CEL on. To get this problem sorted out, you can contact Your Mechanic. They can send a technician to your home or office to check out your CEL and let you know what its going to take to fix it.

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