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You are driving on the road, and suddenly out of nowhere, the ‘Service Engine Soon’ light appears on your dashboard. Which will leave you anxious thinking about how to reset service engine soon light? Will my engine get damaged if I continue driving? Should I stop the car immediately and tow it to the garage? How much will it cost to get it repaired? Relax! there is no need to worry now, you’ve come to the right place. the service engine soon light is not as dangerous as it seems. In this article, you will learn everything you have to know about the service engine soon warning light.

What Does The Service Engine Soon Light Mean?

The Service engine soon light indicates a minor problem with the electronics or your car’s engine. Some manufacturers use the service engine soon light instead of the check engine light when there is just a minor problem with your car and not a severe problem.

It could also mean that it is time for a scheduled service, such as oil or spark plug replacement. Some manufacturers only have one indicator for both scheduled service and engine problems. The service engine light is not the same as the check engine light. If the check engine light is flashing, then this usually means that there is something more seriously wrong with your vehicle.

Reasons For The Service Engine Soon Light To Come On?

Before discussing how to reset service engine soon light? First, we’ll discuss what are the reasons behind the service engine soon light coming on? There are some special situations when your service engine soon light is more likely to come on. This differs slightly between car manufacturers, but these causes are often very similar between car models. Here are the causes of a service engine soon light:

1. Service Due:-

If the car’s servicing gets due the service engine soon light comes on. This can include regular service items such as engine oil change, new spark plugs, fuel filter change, air filter replacement, and cabin (pollen) filter renewal.

2. Low Engine Fluid:-

If one or more of your engine fluids are low, this can cause a service engine soon light. Fluids include engine oil, coolant, or windshield washer fluid.

3. Low Level Of Ad Blue:-

Newer diesel vehicles also utilize ad blue to lower emissions. The ad blue tank needs topping up every few 1000 miles, and the service engine light may come on when the ad blue levels get low.

4. Wear Out Brake Pad:-

Another common service item that needs regular attention is brake pads. Most vehicles these days will have a brake pad wear sensor fitted that will set off the engine service light when the brake pads wear out. Some vehicles also have a separate brake service icon that will light up in red when the brakes need attention.

5. Clogged Diesel Particulate Filter [DPF]:-

If your vehicle is less than 10 years old and has a diesel engine fitted, then it more than likely has a diesel particulate filter fitted. These filters have a limited lifespan and usually need replacement or deep cleaning after 125,000 miles of driving. A service engine soon light can indicate that the DPF is clogged and needs attention.

What’s The Difference Between The Check Engine Light And Service Engine Soon Light?

A flashing check engine light indicates a problem with your engine. It is usually triggered when an engine sensor receives a signal that is outside the expected range. It can be caused by a faulty engine component such as a faulty fuel pump or fuel injector, or it can be caused by a faulty sensor. You should always investigate a check engine light as soon as possible so as not to cause engine damage.

A service engine soon light is telling you that your car is due a routine service. It will usually light up at set intervals, for example, every 12 months or after a certain amount of mileage has been covered. You can ignore a service engine soon light for a few days or weeks, but you should get your car serviced on time so as not to cause problems in the long term.

How To Reset Service Engine Soon Light?

When you are on the road and your ‘Service Engine Soon’ light appears, you will most likely not have any diagnostic tools with you. You can check some common things by the side of the road when the light appears. If you are unfamiliar with your vehicle, then the first thing you should do is check the vehicle handbook so as to learn what type of service indicator is fitted to your car.Here are a few steps to take when the service engine soon light comes on.

Step 1:- Check The Vehicle Handbook

If the service engine soon light comes on, the first thing you should do is take a look at the vehicle handbook to see what is going on. Dashboard warning lights can differ slightly from vehicle to vehicle, so it’s a good idea to reference the handbook.

Step 2:- Check The Service Log Book

Take a look at the service book usually stored with the vehicle manual in the glove box and check to see when the last engine service was carried out and compare this to the manufacturer recommended service interval.

Step 3:- Check Fluids And Fluid Caps

If the engine is not due a scheduled service, then the next thing you should do is take a quick look under the hood to see if anything obvious is wrong. Start by dipping the engine oil (if your engine has a dipstick). You should also check the other fluid levels. Check the coolant level by looking at the amount of fluid in the coolant top-up bottle. It’s important to do this when the engine has cooled, as the coolant level will rise when the engine is hot. Also, don’t remove the coolant bottle cap if the engine is hot!

Locate the brake fluid reservoir and ensure that the brake fluid level is ok. Check the location of the reservoir in the handbook, but it can usually be located up under the windshield beside the master cylinder.

Step 4:- Run An Engine Diagnostic

If your vehicle does not have a separate check engine and service engine soon light, then the light may come on if there is a bigger problem with your vehicles’ engine. A diagnostic code reader will give you access to the engine control unit and any error codes that may be stored in memory.

There are hundreds of different possible error codes, each relating to a particular engine system or enginecomponent. Take a note of any error codes that are retrieved, and then clear them from memory. Now take your vehicle for a drive and if the service engine soon light comes back on, run another diagnostic to see if the same error codes appear.

Frequently Asked Questions:-

Now that we’ve discussed how to reset service engine soon light? It’s time to see some FAQs about the service engine soon light such as what are its causes? can I drive with this light? how to turn off the service engine soon light? etc.

Conclusion:-

The above-mentioned information about how to reset service engine soon light? We hope this will be helpful to all the readers. If anybody’s doubts persist feel free to comment in the comment section below. We’ll try to solve your doubts as soon as possible.