How To Reset Check Engine Light: Follow These 4 Easy Ways!

The check engine light comes on when your car’s computer detects an issue within the powertrain. It can indicate a major or minor complication, but ignoring it definitely makes the problem worse, leading to costly damage and repair. You can avoid all the hassles if you know the reasons for the light coming on. Nevertheless, it sometimes does not turn off despite solving the glitch. In that case, you will need to know how to reset Check Engine Light. Let’s check out the article below.

How to Reset Check Engine Light: 4 Easy Way to Do

Most of drivers feel annoyed if the red light of the Check Engine Indicator still does not go away even the fault of the car was fixed. In this case, your vehicle’s computer is at fault and it needs a little fix to resolve the issue.

Check this video to find out how to do these steps properly!

1. Use A Scan Tool

How to reset check engine light by a scan tool (Source: Wikihow)

Using a scan tool is the easiest way for check engine light reset. If you wonder to know how to turn off check engine light by this way, here are 3 steps for you.

Step 1: Connect the scan tool to the OBD – II

Connecting the scan tool to the OBD- II ( On- board diagnostic connector) under your steering column. Then you turn the ignition switch to ON and don’t forget to turn of all gadgets.

Connect the scanner to the on-board diagnostic connector (Source: Wikihow)

Step 2: View error codes by pressing the “READ” button

Pressing the “READ” button on the scan tool to see the error codes of the engine. You should need a pen to write down the code or codes in the order they were received for future repairs or reference if needed.

Press the "Erase" button on your scanner to clear the error code — Press the “Erase” button on your scanner to clear the error code (Source: Wikihow)

Step 3: Remove the error code

Pressing the “ERASE” button on the scan tool to remove the error code. The Check Engine Light will turn off if all error codes are cleared.
Some scan tools have many capabilities such as freeze frame that notes some sensor readings when a code was set and removing the codes will also remove this file.
Note: In some scanners, they might have an automatic option and a “CLEAR” or “YES” button instead of “ ERASE” button.
Don’t forget to turn on the ignition before deleting the codes.

2. Apply The Battery Disconnecting Technique

Disconnecting battery cables to reset check engine light (Source: Wikihow)

Using battery disconnecting technique is an old way to reset check engine light. Here are 3 steps to help you know how to reset check engine light by this method.

Step 1: Disconnecting car battery cables

In this step, you should use a wrench to remove positive and negative cables.

Apply The Battery Disconnecting Technique (Source: Wikihow)

Step 2: Draining remaining electricity

Next thing you should do is to press and hold the car horn for about 30 seconds. This action will help to drain any

Press and hold your horn for 30 seconds to drain any remaining electricity from the capacitor (Source: Wikihow)

electricity from your car capacitor.

Step 3: Waiting and reconnecting the battery

After disconnecting the battery cables and draining remaining electricity, all you have to do is to wait about 15 minutes then re-install the car battery cables. The error codes should be deleted which will cause the engine light to turn off. (Note: this method may not word on all car computers). In case, the car battery is disconnected and the light comes right back on, this may show an active problem and should be addressed and fixed.

3. Turn The Ignition On And Off

It’s a repeat of the previous technique without disconnecting the battery. You just have to put the key into the ignition and turn it on and off for three times in a row with the gap of a second in each step. After you are done, drive the car to see if the light is reset.

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4. Let The Check Engine Light Go Off By Itself

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Another way of how to reset check engine light is letting it go off by itself. It’s an easy process because you need to do practically nothing except for driving the vehicle as usual. The computer system in most cars keeps rechecking the problems that activate the light in the first place. If it’s a minor issue such as a glitch in the mass airflow or O2 sensor, it may fix automatically, and the light will go dark. However, if it still stares at you after three days, you have to apply the methods mentioned above to reset it.

What If The Check Engine Light Returns?

It can come back within a few days or weeks, which may signal a major complication. If it keeps happening despite following the resetting procedures, you should take the car to a service center and have it diagnoses by a professional mechanic. Such a repair shop uses more sophisticated tools to find out the exact problems.

Hopefully you may know How to reset check engine light by DIY methods through this article. If you have any question, leave us a comment on the box below, we will answer it for you.