A steady light and a flashing light are different messages
The check engine light is the most common reason people bring an engine in, and it is also the most misunderstood, because it has two modes that mean very different things.
Steady. The engine computer has recorded a fault. It may be minor, it may be an emissions sensor, it may be the start of something larger. The vehicle is usually safe to drive to the shop, and booking within a few days is reasonable.
Flashing. The engine is misfiring badly enough that unburned fuel is reaching the exhaust. That fuel can overheat the catalytic converter, which is expensive to replace. Ease off, avoid hard acceleration and heavy loads, and get the vehicle in as soon as you can.
The difference between those two is the single most useful thing a driver can know about the light.
Cold mornings tell you something too
A rough idle for the first minute on a freezing morning, a hesitation that disappears once the engine is warm, or a start that takes several tries only in the cold: note when it happens. A fault that shows up only cold points to different causes than one that is always present, and the description narrows the search.
What this store covers
Diagnosis and repair on cars and light trucks. With eighteen services at one address, a fault that turns out to be cooling system or overdue scheduled maintenance is handled in the same building.
Heavy truck engine work is not offered.
The national engine repair page covers what the warning light does and does not report.
About this store
The Reno store is managed by Fred Sinfellow.
See the national engine repair page for all 33 locations.