This light is also known as the Malfunction Indicator Lamp and may be seen on the dash as 'Check Engine', 'Service Engine Soon' or an icon in the shape of an engine. In the early years of Check Engine lights, a few carmakers set up the lights to go on once the car hit a certain mileage, so if you have an older vehicle keep this in mind. In 1996, all carmakers were forced to conform to a standardized format for storage and retrieval of DTCs.
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