We all have car engine problems here and there.  That little light comes on the dashboard, or maybe the car engine is just making some funny noises.   Regardless, you’re going to want to figure out how to fix is ASAP.  If you let something like this go, you may cause even more in damage in the near future.

#1 Check your owner’s manual – It sounds so simple, yet many people don’t do this.  Whip out your car manual and head to the page where they show you the icons.  Match that icon up to your dashboard and see what it has to say.

#2 Head to an auto part shop - A place like AutoZone and others will analyze your engine for free.  This is a great way to get the exact problem and how you can fix it.

#3 Google the engine problem – Sometimes you can just Google the problem and see what other people are saying.    You’re going to have to remember that all cars are created in a different way.  For example, if your engine is making a clicking noise and you drive a Honda Civic, search for something like, “Honda Civic engine clicking noise.”

#4 Call up a shop – Most of the nicer shops out there will tell you what they think is wrong over the phone.  They have dealt with it all.  What you can do is call them up, ask, and see what they recommend.  They will of course, try to lure you in, but you may be able to get some good advice.

What can cause a bad engine?

Engine is worn out - Your engine may just be getting old.   If you have more than 200,000+ miles one the car, you may want to look into a new one.

Cooling system - Your engine may overheat.  This means that some of the pieces outside of the car may be failing.  Pieces such as the radiator, cooling lines, and more could be going bad.

Battery - The battery may be going if you car doesn’t start at all.    You may want to get  jump start to see if that gets it going again.

Bad spark plugs - If the plugs aren’t creating the spark that they need, you may find that you’re going to need new spark plugs.

This list could go on and on.  What I would recommend that you look into the tips above.  If you’re not that good with engine problems, then you can always call up a professional to get the advice that you need.