"I checked, and the engine is there"

I know it's just a meme, but an OBDII dongle

even a cheap $10 Bluetooth one

is super useful. You can read and reset the codes, and watch stats in real-time if so inclined.

That's how a $50 problem becomes a $2000 problem

VW drivers call that a CEL, or “contains engine light.” As long as it’s lit you know your car still contains an engine.

My Honda check engine light came on and... it was a faulty check engine light bulb, got it replaced, no more check engine light

Bro is getting the most out of his 2006 Honda Civic. He'll be driving it up until the inevitable heat death of the universe.

Get a cheap OBD2 scanner. They cost like €5 for Bluetooth ones and will tell you what error codes you are getting. A lot of them are not serious, and would save you a lot of money.

I checked; the engines still there. How do I turn the light off?

Lmao. But in all seriousness taking it in right away or getting a code reader could mean the difference between a $100 fix and a $1200 fix

Having a 2000s Honda Civic is spending about 70% of your mileage running codes for sensors.

The check other just tells you that your car still has an engine. What you REALLY don't want to see is that light randomly disappearing. At that point your car no longer cares about the engine and will get rid of it.

In all seriousness, keep up on car maintenance. It's cheaper in the long run that way. And if your CEL ever flashes, get that checked out ASAP. That means there is a much bigger problem such as a misfire or a fueling issue. Both of those could melt or clog your catalytic converters. Those things are big money.

As long as one's bank account balance is lower than one's IQ, the check engine light will never be anything more than a suggestion.

Man, I drive an older German car, and they take their warning lights seriously. Like if you're driving to the hospital and the gas light comes on, you're stopping for gas.

Got about another 85,000 miles before having to think about it again

Or you're driving a Chevy colorado/GMC Canyon and that light basically just means the engine is running, because it's been on since the truck had 45k miles and replacing the parts so that the little princess ECU will stop setting codes over a 0.001 deviation from the norm is just a waste of time.

But I wouldn't know anything about that.

I hope OOP drives a pre-2000s Honda because that's entirely untrue for anything made in the last few decades

When I got it on my 2018 Civic last year, it turned out that rats had crawled up to the engine compartment and chewed of a cylinder cable.

I still managed to drive to work and to the car repair shop - albeit on low gears.

See also: Toyota

I feel this is also true for toyotas.