Q: I have a 2010 Hyundai Elantra and the malfunction indicator light is staying on.what do I need to do?

asked by on March 13, 2017

My malfunction indicator light is staying on all the time. What do I have to do?

My car has 101000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Check Engine Light is on Inspection $94.99 - $114.99 Get a Quote

Hello, The malfunction indicator light is also known as the check engine light, which basically means that something is wrong or needs to be serviced. Generally, the check engine light comes on when something fairly serious is going on with the vehicle. This can happen for many different reasons such as a faulty mass air flow sensor, a faulty O2 sensor, a bad catalytic converter, bad spark plugs or wires and many other reasons. Due to the wide range of possibilities for the check engine light to come on, the best and most efficient way to narrow down the scope of what may be causing this is to have the vehicle hooked up to a scanning tool to download any potential fault codes that may have registered in the computer. This will allow a mechanic to determine more specifically what to look for in diagnosing your vehicle. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to take a look at your vehicle to determine what may be causing your check engine light to come on.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

How does the automatic window function work?
Your car has at least one window with auto up/down functionality – the driver side. However, depending on the trim, you might also have auto up/down functionality on the passenger front window. In either instance, here’s how to use it....
Engine skipping.
The skipping you are feeling is the engine misfiring. Your engine coils, plugs and plug boots may need replaced. The valve covers may also be leaking oil into the spark plug holes and the cause of the miss fire. I...
car shaking after botched repair
If you are having the problem after the mentioned repairs were done, and not before, then either they made a mistake or one of the tires is at fault. They rotated your tires for you when they put on the...
Car wont start - 2001 Nissan Sentra
Hello there, a variety of faults will cause your 2001 Nissan Sentra to overheat, be low on coolant, and now have starting trouble. The first problem is the vehicle being low on coolant (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/top-off-coolant), either there is a leak in...
Car is vibrating and clanking on start up.
If the car is moved when the engine is cold before it completes its warm-up cycle, then there will be moisture that is drawn into the engine causing the engine to shake and vibrate with a clanking noise. The issue...
Click no start
If you were driving and your engine stopped abruptly then you may have broke a timing chain and engine seized. You will need to first try and jump start the engine to see if it will turn? If you just...
2011 Camaro SS A6 trans. performed a tune then reset car back to stock. now trans shifts slower 2-3 in D but not in S sport mode
The learned, adaptive shift points have possibly been lost or modified. With enough time, they will re-set. However, if you remove power to the PCM and TCM (both are involved in adaptive shifting), new shift points will be learned and...
Rear window in 2005 scion xb will not go down with rear door switch nor master control switch
Hi Gabrielle. Thanks for contacting us tonight. When you have multiple issues with door locks and windows, it can usually be traced to a faulty control module. Usually, when the module begins to fail, individual systems will start to have...
I have a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited, and sometimes when I start it, it turns over, but not without 2-3 seconds of hesitation
Hi Nicole. Thanks for contacting us today. The question I would ask you is whether or not you were having the starting hesitation issue prior to having the vehicle serviced - or if it happened after. If it's been an...

Related articles

The Best Used Cars to Buy If You Just Got Your License
If If you are a new driver, congratulations on getting your license. Now, you need to think about what type of vehicle to buy. Ideally, you’ll choose a used car that isn’t overly expensive, and is reliable and safe while...
The Best Used Cars to Buy If You're in a Wheelchair
Being Being in a wheelchair means you have a very specific list of demands, and requests for your vehicle. The main focus is of course how you will get in and out of the vehicle. There are some other aspects...
The Best Used Cars to Buy for Occasional Drivers
Not Not everyone relies on their car on a daily basis. Maybe you aren’t the type that deals with a daily commute, and running from here to there constantly. If that’s the case, you may be looking for a car...