Almost all vehicles have an electronic control module (ECM), which is a computerized engine management system. This module controls all the operations of engine and the transmission, facilitating a high performance of the engine and eliminating all the possibilities of emission. These electronic control modules have self testing capacities, which make us aware about engine troubles, as soon as they appear inside the engine. One of such indicators of the ECM is the sign of “check engine light”. This light illuminates when there is a problem inside the engine. Before finding the answer of – what does a flashing check engine light mean, we need to learn about the location and function of the check engine light.

Check Engine Light
The check engine light is also called as malfunction indicator lamp (MIL). It is an indicator of any malfunction in the electronic control module of the automobiles. Typically, the check engine light is found on the instrument console of the vehicles. In some older automobiles, the check engine light was used to be labeled as “engine” or “trouble”, which indicated minor problems like overheating or low oil pressure inside the engine. The check engine light is generally of amber or red color and it has two stages as a steady check engine light and check engine light flashing. A steady check engine light indicates minor problems, while check engine light flashes only when there is a serious problem in the computerized management system of the engine.

Causes of Check Engine Light Flashing
Reasons of check engine light blinking are different for each vehicle. But, a yellow or red check engine light flashing, is a serious cause of concern in itself, which is far more serious than a constant or steady check engine light. If you notice the check engine light flashing when you drive the car in the city area, which goes off on a freeway, then you need to check for the overall performance of your vehicle in both the cases. If there is any problem in the performance and the mechanism of the car, then take the vehicle to the service center. More on car problems.