Is it safe to drive with the glow plug light on?
Your diesel vehicle is equipped with glow plugs as well as a glow plug indicator that either comes on or flashes when the ECU (engine control module) detects a malfunction. When the glow plug lights up...
Your diesel vehicle is equipped with glow plugs as well as a glow plug indicator that either comes on or flashes when the ECU (engine control module) detects a malfunction. When the glow plug light comes on, the ECU stores information about the condition that caused it to come on. A qualified mechanic who has a code reader suitable for your particular vehicle make and model can obtain this information and then diagnose the problem and recommend a course of action.
So, can you drive safely with the glow plug light on? It depends on the nature of the problem. Sometimes when the glow plug light comes on, your car's engine goes into "safe" mode to prevent engine damage. If this happens, you may experience a drop in performance. This probably doesn't matter much if you're just loading around the city, but it can pose a safety issue if it happens when you're performing a maneuver such as overtaking or merging onto a highway. Here's what you need to do.
Run diagnostics as soon as possible to find out what the problem is and how to fix it. You don't want to leave this to guesswork. In most cases, the problem can be due to faulty crankshaft sensors or cams, but there are other causes that can cause the glow plug light to come on.
If you need to keep driving, don't rush. It would probably be better to avoid highway traffic.
Don't think the problem will just go away on its own - it won't. The glow plug light has come on for some reason, and until you find out what the cause is and fix it, it will stay on.
You can probably drive safely with the glow plug light on if you're not worried. But you need to check it out. Always remember, your warning lights are trying to tell you something, and determining whether a message is serious or minor is best left to a qualified mechanic.
