Ignoring a check engine or service light suddenly appearing on your dash is dangerous. Not acting on it could cause your engine to malfunction. In this article, I’ll discuss Engine Fault Service Now meaning on Ford Escape and Focus.
If the Engine Fault Service Now light shows up on your Ford Escape or Ford Focus dashboard, you should get your car to your trusted mechanic as soon as possible. Perhaps your car is producing strange noises coming from the engine. If it does, this service light will show up on your dash.
If something wrong happens to a Ford Escape or Ford Focus engine, its Engine Fault Service Now light will appear on the dashboard. This light will appear if the vehicle’s onboard diagnostic system or ECU can detect a problem with the engine, fuel emission, exhaust system, or ignition.
Read on to learn more about the meaning of the Engine Fault Service Now light and what you can do if it suddenly shows up on the dash of your Ford Escape or Ford Focus.
Engine Fault Service Now Meaning – Ford Escape and Focus
Engine-related Issue
If you’re an average person, you will worry if you see the Engine Fault Service Now light suddenly showing up on your Ford Escape or Focus dashboard.
This light showed up because your car’s onboard diagnostic system or ECU has detected an issue with the engine, the exhaust system, the ignition system, fuel, or emission.
Most Ford vehicles will display this light on the dash if the engine is experiencing problems in its operation. Don’t ignore this light when it suddenly appears on your dash. Ignoring it may lead to more severe issues with your engine.
This light is alerting you regarding an engine-related problem that has just occurred. When your car’s ECU detects the problem, it will trigger the Engine Fault Service Now light. That’s the reason why it showed up on your dash.
Engine Misfire or Not Fully Closed Fuel Cap
There are many reasons why the ECU will trigger this light. Sometimes, it’s a minor issue, such as not fully closing the fuel cap after you have gassed up. Or it could be caused by a major fault such as the engine’s misfiring.
May Lead to Serious Problems
If you see this Engine Fault Service Now on a Ford Focus, you can’t ignore it. You should determine why it is on in the first place. Ignoring this light may lead to more serious engine problems, which can be more challenging to resolve.
This Engine Fault Service Now light will show up on your car if the ECU detects issues on your vehicle while it is running or while you are driving it. If there is unchanging engine hours data that the ECU has detected, this warning light will turn on.
It means that as you are driving your car, it is not experiencing any increments in its operation. When this happens, the Engine Fault Service Now light is triggered. The ECU is warning you of the unchanging values being experienced by the engine. This is not normal.
Have the Car Checked as Soon as Possible
The reason why this light turned on could be minor or major. There is no way of knowing the real cause of why this light suddenly turned on. So, it is best to have your car checked as soon as possible to put the problem behind your back.
Based on experience with Ford Escape and Focus, the most common reason for turning on this warning light is that the engine is misfiring miserably. If this happens on your engine, it will allow unburned fuel to go straight through your car’s exhaust.
Does the Check Engine Light Turn on for No Reason at All?
What to Do When You See Engine Fault Service Now Warning
Since you cannot determine the cause or the real reason why this warning light suddenly shows up on your dash, your best move is to act immediately. You need to bring your Ford Escape or Focus to the nearest car mechanic so they can give it a look-see.
If your car is generating strange noises from the engine, you need to have it examined by a competent mechanic to arrest the problem immediately. If you don’t, the problem could get bigger. This can lead to a more serious engine problem that could be more difficult and costly to repair.
Suppose this warning light shows up while driving; find a place where you can safely stop. Then do a preliminary inspection. You may not have fully closed the fuel cap, so look at that place.
If after you have inspected your car and you didn’t find any obvious problem, it could be an engine fault. Many things can make a car engine not run properly. If this is the case, check if you can still safely drive your car.
If it is still safe to operate, bring it to the nearest car mechanic so they can inspect it more thoroughly than you have just done. However, if you smell, feel, or hear something that is not normal, your car is no longer safe to drive.
Call for a towing service and bring it to the nearest mechanic for proper inspection and repair. They will have the right tools, such as a vehicle scanner that can determine the fault codes of your car. An OBD 2 scanner is the best way to find the cause of a car problem.
Is It Safe to Drive with the Check Engine Light On?
Why Does the Car Say Engine Fault Service Now?
Your car’s onboard computer reacts to things that cause your vehicle not to work correctly. It does not wait for the problem to worsen before it sends a warning signal to alert you of the danger. You can’t ignore a light that suddenly pops on your dashboard.
Regarding the Engine Fault Service Now light, there are many reasons the ECU can trigger it. Here are some of these reasons:
1. Engine Misfire
As I have already mentioned, a misfiring engine is the most common reason the Ford Escape Engine Fault Service Now warning light appears on your dash. A machine that operates in its correct timing, i.e., the proper firing sequence for each cylinder, will not have this problem.
But if your car seems sluggish in its performance, you must check its engine. The combustion inside the cylinders will not be complete if your engine has this problem.
An engine that fires its cylinder into the correct sequence and with the right timing will run smoothly. In contrast, if your ride is rough and the engine hesitates, it could be misfiring. That’s one of the triggers of the Engine Fault Service Now on a Ford Transit.
2. Bad O2 Sensor
If you have a modern car, your engine is indeed fuel injected. In that case, it uses O2 or oxygen sensors. This is a critical component of your engine.
It is the device your onboard computer or ECU depends on to regulate the correct mixture of air and fuel that the engine burns in its cylinders so it can run.
So, if the O2 sensors of your car are not working correctly, the ECU will detect it and cause the engine Fault Service Now warning light to turn on.
3. Bad MAF Sensor
Your engine’s air intake has a Mass Air Flow Sensor (MAF). This device works to regulate the amount of air that is allowed to enter the air intake of the engine. If it is not working correctly, it can cause the air intake to allow more air to enter, more than what is required.
A malfunctioning MAF sensor can also restrict airflow in the air intake. Whatever the case, your engine will not run smoothly because its air intake can either be rich or lean. So, to alert you of the issue, the Engine Fault Service Now warning light will turn on.
4. Bad Battery
Another reason the Engine Fault Service Now warning light can show up on your dash is a malfunctioning battery. If it has low power or is completely dead, this warning light will suddenly appear on the dash display.
You need to check your battery regularly. Corrosion on the terminals, improperly connected terminals, and low battery juices are why this warning light can appear on your dash. You must replace it with a new one if it’s completely dead.
5. Electrical Problems
Your car will not run if it is not connected to a power source. Before you can start the engine, electricity must be used by the starter to crank the engine. When the engine starts, your car uses several electrical systems so it can run smoothly.
If your car experiences an electrical issue, its ECU will trigger the Engine Fault Service Now light to alert you. Electrical problems such as a damaged electrical cable or a short circuit in an electrical system can be the culprit.
Additionally, it may be the ECU itself that is experiencing a problem. This is where car mechanics use OBD 2 scanners to pinpoint the cause of the problem. These scanners are very effective in checking the electrical issues of a car, among other things.
6. Bad Air Intake
This is related to the MAF problem but is somewhat different. Another thing you can check if the Engine Fault Service Now warning light turns on is the air intake condition. If it has holes, even small ones, it will allow more air into the engine’s combustion chambers.
When that happens, the air-to-fuel mixture will be rich – with more air than necessary. The engine will have a rough idle; you will experience increased fuel consumption and reduced engine performance. If you don’t fix this issue, your engine will eventually fail.
7. Bad Spark Plugs
If you still use old spark plugs in your engine, they can also trigger the Engine Fault Service Now warning light. While this cause is uncommon, it can still cause this warning light to turn on. So, to avoid this problem, check your spark plugs regularly.
Again, what does engine fault service now mean? Engine Fault Service Now means your Ford has ignition, fuel, exhaust system, or emissions issue.
How to Fix the Engine Fault Service Now Issue
If you happen to be driving and this warning light suddenly pops up on your dash display, there is something that you can do to fix it. But make sure there is no underlying problem with your car and its engine so you can be safe.
If you are sure there is no genuine issue with your engine, you can just reset the Engine Fault Service Now warning light and continue driving to your destination. Here’s what you can do to reset this warning light.
Turn the ignition off. Then turn it on again. Repeat this three times. Be sure to pause one second each time you repeat the cycle. The engine management light should go off after doing the process.
If it does not, you must stop driving your car until it is checked and repaired by a competent car mechanic. In that case, you have to call for a towing service so that they can bring your car to the nearest car service center.
Don’t just reset this warning light just like that. Usually, if the Engine Fault Service Now light suddenly turns on, it is a sign of a severe fault with the engine or an electrical issue within the system. So, don’t ignore this warning lightly.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you still have questions about the Engine Fault Service Now warning light and why it can suddenly pop up on your dash, perhaps you will get the answers below:
What Is Engine Fault Service Now Light Meant in a Ford Escape or Ford Focus?
If you see this warning light on the dash of your Ford Escape or even in your Ford Focus, it means there is an issue in your engine that the ECU has detected. The best thing you can do is to drive your car to the nearest mechanic (if you can still drive it safely) and have it checked by them.
Can You Ignore Engine Fault Service Now Issue?
If the Engine Fault Service Now warning light suddenly pops out on your dash, ignoring it will be disastrous. This light appeared on your dash because your car’s ECU detected a severe engine problem.
If you disregard it, the problem may grow worse. Then you may have to spend more time and money to fix it. It is better to fix it right now.
Why Does the Engine Fault Service Now Light Suddenly Appear on the Dash Display?
There are several why this warning light will suddenly pop up on your dashboard. Some of these reasons are:
- Misfiring engine
- Faulty O2 sensor
- Malfunctioning Mass Air Flow sensor
- Failing battery
- Electrical problems
- Damaged air intake
- Faulty spark plugs
In Closing: Engine Fault Service Now Meaning – Ford Escape and Focus
You should bring your Ford Escape or Ford Focus to your trusted car mechanic as soon as possible if the Engine Fault Service Now warning light shows up on the dashboard. Maybe the engine is producing strange noises which caused this light to turn on.
When this light shows up on your dash, whatever the problem is, don’t ignore it. If you don’t do anything about it and examine the cause, it may lead to severe damage to your engine.
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