# Warning light **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** mitsubishi, lancer\ **Created:** [October 17, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/warning-light/38238 "2009-10-17T19:22:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nonprez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Nonprez](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nonprez)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/warning-light/38238/1 "2009-10-17T19:22:56Z")
Just prior to taking the car in for a check-up I realized my "check engine soon"light stayed on long after the car started. I mentioned this to my mechanic. First off we decided that is was now time to change the timing belt so I contracted to have that done. When I picked up my car he told me all about what he did including something about turning off the light by using his computer. The light has worked properly for several weeks but now it again remains on all the time I am driving. Need I worry about it? ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/warning-light/38238/2 "2009-10-17T19:54:34Z")
The ‘Check Engine’ light is how your car tells you it is sensing a problem. There are hundereds of codes, so I can’t even guess at the problem. Take it back to the mechanic, and have them pull the codes to determine what is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 9:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/warning-light/38238/3 "2009-10-17T21:57:25Z")
It is very bad you are dealing with a mechanic that responded to a extended “check engine soon” light with a timing belt replacement. ---
**Author:** ![Nonprez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Nonprez](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nonprez)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 11:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/warning-light/38238/4 "2009-10-17T23:59:32Z")
I had planned the timing belt replacement long before the light problem occurred. It was a problem that occurred after I made my appt. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 5:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/warning-light/38238/5 "2009-10-18T05:55:27Z")
Don’t worry about it, just keep having the timing belt changed. The light should have said “have the problem diagnosed before paying for random repairs”. OK, I see your reply to oldschool and you are excused for having the timing belt changed first. Now you can have the warning light problem done. A mechanic can scan for codes. Most shops have a scanner for that if the car is 1996 or newer. You deserve better service than what you got. ---
**Author:** ![Nonprez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Nonprez](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nonprez)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 5:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/warning-light/38238/6 "2009-10-18T17:14:05Z")
Thanks for the help everyone.