W hether you know a lot about cars or nothing about them, it's never fun to see the check-engine light—also known as a malfunction indicator light (MIL). This is your car trying to tell you it ...

If your check engine light is on, don’t panic—it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll need to give your next paycheck to the nearest mechanic. Problems that trigger a check engine light are ...

Consumer Reports explains what the check engine light means and what to do when you see it: how to tell if your car has a loose gas cap—or a serious engine problem.