Many, myself included, love having an Eco light on their vehicle. With gas prices soaring right now, it is crucial for us to get the most out of every single fill up at the gas station. But when your Eco light is not working, it is frustrating to anyone that relies on this.
What is the Eco Light on a Vehicle?
The Eco light on a vehicle is a piece of technology that allows you to get some good fuel economy.
Some drivers believe fully in the eco indicator light, while others say if you just watch how you are driving, you can do the same thing. But with Eco mode, you can drive how you wish and you will still be saving fuel.
How Does Eco Mode Work?
Eco Mode helps to regulate climate control in a vehicle. Power output and seat heating are also controlled by this.
To provide you with better fuel economy, the transmission and engine performance are restricted. Should you press as hard as you can on the gas pedal, you will speed up how the car manufacturer intended you to.
At this time, you will receive maximum fuel economy without adverse side effects. Fuel, air, and other adjustments are provided to help with this. You will not notice a huge change, but may notice a slight decrease in power.
You can view the Eco Light on your multi information display. If you are not able to see this, press the Display (or DISP) button on the steering wheel continuously until you can see it.
The better your fuel economy is at that time is when the indicator bar is the closest to the left.
When you use a slight touch on the accelerator, the bar will remain in the eco range and the green eco-indicator will show up on the screen.
When you press hard on the accelerator, the indicator will be removed and the bar will stretch beyond the Eco zone and begin flashing. That means it’s most likely that you’re utilizing more gas than you should be.
Reasons Why the Eco Light is Not Working
There are various reasons as to why the Eco indicator light is not working.
Check Engine Light is On
It is completely normal for the Eco light to not come on if the check engine light is currently on. It does this so it doesn’t damage the engine. If there are any stored error codes, you will have to clear them in order to have the Eco light come back on.
Eco Mode Has Been Turned Off
The Eco light in your car can be turned on and off. You can refer to your owner’s manual under the warning lights and indicators section.
To turn Eco mode on and off, you should be in park. Hold the DISP button down to show the settings. Keep scrolling through until you see ECO light on/off.
Battery Check
If you find your eco light is not working, you should check the battery. If the battery begins to fail, you may find that the eco light does not work.
Not Warmed Up
The Eco light will not be activated until the engine is warmed up. If you are starting the vehicle up on a cold day, and do not allow enough time before taking off, the Eco light will not work.
Accelerate Hard
If you accelerate too hard, you will notice the Eco indicator lights shut off and the bar will begin to flash.
Can You Drive With the Eco Light On All the Time?
Yes, you may drive with the Eco indicator light on at all times. You will not have to worry about damaging the engine, nor will you need to think about having an increase in your maintenance. There are no foreseeable issues with driving with this light on at all times.
It is actually recommended that you drive with the Eco Indicator Light on. It will help to save the environment and will save you some money at the pumps. The light will simply help a driver by monitoring how they accelerate. Sometimes we may feel that we are not hard on the gas pedal, but in actuality, we are. This indicator light will show if you are wasting precious fuel or not.
There are times when you probably will not want to use Eco Mode. This will include when you are going up a large hill or speeding up to pass another vehicle on the highway.
When Should You Drive With the Eco Mode On?
Anytime you want to save on fuel is a great time to drive with the Eco mode on. If you need maximum performance on your car, you should refrain from using Eco mode.
Eco mode should be used when you have stop and go driving. Do not use it if you need power when driving. You should also refrain from using it if you need absolute control over the heating and cooling inside the vehicle.
Eco Mode and Other Driving Modes
Vehicles will come equipped with different driving modes. Each one was designed to drive in a different circumstance or scenario. In a Toyota, there are normal, snow, and sport modes, as well as Eco mode.
For everyday driving, you should use the normal driving mode. If you want more control, consider sports mode. And if you are in a place where snow falls, the snow mode can be useful.
When driving in Eco mode, power output will be adjusted, as will any heating or cooling to give full priority to saving fuel.
In Conclusion
Eco mode and the Eco indicator light can be an important features in your car. If you like to save on your gas fill ups, paying attention to these is a good idea. And right now, it is more important to many to be able to save a buck or two. Should your eco indicator light stop working, you can call your dealership or mechanic and have them take a look at it.
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