driving on 95, stuck in traffic, check engine 1-4 light just came on. Can I continue the next 30 miles of my journey or should I get towed? Aaaah!!
The "check engine" warning light means that the Motronic ECU has detected something in one of the monitored systems that has a value outside of its normal range, and that an error code has been stored for you to download and investigate. The CEL does not mean that the engine is about to blow up, and it does not mean that the car needs to be towed. As long as your gauges are indicating that the engine has normal oil pressure and is running at normal temperatures (water and oil), and isn't smoking or making unusual noises, then it should be safe to drive it home, pull the codes and see what they tell you. Most of the systems monitored by the ECU will have a "fail-safe" back-up to get you home.
