How to Reset the Check Engine on a Hyundai Tucson
by James Price
Seeing the check engine light turn on in your car can be a distressing feeling. It could mean any number of things that have gone wrong under your hood. After performing your maintenance, the light may remain on. That light represents a series of error message codes in your car's computer. Wiping those codes from the system is the only way to clear the light. Clear the light after fixing the problem.
Step 1
Open the driver's door and locate the lever to release the engine hood latch. Pull the latch until you hear the hood release.
Step 2
Open the hood and ensure that it is properly supported. While most models have self-sustaining hoods, some may still have a rod that you must prop up in order to keep it from falling.
Step 3
Locate the battery in the engine compartment. Look for the negative terminal on the battery by the "-" sign next to it.
Step 4
Using a 1/4 or 3/8 ratchet, remove the bolt keeping the negative terminal on and completely disconnect it. Let the battery sit unplugged for at least 5 minutes.
Step 5
Reconnect the battery, ensuring not to screw the bolt back on too tightly. Start up your car and verify the check engine light is now off. If the light remains on, or turns back on at any point, then a problem still exists with the car and should be inspected by a certified technician.
References
Things You'll Need
- 1/4 or 3/8 socket wrench with sockets.
Warnings
- Do not allow anything metal to simultaneously touch both posts on the battery. Doing so is a risk of electrical shock to yourself, and may ruin the battery.
Writer Bio
James Price has been writing professionally since 2007. His work has recently appeared in the "Chicago Sun Times" and "Daily Northwestern," a university newspaper. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and a Master of Arts in English from Northwestern University.
