My check engine light came on in my VW Passat yesterday. But the car is running totally normally - no problems driving or starting it. Do I need to go to the shop right away or can I still drive it for a few days until I can get an appointment?
I wouldn't take it lightly, even if everything seems to be running normally. The check engine light doesn't just come on for no reason - there's an error that your car's computer has detected. Sure, sometimes it's just something minor like a loose gas cap or a sensor acting up. But it could just as easily be something more serious that's just starting to develop. If you keep driving for a few more days, the problem could get worse.
My advice: Get an appointment as soon as possible - ideally this week. A lot of shops can fit you in pretty quickly for diagnostics. It usually doesn't take long, and then you'll know what you're dealing with. Until then, you should stick to normal driving and avoid aggressive driving, high RPMs, or heavy loads. It probably won't get completely trashed, but "a few more days" can quickly turn into "now it's a real problem."
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