MultiHub Forum

My 2018 Honda Civic's check engine light came on yesterday, solid, not flashing, and the car seems to be running normally with no noticeable drop in performance, fuel economy, or strange sounds. I'm planning a long road trip next week and am trying to decide if this is something urgent I need to address immediately at a shop, or if it's safe to drive for a few days while I get an OBD2 scanner to read the code myself. For those more mechanically inclined, what are the most common non-critical codes that would trigger a solid light on a relatively new car without other symptoms, and is there any risk of causing further damage by driving, say, a hundred miles before getting it diagnosed? Should I just go straight to an auto parts store for a free scan, or is investing in my own basic scanner a worthwhile move for future issues?

Solid MIL on a 2018 Civic isn’t automatically urgent, but it isn’t something to ignore either. Since you’re planning a long trip, here’s a practical plan: stop by an auto parts store for a free code scan and write down the code; look up what that code means; if it’s something benign like a small evap leak (P0442/P0446) or a catalyst warning (P0420) you can plan to fix soon but it’s not an immediate danger; if you see misfire codes (P0300 or P030x) or bank-specific codes, it’s wise to get a professional check before a long drive. If you want, post the exact code here and I’ll help interpret.