Man’s Check Engine Light Comes On. Then He Keeps Driving Anyway: ‘My Bank Account Said No Thank You’

More than a few of us are driving around in a vehicle that’s got a light or two that we’ve been ignoring. It could be a tire pressure alert, an issue with a daytime running light, or the vague and terrifying check engine light.

All of these lights require a follow-up. But sometimes, you learn which one you can ignore. That’s  how California-based TikTok creator Bishop Magic Don Juan’s (@bishopmagicdonjuan) method for dealing with the always ominous check engine light.

Over the sounds of Lenny Kravitz’s 1991 song “It Ain’t Over ‘Till It’s Over,” Bishop Magic is driving along with a small smile on his face. He’s shaking his head and looking utterly unconcerned: like whatever is happening under the hood is not even his business. The video has 2.6 million views.

But questions remain: What kinds of problems could he be overlooking? And what happens if he continues to ignore it?

According to the experts at AAA, the problem the engine is alerting to could be as mundane as a loose gas cap, or as serious as a problem with the catalytic converter. However, before you panic the next time the little amber light glows, it’s important to double-check and see how the dashboard light is behaving.

Do Check Engine Lights Mean The Same Thing?

If the light is solid, just glowing yellow/amber, the car needs to be checked out. The vehicle’s owner should address the potential problem as soon as possible. But the problem does not pose an immediate problem “unless something is noticeably wrong,” advises AAA.

The bad news is if the light is blinking. While not exactly flashing out S.O.S., it might as well be. Because if the check engine light is blinking, it probably indicates an ignition malfunction. If you don’t get the problem fixed, it could potentially develop into a catastrophic problem. 

Now, if the light starts flashing while the car is on the road, it’s time to pay close attention to how the vehicle is handling. “If the vehicle is losing power, shaking, emitting a strange odor, or acting in an otherwise abnormal way, pull over as soon as it's safe to do so and inspect the problem yourself, or contact roadside assistance,” AAA instructs. 

Is It Safe To Ignore Car Problems?

There’s premium care for vehicles, and then there’s what many of us do: learn to live with things. Especially the quirks of an older vehicle that is paid off, runs, and has working air conditioning. People who commented on the post shared their methods for dealing with dashboard lights. Hint: avoidance is a big part of the method.

“I put a sticker over mine for encouragement,” said ashleyy.victoria, who even included an image of her alleged sticker. It says, “Just keep going.”

Then crownedalchemist recalled, “My check engine light came on after getting the fix done. I kept driving and said I'll go next week and next week turned into 3 months. Finally the light turned off. I'm good if the car is good.”

Another user had an epic, but short tale of a persistent dash light: “Check engine light has been on in our 1999 Toyota Tacoma for a few years now, it started flashing the other day and we hit a bump it stopped so I think it’s probably fine,” said slim_shady001. 

But for those who take their car care a little more seriously, ashxsg1 offered this advice: “Go to any AutoZone location. Free of charge, they’ll connect your car to a device that will tell you what your car is all mad about.

AutoZone’s website verifies this. It’s their “Fix Finder” service and it’s free. The company says that the test takes about a minute, and then the customer gets “an easy to understand report printed and emailed.” The report also includes tire pressure trouble codes.

So before you assume everything is terrible or pretend everything is okay, get the knowledge you need. That way, you’re making an informed decision to ignore the light. After all, it’s probably pretty annoying to replace something like a splash shield on a 2016 Nissan Murano.

Motor1 reached out to Bishop Magic Don Juan via TikTok direct message and with a comment on the post. We’ll update this article when he gets back to us.