A seller shared a golden tip for anyone looking to buy a used car and avoid major headaches with it in the future.
The Vehicle Wizard, who works at a dealership in Texas, USA, stated that anyone buying a used car should do this before closing the deal.
“If you’re buying a car, turn on the ignition without starting the engine. See if the ‘check engine’ light comes on. Because if you turn on the ignition and the light doesn’t come on—that is, there’s no ‘check engine’ light—it’s burnt out. Someone has tampered with it,” he explained.
He added that his video was inspired by a man who tried to sell him “a car with 11 codes.” “I’ve been in this business a long time,” The Vehicle Wizard added after shaking his head in disapproval.
It’s worth noting that the check engine light should briefly flash when you turn on a car. This ensures that all dashboard lights are working properly, and unless they stay on continuously, they don’t indicate a problem.
However, as seems to be the case with the vehicle the man tried to sell to The Vehicle Wizard, some ill-intentioned people may try to sabotage the check engine light so it doesn’t illuminate and reveal any issues with the car, making it easier to sell a defective vehicle since the buyer won’t be aware of the trick.
In the video’s comments, users shared other important tips. “Check the airbag light. Make sure it comes on and then goes off,” suggested one TikTok user.
“Get a code reader. They’re cheap. Get one like the BlueDriver, which can tell you how many warm-ups the car has had since the codes were last cleared. This can save you thousands of dollars,” advised another.
Photo and video: TikTok @the.vehicle.wizar / Unsplash. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
@the.vehicle.wizar♬ original sound – The Vehicle Wizard
