system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How does the check engine light on cars know to come on? Does it only cover certain problems ? How does it work?
gpt
You car has a computer that is connected to many sensors throughout the vehicle. Most drivers don't need to know what is actually wrong with the engine (indeed, most don't even care), so it's far easier to have a single "Get someone to check this out!" light than to provide a detailed explanation. A mechanic can connect to the computer to find out what is actually wrong with the car, usually through a specific code that might indicate which sensor says something is wrong.