A Malfunction Inicator Lamp (MIL) is an indicator of the internal status of a car engine. It is found on the instrument console of most automobiles. When illuminated, it is typically either a red or amber color. On vehicles equipped with OBD-II, the light has two stages: steady (indicating a minor fault such as a loose gas cap or failing oxygen sensor) and flashing (indicating a severe fault, such as catalytic converter problems or engine misfire). When the MIL is lit, the engine control unit stores a fault code related to the malfunction, which can be retrieved with a scan tool and used for further diagnosis. The Malfunction Indicator Lamp is usually labeled with the text Check Engine, Service Engine Soon, Check Engine Soon, or a picture of an engine.