Land Rover Repair: check engine light on 1999 discovery I, coolant tank, obd ii

Question
Hi John,
I just drove my 1999 discovery I 4.0 from Seattle to Phoenix. I just hit 90,000 miles. When i arrived in phoenix, the check engine light came on. Italso came on about 6 months ago, but then went out on it's own after I filled the coolant tank to the proper level (tan was low about 1.8 inch). What could be causing the light to come on, and should i not drive it until i get it to the dealer to be looked at? I'd like to avoid taking it to the local dealership, as the labor to look into stuff like this is so expensive. Also, the red Service engine light came on at about 85,000 miles, but I heard this is just an emissions reminder. Is that accurate?
Thank you in advance for you help,
Nikki

Answer
The Service light is just a timed reminder.

The check engine light means there's something wrong.  Find a shop with an OBD II scan too and have them read the code.  Some indicate a serious problem, most do not.  The only way to know what your problem is will be to read the code.