For our wednesday theory classes

Dashboard lights and meaning

Whether it's an improperly closed door, or the dreaded check-engine alert, dashboard warning lights are how your car communicates with you when something goes wrong.

They light every time you start your vehicle, illuminated briefly as your car or truck warms up and makes sure all systems are safe and ready to go. Occasionally one light might stay on, indicating there’s a problem. Be equally alert if one or more warning lights don’t briefly illuminate. If they aren't functioning, you might not be able to detect a problem they'd warn you about.

But if you don't understand what a warning light means—or choose to ignore it—a small problem could turn into a bigger, more expensive, and potentially dangerous issue. And even the savviest car owner can have trouble deciphering the message a warning light is trying to convey.

talking again about one most of the most ignored important aspect of the driving training .... talking about the dashboard lights and meaning

The electronic systems in today's cars rely on a series of sensors connected to warning lights and symbols on the dashboard.

Assuming You’re driving along, enjoying the views, and all of a sudden you hear a beep—you look down, and a symbol has appeared on your dashboard. You start to wonder what could be wrong with your car.

Some symbols on your car’s dashboard are easier to figure out than others. However, it’s important to know exactly what these warning lights mean in case you need to pull over and call for help.

When it comes to dashboard lights, colors matter! Green or blue lights simply let you know that a system is on or operating. Orange/yellow warning lights generally signify that your vehicle needs to be serviced or repaired soon. These warnings are less urgent than if you have a red and/or flashing light. A red light means that you should take action immediately! Some red dashboard lights are safety warnings (like a seat belt reminder) and others are mechanical (like the engine overheating). If a red mechanical light appears, pull over as soon as possible and figure out what’s going on. Your vehicle will likely stop working or become damaged if you continue to drive.

1. Every car is different, so the symbols on your dashboard may vary slightly from the ones on our list. If in doubt, consult your vehicle’s owner’s manual!

2. Many of these dashboard lights will illuminate briefly when you turn on your vehicle and performs a system check. As long as the lights turn off within a few seconds, everything is operating normally.

CHECK ENGINE

We'll start with the worst. The check-engine light is the one car owners hate most. Usually, this warning is in the shape of a silhouetted engine, though sometimes it's an even harder to miss all-caps "CHECK ENGINE" message.

While it seems like the scariest, this light is one the most ambiguous because it relates to anything having to do with the car's motor and emissions system. The potential issue could be as minor as a loose wire, an ill-fitting gas cap, or a worn solenoid. Or it could mean something far more serious is wrong in the heart of the engine itself.

If the check-engine light illuminates while you're driving and everything seems fine with the car, don't panic, but don't ignore it, either. Get the vehicle to a mechanic to run a diagnostic test and source the problem. —something as simple as tightening the gas cap might solve the issue. This also prevents an emissions-spewing vehicle from operating without the driver knowing there’s a problem lurking under the hood.

Should the light turn on and the vehicle suddenly begin operating erratically or making strange noises, pull over immediately and call for a tow. This means there’s a far more serious problem, such as a misfire that could permanently damage the car’s engine. Ignoring a blinking check-engine light could mean putting yourself at risk, and ruining your car’s powertrain.

BATTERY

The battery warning is easy to decipher because it looks exactly like the thing that needs attention. For many car owners, this light conjures up the heart-sinking "whir whir whir" sound of a vehicle trying to start with a flat battery. Don't be fooled if the battery light illuminates but the car starts up and drives normally. There could be a long-term issue with the battery itself, or potential problems with the vehicle's wiring, alternator, or other electrical components.

COOLANT TEMPERATURE

What It Means: If you see this symbol pop up, it means that your engine is overheating. This most likely has to do with your coolant (also called antifreeze), but it can happen for a variety of reasons.

What To Do: First, try turning off the A/C and turning the heater on to redistribute heat to the passenger compartment. If that doesn’t work after a couple of minutes, pull over as soon as it is safe and turn off the vehicle. Allow the engine to cool for at least 15 minutes, and do not pop the hood! Opening the hood while the engine is hot could result in burns/injuries from spewing steam or smoke.

TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE

This indicates the internal pieces of your gearbox are reaching a critical point. This might be caused by excessively heavy towing, low transmission fluid levels, or, more seriously, excessive wear on the inner workings of the transmission.

OIL PRESSURE WARNING

What It Means: This old-fashioned oil can symbol indicates that there is an issue with your car’s oil pressure system. Either you’re running low on oil or your oil pump isn’t circulating enough fluid to properly lubricate the surfaces inside your engine. (NOTE: Some car dashboards will display the word “OIL” instead of this symbol.)

What To Do: Poor engine lubrication can cause major engine damage, so this is an important warning to pay attention to! Pull over as soon as it is safe, turn off the vehicle, and check the oil! Look around the engine bay for obvious oil leaks, and then pull out the oil dipstick to check the fluid level.

If the oil level is low, then the light may go off when you add oil. If it has enough oil but the engine is running noisy, it might an issue with the oil pump. If the oil level is okay and the engine is running smoothly, your oil pressure sensor may be malfunctioning. In any case, it’s important to bring your vehicle in ASAP to let a mechanic take a look and address whatever is causing the low oil/low oil pressure.

TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM

What It Means: Also known as the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) symbol, this image signals an issue with your tire pressure or the TPMS.

If the TPMS symbol is solid, then the pressure in one or more of your tires is too low or too high. If the TPMS symbol flashes for 60-90 seconds when you turn on your vehicle and then stays illuminated, even if your tires are properly inflated, then something is wrong with your TPMS sensors.

What To Do: Driving on low- or high-pressure tires is unsafe and can cause damage to your tires. We recommend stopping as soon as possible to inflate or deflate your tires to the correct pressure.

BRAKE SYSTEM

What It Means: If you see this symbol on your dashboard or the word “BRAKE” in red, then either the parking brake is engaged or there’s a problem with your braking system.

What To Do: First, stop and check to see if your parking brake is engaged. Try setting and releasing the brake while your vehicle is in park. If the light is still on even when the parking brake is unengaged,

TRACTION / STABILITY CONTROL

What It Means: This car symbol indicates that your vehicle’s traction control system is activated. The traction control system uses your anti-lock brake system (ABS) to determine if one wheel is spinning faster than the others. If it detects that a wheel is slipping, it applies the brakes until the car regains traction. This is most helpful if you’re driving in rain or snow.

What To Do: Continue driving, but be aware of slippery conditions.

AIRBAG WARNING

What It Means: The airbag warning light signals that something is wrong with one of your airbags or the entire airbag system.

What To Do: You should get your car checked out immediately! Your car’s airbags keep you safe during accidents, so it’s important to make sure they are working properly.

Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) Warning Light

What It Means: When you brake hard, like on slick roads, the ABS pulses the brakes to prevent your wheels from locking up. If the ABS warning light is illuminated, it means that something is wrong with the system.

What To Do: Since this is such an important safety feature, it’s important to have a mechanic diagnose the issue as soon as possible.

Low Fuel Indicator Light

What It Means: You’re likely familiar with this dashboard light (maybe a little too familiar!). It simply means your vehicle is running low on fuel.

What To Do: If you still have a ways to go, don’t push your luck! You never know how weather or traffic patterns will play out, so it’s best to stop at the nearest gas station and fill up.

Bonus tip: Most vehicles have a triangle-shaped arrow next to the gas pump icon on your fuel gauge. This arrow indicates which side of the vehicle the fuel tank is on!

Automatic Shift Lock or Engine Start Indicator Light

What It Means: If you see this dashboard symbol, you’re most likely trying to shift gears or start your ignition without engaging the brake. The automatic shift lock will lock your vehicle in park or neutral until you engage the brake.

What To Do: Press the brake pedal, then shift gears or start the ignition, whichever you are wanting to do.

Seat Belt Reminder Light

What It Means: This car light simply reminds you or your passenger to fasten your seatbelts. It is usually accompanied by a repetitive dinging noise.

What To Do: Buckle up! seat belts decrease serious crash-related injuries by about 50%.

Airbag Indicator Light

What It Means: The airbag warning light signals that something is wrong with one of your airbags or the entire airbag system.

What To Do: You should get your car checked out immediately! Your car’s airbags keep you safe during accidents, so it’s important to make sure they are working properly.

Security Indicator Light

What It Means: If your vehicle has an anti-theft system, then this symbol will blink steadily when the security system is armed. If it is solid and the car will not start, then the immobilization system has activated due to a security threat or malfunction. If it is solid and the car is running normally, then the security system is malfunctioning and needs to be fixed.

What To Do: If the vehicle is immobilized, follow your vehicle’s guidelines for how to deactivate the security system. If it’s a malfunction, your security system will not work correctly until you have it repaired.

Fog Lamp Indicator Light

What It Means: This symbol shows that your fog lights are on.

What To Do: Fog lights should only be used if your visibility is less than 100 yards. If you turn them on unnecessarily, they can make it difficult for other drivers on the road to see.

Washer Fluid Indicator Light

What It Means: Imitating the motion of your windshield wipers, this dashboard symbol means that you’re low on windshield washer fluid.

What To Do: Fill up the reservoir with fluid as soon as you can

Lane Departure Warning Light

What It Means: Most cars produced today come with a lane departure warning safety feature. It activates this light on your dashboard and makes a beeping noise when it detects that your vehicle is drifting out of your lane.

What To Do: Correct your steering, if needed. (The light may come on when you are purposefully changing lanes.)

Transmission Temperature Warning Light

What It Means: If this symbol appears on your dashboard, it means that your transmission is overheating. This could be caused by low transmission fluid, worn transmission parts, heavy towing or something else.

What To Do: Pull over as soon as it’s safe and turn off the vehicle. Wait for the vehicle to cool down before attempting to drive again and get to a repair shop as soon as possible. If the light won’t go off and you have a ways to go, it’s best to call for a tow.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse