What do dashboard warning lights mean? If you’ve ever been stuck at a traffic light and noticed your dashboard lighting up with warning lights, or if you’ve been driving for an extended period of time and don’t know what the dashboard warnings are telling you, then this blog post is for you!
We will go over some common dashboard systems that tell drivers when there is something wrong with their car.
Oil Pressure Warning Light
This warning light means that the oil pressure is low. The driver should pull over and check their dashboard because this could be a sign of an engine problem or just bad oil levels in general, but they need to stop driving right away!
Brake Fluid Warning Light
This dashboard light means you are running out of brake fluid which is important for your car to stop, so if you see this dashboard light it’s important to pull over and add more brake fluid.
Coolant Temperature Warning Light
Your car engine runs on coolant. When your engine is hot, it will be because the coolant has broken down. The dashboard warning light will flash when this happens. Turn off any power that does not need to be turned on and pull over to the side of the road as soon as you can so that you can get help!
Battery Warning Light
This dashboard system means there is a problem with the power of the car battery. This can be characterized by your dashboard not charging, you having several lights coming on at once and it could lead to more serious issues if left unaddressed. If this happens, get in touch with professionals immediately so they can diagnose what’s going wrong!
Airbag Warning Light
If you get a dashboard warning light that looks like an airbag with an exclamation point inside it then this means there is something wrong with your passenger’s side airbags. You should pull over immediately to get help finding out what’s going on with your dashboard.
Tire Pressure Warning Light
The tire pressure warning light is designed to make sure that the tires are properly inflated. This is important for your safety and your car’s longevity, as correct tire inflation helps a vehicle perform better on all kinds of road conditions. If you have low air in any part of one or more of your four tires, then the dashboard will alert you with a red light.
Engine Temperature Warning Light
An engine temperature warning light can indicate overheating. It’s usually accompanied by a dashboard “BRAKE” symbol, which indicates that the brakes are functioning normally and you should stop worrying about them if they’ve been making noise or feel weirdly soft.
Traction Control Light
This dashboard light indicates that your vehicle’s traction control system is not working properly. If the traction control system fails, you might lose overall control of the car and have difficulty steering it in wet or slippery conditions. Reduce speed to a safe level until you can pull over and park your car.
Anti Lock Brake System Light
The dashboard Anti Lock Brake System light is typically yellow. It goes off when the computer detects that your car’s anti-lock brake system has a malfunction or problem, and it may stay on for several seconds or longer if there’s an issue with the ABS. If you have this dashboard warning light come on while driving, pull over to a safe spot, and turn off the car.
Check Engine Light
Warning Lights check engine light dashboard warning lights are usually in the middle of your dashboard. They can come on if something is wrong with your car, and they will stay lit until you have it serviced. If a dashboard warning light comes on when you’re driving, pull over to a safe place right away because there’s probably an issue that needs attention. It’s also a good idea to check your dashboard warning lights at least once per month, if not more often.
Brake System Warning Light
The brake system warning light alerts you that there’s an issue with your vehicle’s braking system. If the dashboard is illuminated, have it checked as soon as possible by a mechanic or service station to avoid further damage and/or potential harm to yourself, other drivers on the road, pedestrians crossing nearby streets, etc.
Washer Fluid Indicator
The washer fluid indicator is an almost universal dashboard warning light that tells you when it’s time to refill your windshield washer fluid. When the reservoir is low, a small symbol of a car with two squirts of liquid on either side will illuminate in your dashboard display.
Sometimes these symbols look like little raindrops (a series of three), which is a clue that your washer fluid needs to be replenished.
Fog Lamp Indicator
The dashboard features a fog lamp indicator which is illuminated when your car’s fog lights are active. The dashboard also features the fog lamp switch that allows you to turn on/off or activate them manually, and it will deactivate automatically if the engine is turned off.
Seat Belt Reminder
The seat belt reminder light is typically represented by a dashboard icon of a person in an outlined seat with the seat belt over their shoulder. The dashboard will flash when it senses you are not wearing your seatbelt, and it may also beep as well. This can occur even if you just recently put on or buckled your belt before driving.
Low Fuel Indicator
The low fuel indicator is one of the dashboard lights that you should be aware of. This dashboard light can indicate a few things, such as:
You have less than ¼ tank left in your gas tank and will need to refuel soon, or There’s something wrong with your car and it shouldn’t be driven until repaired.
Door Open Warning Light
The dashboard warning light for the door open is a useful safety measure as it alerts you when your driver-side or passenger-side doors are not closed securely. This means that they have been left open, which could be dangerous if another vehicle hits them while driving down the road. If this dashboard warning light comes on and stays lit, then it might indicate that your door open light is not working properly.
Power Steering Warning Light
The power steering warning light is usually yellow, but it can also be amber or red. If the dashboard displays a flashing arrow with an exclamation point inside of it, this means that there is too little power in your battery and you need to recharge before driving anywhere else.
A solid illuminated arrow indicates that the issue lies within the motor itself or the power steering system. If there is a flashing warning light, it means that the dashboard senses a low level of fluid and you should stop driving immediately to avoid damage to your vehicle’s components.
Car Dashboard Warning Lights Issue?
If you’ve been ignoring your dashboard for a while, it may be time to check your vehicle owner’s manual or to have someone take a look at it. The more signs that show up on the dashboard of your car, the greater chance there is that something serious has gone wrong and needs immediate attention.
That being said, if you don’t know how to diagnose these warning lights or what they mean – call Dependable Car Care today! We have years of experience helping drivers keep their cars safe by identifying problems before they become bigger (and expensive) issues down the line.
Our technicians will come out and identify which light corresponds with each problem so we can get right to work fixing them as quickly as possible without any guesswork involved!
