Owing a car isn’t just about being behind the wheel, there is some minor information if not major, one needs to understand before considering yourself a car owner, to avoid the car malfunctioning. You can be behind the wheel, driving and enjoying the views, listening to the cool music resounding from sound system.
It is certain, at that moment you wouldn’t want anything to disrupt your ride, but from nowhere, you hear a beep, looking down, you notice a symbol appear on your dashboard, but you’re confused on what it means.
It is actually easier to figure out the symbols on your vehicle dashboard than others. Nevertheless, it is really necessary to know and understand how to respond to these dashboard warning lights in case you need to stop over and call for help. In this article, we’ll discuss about dashboard warning lights, the different types of car dashboard warning lights, what they mean and how to respond to them.
Car Dashboard Warning Lights: These are signals on the car dashboard, showing you the various ways your car systems functions by giving you notifications anytime potential issues arises while you’re on motion.
You should understand that it’s not every symbol that shows on your dashboard is a warning light. Some have to do with vehicle features (like lights and cruise control) or safety (like blind-spot monitoring and lane departure warnings) or mechanical issues (like low tire pressure and engine temperature warnings).
Types of Car Dashboard Warning Lights
Dashboard lights appears in color, and it is important to know that each of these colors really matters because they all have insightful meanings.
- 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.
The listed warnings above are less urgent than if you have a red and/or flashing light.
- 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.
Car Dashboard Common Warning Lights
- Engine Temperature Warning Light: It indicates an overheating engine, which likely has to do with the coolant.
Response: 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. While waiting for a mechanic, allow the engine to cool for at least 15 minutes, and do not pop the hood!
- Oil Pressure Warning Light: This indicates low oil level or a faulty oil pump.
Response: Pull over as soon as it is safe, turn off the vehicle, and check the oil level. Add oil of low, but if the engine is running noisy, it might be an issue with the oil pump. You should then seek professional help.
- Battery/Charging Alert Light: It indicates problem with the vehicle’s charging system. It either has to do with the battery or alternator.
Response: Immediately pull over, stop the engine and check battery connections, if the light still remains on, try testing the charging system and seek an expert audience.
- Brake Warning Light: It indicates either the parking brake is engaged or there’s I problem with the braking system.
Response: Try unengaging by offing the parking brake. If the light is still on even when the parking brake is unengaged, check for leak and have your car towed to the nearest auto service.
- Tire Pressure Warning Light: It indicates issues with the tire pressure.
Response: Stop as soon as possible to inflate or deflate your tyres to the correct pressure. If the light is still on, check for leaks and damages.
- Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) Warning Light: When you brake hard, like on hazardous roads, the ABS pulses the brakes to prevent your wheels from locking up. If the ABS warning light is lighted , it means that something is wrong with the system.
Response: It possible the regular brake still works, but it’s important to have a mechanic diagnose the issue as soon as possible.
- Airbag Indicator Warning Light: It indicates that something is wrong with one of your airbags or the entire airbag system.
Response: it is advisable to 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.
- Transmission Fluid Temperature Warning Light: It indicates overheating transmission, caused by low transmission fluid, worn transmission parts, heavy towing or something else.
Response: Pull over as soon as it’s safe and turn off the vehicle. Wait for the vehicle to cool down, and check transmission fluid levels.
- Security Indicator Light: when the security system is armed, the symbol will blink steadily, If your vehicle has an anti-theft system.
Response: 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.
- Automatic Shift Lock or Engine Start Indicator Light: This indicates 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.
Response: Press the brake pedal, then shift gears or start the ignition, whichever you are wanting to do.
Getting familiar with these dashboard warning lights, and understanding how they operate is a very important thing to know as a car owner. To avoid future breakouts, going through our listed warning lights will be a great advantage for you as a car owner.
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