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Jun 28, 2023 · This article will give you a quick explanation for every warning, alert, and indicator light on the dashboard, 113 to be exact. We’ll break them down into sections, and include images to help you compare them to the lights of your dashboard, so keep reading to learn more and know how to react in case one of these lights turns on!
- Check Engine Light. A Check Engine light indicates an issue with the engine or the emissions. It can be shown either as an engine symbol or as plain text reading “Check Engine”.
- Anti-lock Braking System. An ABS light indicates there is an issue with your anti-lock brakes or Anti-lock braking system (ABS). Read more.
- Airbag Indicator. An airbag light means that there is an issue with the airbag system. The airbags will not deploy in an accident with the light on. Read more.
- Oil Level Warning Light. A yellow oil level warning light indicates a low engine oil level. The oil level should be checked as soon as possible. Most likely due to an oil leak.
- Fog Lights. We'll start with a dash light that isn't technically a warning light. The fog light symbol looks a lot like the one used for the regular headlights, albeit with a squiggly line in front of it instead of three lines that look like beams.
- Low Tire Pressure. Modern cars come with tire pressure monitoring systems and the little exclamation point inside of a half-circle merely means one or more of your tires have low pressure.
- Engine Oil Warning Light. Cars have been able to monitor their engine's oil pressure for years now. If you've seen what looks like a gravy boat light pop up in your dash it means there's a problem with your engine oil pressure.
- Check Engine Light. The check engine light means that one of the many sensors monitoring your car has noticed a problem with the engine. It can be anything from a spark plug fault to the failure of something major such as the intake manifold or low compression.
- Oil Pressure Light. The red oil pressure warning light might indicate a low engine oil level in the shape of an old oil can with a drop of oil dripping from its spout.
- Engine Temperature. Shaped like a partially submerged thermometer, the engine temperature light can illuminate blue or red. If it activates red, it indicates the engine is overheating.
- Battery. Unmistakably shaped like a battery, this red warning light indicates that something within the vehicle’s charging system has failed or is failing.
- Brake System. The light is an exclamation point surrounded by a circle inside parentheses. Once the vehicle is started, it will remain illuminated to alert the driver if the parking brake is engaged.
Mar 20, 2021 · 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...
Many warning lights indicate that a fault has occurred inside the vehicle's system, but it doesn't pinpoint the item or system that has failed. In these cases, a code reader or scan tool can help determine the part that needs to be replaced.
Jan 5, 2024 · If a symbol you don’t recognize pops up on your dashboard, you're in the right place. We’ll break down all of the common car dashboard lights and symbols and cover their meanings so that you can figure out what your vehicle is trying to tell you, if there's a problem, and how to fix it.
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