If you’ve driven a car even once, then you are probably familiar with all the colored lights and symbols that illuminate inside the dashboard display, but you might not be too sure what those dash lights mean. Some people call them dummy lights- moms will say that’s because you’re a dummy if you ignore them. Most of the time the purpose of these indicator lights is to either let you know that a certain feature is on, or that something is wrong. They can be found in a few different spots if you are sitting in the driver’s seat, but most often they are situated near the speedometer.
Don’t be the dummy! Usually when you see one of these lights come on, it’s just a minor issue (although some are more serious than others). However, this doesn’t mean you can just shrug them off! They are there for a reason, and many times this reason is to keep you and your passengers safe.
It’s useful to note that these lights are often displayed in different colors depending on their urgency. Green typically indicates that a function is on and in use – like cruise control or your bright headlights. Yellow is meant to be understood as a warning signal generally indicating that you may need to get some routine maintenance, like your check engine light. Red means danger – this indicates a problem that needs immediate attention. Most often the symbols used are the same for different makes or models, so you should find this guide to be useful no matter what type of vehicle you drive.
Tire Pressure
You may have seen the tire pressure indicator come on when the weather starts getting colder in the winter time. As the temperatures drop air becomes more dense, thus lowering the pressure within your tire. It is displayed as a warning (yellow) and is indicated by an exclamation point inside of a semicircle.
If this light illuminates in your dash it means that one or more of your tires is at an incorrect pressure. If you have a newer vehicle, it’s likely each of your individual tires will have their own tire pressure sensor, so you’ll know which tire’s pressure is wrong and by how much. Most likely your tire pressure is going to be low rather than too high, as tires will gradually leak air over time or lose pressure due to cold weather.
The fix for low tire pressure is simple! Most gas stations will have a tire filling station for customers to use. This will usually only set you back about 50 cents (be sure to keep some spare change in your car just for this!) and is relatively easy to use. When filling your tires, make sure that you fill all four tires to an even pressure and to the manufacturers specifications. If you don’t know what the proper tire pressure is you can find it listed on the door jamb or in the owner’s manual.
Airbag Indicator
This dash light indicator lets you know that your airbag may be malfunctioning. The airbag indicator light often shows a passenger who is buckled up (as you should be too), with a bubble in front of them. Alternatively, it may just show the letters “SRS” – that stands for supplemental restraint system which is just fancy talk for “airbag”. This indicator light is shown in red because it’s one that you should definitely not ignore. If you do, it could potentially cost you your life.
Brake Warning Light
Sometimes when you see the brake indicator light on in the dash, it’s just trying to tell you to turn off your parking brake before you start driving. Often this indicator is red, and can be seen as simply the word “brake” or a circle with an exclamation point in the middle. You may also see it as a red circle with the letter “P” for parking, or if you have anti-lock brakes you’ll see it represented by the letters “ABS”.
If you find this light stays on even after you have disengaged the parking brake, you’ll want to get it checked out right away. This could be a sign that there is something wrong with your car’s primary brakes. As everyone knows, brakes are the most important safety feature in the car, so it’s important to make sure that they are functioning properly.
Fuel Indicator
This is one of the warning lights in the dash that pretty much everyone has seen. It’s easy to know what this means because it’s shaped just like a gas pump! Often it is yellow, as if to say “warning – low fuel”. When you see this light, you better be thinking about a place to stop and get some gas soon, or you’ll soon find yourself in a heckuva pickle. If you drive a newer vehicle, there may even be a display inside the dash that tells you just how many miles you have left to drive before you will run out of fuel completely.
Engine Temperature Indicator
The engine temperature warning light is usually red and shaped just like a thermometer. This is one indicator on our list that you definitely don’t want to ignore. An overheating engine is a serious problem, and if you go too long without getting it fixed, you could be seriously stranded on the side of the road.
The operating temperature for different engines vary, but the optimal zone is usually somewhere right around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Many of your car’s systems work in tandem to keep the engine in this zone, so if you are experiencing engine overheating it may be due to failure of several different components. The main culprits are the radiator, radiator fan, water pump, or coolant levels.
No matter what is causing your engine to overheat, you will want to get the problem addressed right away. Failure to do so could result in irreparable damage to your engine.
Oil Pressure Indicator
If your oil pressure is low you may encounter a dash indicator light that is shaped like an oil can – possibly with a few drops dripping out. This one is red because oil is one of the most important fluids in your car. If your oil is just a little low it’s usually no big deal, but if your oil pressure drops below a certain level it could be detrimental.
Low oil pressure may develop if you have a serious leak or a worn out oil pump. Either way, when you see the oil pressure indicator light it’s telling you that for some reason the engine is having trouble circulating the oil, which means the engine is not being lubricated properly. This could total the vehicle very quickly, so get it fixed fast!
Battery Indicator
The battery indicator is pretty easy to recognize. It’s simply a rectangle with a positive and negative sign on either end. While it looks just like a real battery, it doesn’t always represent the actual battery under the hood. This dash light is meant to represent the entire electrical system. While you may just have an issue with the battery, the issue could also originate from the alternator, electrical wires, or the computer brain inside the car.
Check Engine Light
Last, but certainly not least, is the most dreaded dash indicator by drivers across the world. That’s the check engine light, also known as the CEL. This light is so feared because it is so vague. It tells you that there is something wrong going on with your vehicle, but it doesn’t tell you exactly what. It’s basically a catch all for any of the problems that are not already distinguished by one of the other dash indicators.
More often than not noticing the check engine light is on in your car is not a big deal. Some people even drive around with this light on perpetually (don’t be that guy). Oftentimes it can be fixed with a part that costs as little as $10, but to figure out the exact problem you’ll need a tool that can read the diagnostic code from the car’s computer – called an OBD scanner.
We hope this guide has been illuminating (pun intended) when it comes to deciphering the meanings of all the indicator lights inside your car’s dashboard. Just remember that when you see a dash light come on (especially the check engine light) there is no need to panic! Most of the time it’s not a big deal. Even still, the cause of the problem needs to be checked out (especially if you’re about to go on a road trip). So keep a cool head, and call Lakeside Mobile Mechanic!